Michael Halperin

Biography

Michael Halperin worked on staff at Universal and was Executive Story Consultant at 20 th Century-Fox Television.  His writing credits include numerous long-running television shows (see credits).

Halperin’s play The Spark of Reason premiered in Los Angeles in 2000 to sell out audiences.  Since then he has written Freud at Sinai which has had several staged readings throughout the country and Mela to be seen on stage shortly starring Mariette Hartley. Poor Timing will be presented in Los Angeles in November 2005 (see Seminars). His full-length play, All Steps Necessary, commissioned by Inkwell Theaters, will be produced by Elliott Schoenman in early 2006 (watch for dates).

His newest book for Young Adults, Black Wheels , was published in June, 2003. He co-authored the best-selling award-winning novel for children Jacob’s Rescue .  His other books include Writing the Killer Treatment: Selling Your Story Without a Script (Movie and Entertainment Book Club Selection), Writing the Second Act: Building Conflict and Tension in Your Film Script , (Writers Digest and Movie/Entertainment Book Club Selection), and Writing Great Characters: The Psychology of Character Development in Screenplays (Writers Digest Book Club Selection).  He has written, designed, and produced award-winning computer-based interactive media winning the “Cybie” Award from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences for co-authoring Voyeur one of the first interactive murder mysteries.

He wrote the original bible for Masters of the Universe, the most successful animated television series in syndication.  He also served as the show’s Creative Consultant.  Shortly after his tenure with Masters , he created Challenge of the Gobots and was Creative Consultant on the animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera.  Because of the success of Masters, Mattel returned to Halperin in 2001 in order to create and develop He-Man and the Masters of the Universe for Cartoon Network.

Halperin teaches screenwriting and broadcasting at LoyolaMarymountUniversity in Los Angeles.  He holds a BA Degree in Communications and a Ph.D. in Film Studies.