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Motif

Michael S. McLean

Editor and producer

Works as
Editor and producer
Titles
20 on Motif · 31 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 43% in 30 days

What are Michael S. McLean's films like?

Across their 14 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Motif score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Motif score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Motif score: 41st percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
Bonds
33%
Morality
28%
Self
12%
Survival
12%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 6 · Intense 3

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 4

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 11 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Warm
4
Melancholic
5
Absurd
4
Joyful
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet6

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 S. McLean's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 20 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Subscription and free streaming for Michael S. McLean's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

31 credits, 20 with a Motif page.

  • Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Post Production Supervisor

  • Dead Like Me(2003)

    Show 29 episodes · Post Production Supervisor

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Carrie(2002)

    Post Production Supervisor

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all films

  • It Came from Outer Space II(1996)

    Editor

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Efficiency Expert(1991)

    Unit Manager

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Daddy(1991)

    Editor

    Motif score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Palomino (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Editor

  • Changes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Editor

  • Fine Things (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Editor

  • She Was Marked for Murder (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Editor

  • Bigfoot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Producer

  • A Place to Call Home(1987)

    Construction Manager

    Motif score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Killer in the Mirror(1986)

    Producer

    Motif score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Having It All(1982)

    Associate Producer

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Best Little Girl in the World(1981)

    Editor

    Motif score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Casino (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    Supervising Editor

  • Murder Can Hurt You!(1980)

    Editor

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Love's Savage Fury(1979)

    Editor

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Return of Mod Squad(1979)

    Editor

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid(1978)

    Editor

    Motif score: 70th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 2 episodes · Editor

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • The San Pedro Bums(1977)

    Editor

    Motif score: 37th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The New Love Boat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    Editor

  • Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years(1977)

    Editor

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Sybil (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · Editor

  • Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Editor

  • Mr. Ricco(1975)

    Editor

    Motif score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Miles to Go Before I Sleep(1975)

    Editor

    Motif score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Freebie and the Bean(1974)

    Editor

    Motif score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Tell Me Where It Hurts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Editor

  • Which Way to the Front?(1970)

    Assistant Editor

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 24 titles from 1970 to 2009.

Highest rated

Freebie and the Bean (1974)

Motif 66th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing3 of 24: 3 only producing, 0 with another roleEditing15 of 24: 15 only editing, 0 with another role · typical Motif score39thOther crew6 of 24: 6 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Motif score48th

By decade

1970s10 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s5 · crew2000s3 · 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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Michael S. McLean's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Motif score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · editor

The San Pedro Bums (1977)

85th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977)

Motif 90th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 51/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 65, detractors 31. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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.

Who does Michael S. McLean work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael S. McLean's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Douglas S. Cramer shares the most, 6.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers