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Motif

Michael S. Ojeda

Editor, director, cinematographer, writer and producer

Michael S. Ojeda is an American film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer known for his work in the horror and thriller genres. He gained recognition with Avenged (2013), a supernatural revenge film that he wrote, directed, and shot. Ojeda continued to explore dark narratives with The Russian Bride (2018), a thriller about a Russian woman and her daughter who move to America to marry a reclusive billionaire, only to discover his sinister intentions. His films are noted for their atmospheric tension and visual style.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Editor, director, cinematographer, writer and producer
Titles
11 on Motif · 16 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 9% in 30 days

What are Michael S. Ojeda's films like?

Across their 10 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Horror4 titlesTypical Motif score: 17th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Motif score: 40th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
Survival
35%
Morality
28%
Bonds
18%
Self
13%
Society
3%
Power
2%
Trauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

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

Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 6 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 5

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
6
Melancholic
3
Contemplative
2
Thrilling
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Unsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3

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. Ojeda's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 11 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael S. Ojeda'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

16 credits, 11 with a Motif page.

  • Dominique(2024)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

    Motif score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Elkhorn(2024)

    Show Director

    Motif score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Abigail(2023)

    Editor

    Motif score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Wild West Chronicles(2020)

    Show Creator

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Russian Bride(2018)

    Director · Editor · Writer

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Navy SEALs: America's Secret Warriors(2017)

    Show Cinematographer

    Motif score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Nelson Bixby Takes on the Whole Wide World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Cinematographer · Editor · Visual Effects

  • The Amityville Terror(2016)

    Cinematographer · Editor

    Motif score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Den of Darkness(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Avenged(2013)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer

    Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Floating Shadow(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Secret History of Religion: Doomsday - Book of Revelation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Lana's Rain (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Love 101(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The New World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Cinematographer

  • Rise of the Phoenix (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

Career shape

A full career of 12 titles, 11 of them dated from 1996 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Dominique (2024)

$24K worldwide

Highest rated

Dominique (2024)

Motif 46th

Most popular right now

Elkhorn (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing6 of 12: 1 only directing, 5 with another roleWriting4 of 12: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing2 of 12: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleCinematography5 of 12: 2 only cinematography, 3 with another roleEditing7 of 12: 1 only editing, 6 with another role · typical Motif score33rdOther crew2 of 12: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

12 titles, 7 with more than one role — editing and directing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1990s1 · crew2000s3 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s3 · 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. Ojeda's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 33rd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 32nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Motif score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 11 titles are Mixed.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · editor

Abigail (2023)

84th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Navy SEALs: America's Secret Warriors (2017)

Motif 66th · 73% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 48/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 61, 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.

Is Michael S. Ojeda's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 Motif titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 90 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 48 · moderateMedian of all films: 31

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Michael S. Ojeda work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael S. Ojeda's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jim Orr shares the most, 3.

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles