"Always Reaching" Official Site

Mikel J. Wisler (left) talking to Andrew Gilbert (right) on the set of "Always Reaching."

Born in Brazil, South America, Mikel J. Wisler spent most of his childhood in Campo Grande, Brazil. Living in a large city with many theaters, he grew up an avid viewer of films. Eventually, his missionary parents returned to their homeland, the USA. It was in this move that it became clear to Mikel that he should pursue filmmaking as a way of life.

Mikel is a writer, producer, and/or director of independent short films. He graduated from Bethel College, in Mishawaka, Indiana in May of 2004, with a Liberal Studies Major with concentrations in Writing, Theatre, and Cinematography and a second major in Philosophy. While a student at Bethel, he spent a semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC), where he studied screenwriting and filmmaking. During that time he had an internship at a management company in Beverly Hills.

Mikel also writes short stories, mostly in the science-fiction genre, and is a bit of a novelist. He has one novel undergoing revisions currently. He has also written or co-written several feature length screenplays, and continues to write features. He often  co-writes screenplays with Andrew Gilbert (co-writer, producer, and actor in "Always Reaching").

Aside from filmmaking and writing, Mikel does professional freelance video work. He has written and directed television commercials and worked in some capacity on more short films than he can count. Mikel worked as a production assistant for the Dallas Jenkins’s independent feature film, Midnight Clear, starring Stephen Baldwin in 2006. Later that year, Mikel directed the short film, "Cellar Door," which now has international sales representation through Ouat Media. In 2007, Mikel worked as the 1st Assistant Director for the feature film Silk Trees, directed by Jedidiah Burdick and produced by Evermore Pictures.

In 2008, Mikel directed two more short films, "Cold October" and "Always Reaching." Mikel is married to Danae K. Wisler and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.