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Michael C. Butler

Cinematographer, also producer

Works as
Cinematographer, also producer
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 15 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 18% in 30 days

What are Michael C. Butler's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
29%
Bonds
28%
Survival
17%
Self
16%
Power
10%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 1 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 6 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Warm
4
Thrilling
5
Joyful
3
Melancholic
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Michael C. Butler's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael C. Butler's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

15 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page.

  • Southie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Cinematographer

  • Dance of the Dwarfs(1983)

    Associate Producer · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Megaforce(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Cannonball Run(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Smokey and the Bandit II(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • A Small Circle of Friends(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Wanda Nevada(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Jaws 2(1978)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Telefon(1977)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Missouri Breaks(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • 92 in the Shade(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Harry and Tonto(1974)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Charley Varrick(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Christian Licorice Store(1971)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Old Fashioned Picture Book (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Assistant Director · Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 15 titles from 1971 to 1998.

Biggest box office

Jaws 2 (1978)

$188M worldwide

Highest rated

Charley Varrick (1973)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Jaws 2 (1978)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing1 of 15: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography14 of 15: 12 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thOther crew2 of 15: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s9 · crew1980s5 · crew1990s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Michael C. Butler's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 13 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · cinematographer

Megaforce (1982)

82nd percentile spread · 63% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Charley Varrick (1973)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 60/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Michael C. Butler's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles21–52 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 70 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Michael C. Butler work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael C. Butler's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hal Needham shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers