Meet Michael
Social Impact Storyteller ● Documentary Filmmaker ● Consultant
Hello! I’m Michael Serpell.
I am a documentary storyteller, my purpose is to shine a light in the dark to amplify the voices of social changemakers leading a positive impact in their communities. The stories I tell don’t just highlight a social problem but illuminate a path toward its solution, emphasising that the goodness in the world is what we need to be focused on.
My calling to humanitarian storytelling began on a high school expedition to Cambodia, where I was blown away by the genuine kindness, uplifting spirit and hospitality of the locals while volunteering at an orphanage near Siem Reap. Despite not having the same levels of materialistic wealth as those from my home country, Australia, the way they showed gratitude for what they did have was truly inspirational. So, it was to my absolute shock when I discovered these same people, only three decades earlier, had endured a genocide that wiped out over a quarter of their population. In the face of this horrific reality, their belief in the good of humanity, despite their collective suffering, stayed with me. My intention to focus a lens on the positive changes being made in difficult environments is what motivates me as a storyteller.
My journey as a filmmaker has allowed me to travel the world with purpose, grounding myself in communities, getting to know the locals, building trust and, as a result, gaining a greater appreciation for the impact they are making. In Vietnam, as a volunteer, I’ve taught English, danced, sung, cooked, painted, played sports and formed lifelong friendships at the Friends of Hue Foundation. In Guatemala, I created a documentary about a social enterprise saving lives through purifying unsafe drinking water. In Mexico, I learnt about Mayan ceramic artists, primary school climate education, rural medical aid and women's empowerment through art workshops to create a variety of short documentaries.
My support for creatives and the passion I have for collaboration have led me to mentor students from all walks of life on film sets, documentary programs, television studios, livestream events, award ceremonies and podcast interviews. Recognising an opportunity to combine all of my ambitions together, I founded Planetary Productions — a social enterprise offering authentic storytelling consultancy, a studio to develop feature-length narratives, and documentary education programs pairing local creatives with international filmmakers to produce short-to-feature length stories worthy of global film festival reception.
I love this planet, and I figure that whilst I’m here, I can use my empathetic heart, my creative soul and my cultural intelligence to provide opportunities for international storytellers to shine a light in the dark and amplify the voices of people doing good in our communities, helping make the world a more positive place, one story at a time.
Let's talk
If you're eager to discuss your upcoming project or explore exciting collaboration opportunities, feel free to reach out. Looking forward to connecting
