Michael Wellenreiter

Michael Wellenreiter serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Music, Theatre and Film at Saint Joseph's University, where he teaches digital filmmaking, television production, and film studies. Concurrently, he operates as founder of Philadelphia-based Severine Pictures, maintaining an active creative practice alongside academic duties.

His educational foundation includes a BS in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MFA in Film and Media Arts from Temple University. This dual training supports his integration of scholarly research with professional production.

Professor Wellenreiter's research centers on narrative structures across media, particularly examining authorial control in video games (Fallout, Mass Effect, Metal Gear Solid) and multicultural storytelling in film. His creative output manifests in retro-style sci-fi thrillers like Mirrors (2018) and Red Medusa (2013), which explore international perspectives through both content and production frameworks.

His scholarly publication record includes the 2015 Journal of Screenwriting article analyzing video game narrative mechanics, demonstrating consistent interdisciplinary engagement between academic theory and creative practice.

Award highlights include:

• Best Sci-Fi Feature Film for Mirrors (Chicago International Genre Film Festival, 2018)
• Best Visual FX for Mirrors (Roswell Sci-Fi Film Festival, 2018)
• Best Feature Film for Red Medusa (Terror Film Festival, 2013)
• Dramatic Directing Award for Red Medusa (Amsterdam Film Festival, 2013)

Professor Wellenreiter's teaching leverages his industry experience, particularly through Severine Pictures productions which provide practical case studies for students. His films' international festival circulation and distribution channels—including West African markets and Indieflix—demonstrate successful project funding models that enrich classroom discussions about media economics.

Through Severine Pictures, he directs feature films and surreal music videos (for Robert Pollard, Mahogany, The Teeth) that achieve global distribution, creating a professional ecosystem where academic research directly informs creative output and vice versa.