History Creator / MichaelBay

Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965 in Los Angeles, California) is an American film director and producer known for an incredibly energetic -- and [[LoveItOrHateIt highly divisive]] -- directing style.

While his detractors claim his films are juvenile or impossible to follow, and his name has grown quite pejorative in art-house circles, a lot of filmgoers don't seem to mind, and [[CriticProof his films are routinely box-office successes]]. If you look over his interviews, especially for ''Film/{{Transformers}}'', you'll see that he is more than aware of it, and even makes [[SelfDeprecation fun of]] [[AdamWesting the fact]]. On one occasion, he stated, "I make movies for teenage boys. Oh, dear, what a crime."

He started out directing commercials and music videos (most notably the very first [[Advertising/GotMilk "Got Milk?"]] ad, and "I Would Do Anything For Love" by Music/{{Meat Loaf}}) before Don Simpson and Creator/JerryBruckheimer hired him to direct ''Film/BadBoys''. The film was a modest hit and kicked off Bay's film career, after which ''Film/TheRock'' (one of his more well-liked movies) came out and solidified him as someone capable of making energetic, entertaining and profitable action films. It was around the time ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'' that the divisiveness Bay would become known for began rolling around.

Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965 in Los Angeles, California) is an American movie director. He's known for an incredibly energetic direction style that some claim is impossible to follow, while a lot of other filmgoers don't seem to mind.

Bay got interested in action films when [[EstablishingCharacterMoment he set firecrackers on a train set, filmed it with his mom's camera, and got grounded]] -- an approach which seems to have continued into many of his higher budget movies even today. As a teenager he was a clerk for Lucasfilm in the early '80s, and worked on ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. [[ItWillNeverCatchOn He thought it would suck]], but [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail ate his words]] when he saw the final product. That got him interested in directing.

He started out directing commercials and music videos (most notably the very first [[Advertising/GotMilk "Got Milk?"]] ad, and "I Would Do Anything For Love" by Music/{{Meat Loaf}}), then Don Simpson and Creator/JerryBruckheimer hired him to direct ''Film/BadBoys''. The film was a modest hit and kicked off Bay's film career. When ''Film/TheRock'' (one of his more well-liked movies) came out it solidified him as someone capable of making energetic, entertaining and profitable action films.

Around the time ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'' rolled around he gained many detractors, it seems for mostly the same reasons. The fact that every film has been a substantial hit (although ''Film/TheIsland'' earned significantly less than expected) seems to have made them angrier. If you look over his interviews, especially for ''Transformers'', you'll see that he is more than aware of it, and even makes [[SelfDeprecation fun of]] [[AdamWesting the fact]].

He's well known for being a tough General on set, because he shoots and moves at a very fast pace. The movies he makes also probably would have cost 30% more and taken another year to film in the hands of another director (which, when you consider the amount of stuff that's demolished, smashed and blown up in his movies, is a damn impressive thing). Despite a belief that everyone in Hollywood hates him, his ability to work within a budget and demanding a strong work ethic from his crew and actors has earned him a great deal of supporters just for turning film-making into an actual work experience. He is ranked up among the most elite directors in Hollywood today, with strong relationships with friends Creator/JamesCameron and Creator/StevenSpielberg.

But his [[PrimaDonnaDirector aggressive directing style]] and occasional jerkish behavior has earned him some enemies. People like Creator/BruceWillis, Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/MeganFox (who [[GodwinsLaw compared him]] to [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] and UsefulNotes/{{Napoleon|Bonaparte}} in an interview), Creator/KateBeckinsale (who claimed that Bay made her feel "ugly" on the set of ''Film/PearlHarbor''), and Creator/BenAffleck have spoken out against Bay and refuse to work with him again.

While he may be hated by many critics and film buffs, you should always remember one thing: [[WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries You mess with Michael Bay and you mess with America!]]

* JustForTheHeliOfIt: In an ad within an ad, we see Michael Bay is spoofing his Signature Style, including having seven helicopters. The people to whom he's pitching the ad have no idea why the copters are there.

In 2008, possibly to hype ''VideoGame/{{Postal}}'', Creator/UweBoll called out Bay (among others) for his supposed lack of talent (at least from Boll's point-of-view) while insisting he's "the only real genius in the whole fucking business." Bay's [[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27387&postcount=2 response]] is pretty awesome.

* ''[[Franchise/ThePurge The Purge (Franchise)]]''

** ''Film/ThePurge'' (2013)

** ''Film/TheForeverPurge'' (2021)

* ''Film/ThePurge'' (2013)

* ''Film/BadBoysForLife''[[note]]uncredited[[/note]] (2020)

!'''The Films He's Produced To Date:'''

* ''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror2005'' (2005)

But his [[PrimaDonnaDirector aggressive directing style]] and occasional jerkish behavior has earned him some enemies. People like Creator/BruceWillis, Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Creator/MeganFox (who [[GodwinsLaw compared him]] to [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] and UsefulNotes/{{Napoleon|Bonaparte}} in an interview) and Kate Beckinsale (who claimed that Bay made her feel "ugly" on the set of ''Film/PearlHarbor'') have spoken out against Bay and refuse to work with him again.

* ''Film/BadBoysII'' (2003)

* AmericaSavesTheDay: He uses this a lot--as noted below, he likes the US Military, and they like him because they always look good in his movies. One exception is ''Film/TheRock'' which was a major aversion--Sean Connery Saves The Day instead. The United States Army even lent their tanks and helicopters to Bay for the first Transformers movie.

* ChaseScene:

* IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam: Initially turned down ''Transformers'' due to this, until Hasbro made him a fan.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: While working on storyboards for ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'', he didn't think it would be any good. When he saw the finished product, he not only ate his words, it made him want to direct films himself.

* ''Film/Armored2022'' (TBA)

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' (2007)
* ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' (2009)
* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'' (2011) – his first 3-D film.

* ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' (2014)

* ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'' (2017)

* ''Film/LittleAmerica'' (TBA)

* ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre2003'' (2003)

* ''Film/FridayThe13th2009'' (2009)

* ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010'' (2010)

'''The films he's directed to date:'''

** This is a guy who graduated top of his class in film school, and directors like the aforementioned Creator/StevenSpielberg (who pioneered the concept of the special-effects laden blockbuster) and Creator/JamesCameron James (who invented deep sea submersibles, 3D technology, and advanced film animation you see in every major movie today) ask for technical advice. And there are also reports that his crew are fiercely loyal to him, as he never asks them to do something he isn't willing/able to do himself.

* GodwinsLaw: Creator/MeganFox compared him to [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] in an interview, although in the dictator sense than anything else.

Bay got interested in action films when [[EstablishingCharacterMoment he set firecrackers on a train set, filmed it with his mom's camera, and got grounded]] -- an approach which seems to have continued into many of his higher budget movies even today. As a teenager he was a clerk for Creator/Lucasfilm in the early '80s, and worked on ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. [[ItWillNeverCatchOn He thought it would suck]], but [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail ate his words]] when he saw the final product. That got him interested in directing.

Bay got interested in action films when [[EstablishingCharacterMoment he set firecrackers on a train set, filmed it with his mom's camera, and got grounded]] -- an approach which seems to have continued into many of his higher budget movies even today. As a teenager he was a clerk for Lucasfilm in the early '80s, and worked on ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. [[ItWillNeverCatchOn He thought it would suck]], but [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail ate his words]] when he saw the final product. That got him interested in directing.

In 2008, possibly to hype ''VideoGame/{{Postal}}'', [[SmallNameBigEgo Uwe Boll]] called out Bay (among others) for his supposed lack of talent (at least from Boll's point-of-view) while insisting he's "the only real genius in the whole fucking business." Bay's [[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27387&postcount=2 response]] is pretty awesome.

Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965) is an American movie director. He's known for an incredibly energetic direction style that some claim is impossible to follow, while a lot of other filmgoers don't seem to mind.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: He has a 360 Steadicam® shot in almost all his films, including when Optimus Prime transforms in the climax of ''Transformers''.

Bay got interested in action films when [[EstablishingCharacterMoment he set firecrackers on a train set, filmed it with his mom's camera, and got grounded]] -- an approach which seems to have continued into many of his higher budget movies even today. As a teenager he was a clerk for Lucasfilm in the early '80s, and worked on ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk''. [[ItWillNeverCatchOn He thought it would suck]], but ate his words when he saw the final product. That got him interested in directing.

* ''6 Underground''

** This is a guy that directors like [[Creator/StevenSpielberg Steven 'I invented the concept of the modern day blockbuster' Spielberg]] and [[Creator/JamesCameron James 'I invented deep sea submersibles, 3D technology, and advanced film animation you see in every major movie today' Cameron]] ask for technical advice.

* AmericaSavesTheDay: He uses this a lot--as noted below, he likes the US Military, and they like him because they always look good in his movies. One exception is ''Film/TheRock'' which was a major aversion--Sean Connery Saves The Day instead. A much bigger aversion also occurs in ''[[Film/ThirteenHoursTheSecretSoldiersOfBenghazi 13 Hours]]'' where American reinforcements are far too little and too late, which was true according to the real-life attack on Benghazi. The United States Army even lent their tanks and helicopters to Bay for the first Transformers movie.

* AmericaSavesTheDay: He uses this a lot--as noted below, he likes the US Military, and they like him because they always look good in his movies. One exception is ''Film/TheRock'' which was a major aversion--Sean Connery Saves The Day instead. A much bigger aversion also occurs in ''[[Film/ThirteenHoursTheSecretSoldiersOfBenghazi 13 Hours]]'' where American reinforcements are far too little and too late, which was true according to the real-life attack on Benghazi.

He started out directing commercials and music videos (most notably the very first [[AdvertisingCampaigns "Got Milk?"]] ad, and "I Would Do Anything For Love" by Music/{{Meat Loaf}}), then Don Simpson and Creator/JerryBruckheimer hired him to direct ''Film/BadBoys''. The film was a modest hit and kicked off Bay's film career. When ''Film/TheRock'' (one of his more well-liked movies) came out it solidified him as someone capable of making energetic, entertaining and profitable action films.