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Michael Simon

Michael Simon

Director · Born December 17, 1960 (65) · Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Michael Simon is an American television director and producer. Beginning at ABC News and soon moving to ABC Sports, Simon moved over to MTV networks in the 1980s with a long stint at VH1 and MTV, including musical specials, awards shows, concerts, and more. He created, wrote, directed, and produced VH1 Storytellers and produced and directed the VH1 Divas Live specials. He eventually left the MTV networks in 1998 to direct independently, but with most projects being connected to music. This includes work on over 25 series, including A Home for the Holidays, America's Best Dance Crew, The Sing-Off and Ridiculousness.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 17, 1960 (65)
From
Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Director
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 33 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are Michael Simon's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
45%
Self
36%
Bonds
9%
Morality
5%
Ideas
3%
Power
2%
Identity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 1 · Intense 0

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 6

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

Slow burn 2 · 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 8 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
13
Absurd
7
Warm
6
Tense
2
Manic
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet1
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical4

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 Simon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Simon'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

33 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page.

  • Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • Messyness(2021)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Deliciousness(2020)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Gad Elmaleh: American Dream(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The 19th Annual A Home For The Holidays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Jeff Dunham: Relative Disaster(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • SafeWord(2017)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The 18th Annual 'A Home for the Holidays' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Dear Mama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Crashletes(2016)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood(2015)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Snack Off(2014)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • A Home for the Holidays With Celine Dion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Sing-Off(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Series Director

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Bob & Tom Comedy All-Stars Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • Meat Loaf: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Melissa Etheridge - Lucky Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Melissa Etheridge Live... and Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Herbie Hancock Future2future Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • *N Sync: *Ntimate Holiday Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Donna Summer: Live and More... Encore!(1999)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • VH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Tom Waits: VH1 Storytellers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Celine: These Are Special Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Bee Gees: One Night Only (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • VH1: Divas Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Bee Gees - Storytellers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • KAGUYAHIME: THE MOON PRINCESS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Production Design

Career shape

A full career of 28 titles from 1994 to 2024.

Highest rated

Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity (2007)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

Deliciousness (2020)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing26 of 28: 26 only directing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score83rdOther crew2 of 28: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s8 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s9 · crew2020s1 · 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 Simon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 83rd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 79th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 14 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · director

Crashletes (2016)

95th percentile spread · 66% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Donna Summer: Live and More... Encore! (1999)

Midcredits 91st · 71% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 48/100 and the pacing 43/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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.

Who does Michael Simon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Simon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Dunham shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers