Michael Chase Walker is the Creator/Publisher/Editor/Founder of The Picture This Storybook Company and the author of Power Screenwriting: The 12 Stages of Story Development. He is a film and television executive producer and screenwriter with numerous credits to his name. After founding But Will It Play in Peoria, an award winning animation studio, he moved to Los Angeles to produce The Last Unicorn starring Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow and Christopher Lee. While overseeing the highly acclaimed film, Jules Bass, the film's Co-Director, invited Michael to become Head of Creative Affairs for Rankin Bass Productions where he supervised production of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Return of the King, The Wind and the Willows, The LeprechaunÕs Golden Rainbow, Pinocchio's Christmas and The Flight of Dragons. With the release of The Last Unicorn, Michael returned to Los Angeles, where he became a Staff Writer and Story Developer for the phenomenally successful, He Man and She Ra Hour of Power syndicated series. Upon completion of his work for Filmmation Studios, Walker was brought on to the writing staff of World Event Productions to write the animated television series Voltron: Defender of the Universe. At the same time, he freelanced for Hanna Barbera Productions for whom he wrote the screen treatments for Bill Stout's Dinosaurs and Dougal Dixon's After Man, currently in development with Dreamworks, SKG and John H. William's Vanguard Films. Michael, along with science fiction marketing wunderkind, Jeff Walker, founded Walker Brothers Productions and became the first producers hired by fledgling Tri-Star Pictures, where, under the aegis of legendary director, Sydney Pollack, they developed Paul Anderson's and Gordon Dickson's Earthman's Burden for the screen. Walker Bros. Productions went on to produce, develop and consult on many films and television shows including The Gladiator for New World Pictures and ABC Television, The Alamo, The Wayside School, and "V" The Series for Blatt Singer Productions. Mr. Walker was appointed Director of Childrens Programs for the CBS Television Network where he conceived, supervised, presided over and inspired what was widely considered the halcyon days of 80s animation. He was directly responsible for over 100 hours of Network Animated Programs including, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Galaxy High School, Teen Wolf and Wildfire, which reunited him with The Last Unicorn alumni, Peter S. Beagle (author) and Jimmy Webb (composer). Michael went on to found his own animation house with producer Steve Hahn entitled, Walker Hahn Productions where he developed the animated series concepts for James Bond Jr. 003 1/2, Little Dracula, Monopoly: The Series and Dino Riders for Tyco Toys. As a freelance screenwriter, Michael was sent to Jamaica, West Indies for a year to adapt Timothy White's epic biography, Catch A Fire: The Life and Music of Bob Marley (Read the opening). Mr. Walker's other screen work of that period, include: Seven Years in Tibet, Sleepy Hollow (Not the Tim Burton monstrosity), The Beast is Dead, Cartoon, Storming Heaven and The Arrow and the Lamp (Later optioned by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation). From 1994 to 1999 he served as an Adjunct Faculty Member at The College of Santa Fe Moving Image Arts Department where he lectured on The History of Animation, Screenwriting 1, 2, and 3 and Advanced Story Development for the Screen. His book Power Screenwriting is considered among the best on the market. It was recently designated required reading at The University of California San Diego and many other top film schools. Most recently Michael served as the developing Story Editor for two animated television series: Car Talk for PBS and Gravity Man for Howard Grossman and MMCEast Productions. He has numerous film projects and screenplays in development with major studios. Among them are: After Man, The Court Jester, Galaxy High School, Catch a Fire, The Bob Marley Story, The SorcererÕs Apprentice, The Poet and The Tsar: The Life and Times of Alexander Pushkin. Grace The Vampire, Folktale, The Song of Solomon and many more. His up coming Childrens books include: The Bremen Town Musicians, A Bremen Town Christmas, Scheherazade, Flying, The Muse Has Come to Depardeaux, and many more.
