Michael Costanza

Biography

Mike Costanza attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where he earned a B.A. in Film & Television. He began his career in the Art Department on feature films before transitioning into directing short films and music videos. His award-winning short film Mama Said screened at the Sundance Film Festival and was selected for Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or. The film went on to win Best Short Film at the Torino Film Festival, establishing Mike as a distinctive new voice in independent cinema. Mike is also the creator of the LGBTQ supernatural series Dante’s Cove, as well as the writer/director of the acclaimed indie horror film The Collingswood Story. Years before Zoom and FaceTime, The Collingswood Story was built entirely around online video chats, a then-radical concept that helped pave the way for later films such as Host and Unfriended. Today, the film is widely recognized as the first screenlife film. The Collingswood Story was released on Blu-ray and made available on Shudder, AMC+, and Prime Video, further cementing its reputation as a landmark in independent horror. In 2022, Bloody Disgusting reaffirmed the film’s legacy, calling it "the first true screenlife horror flick." Upon its initial release, Collingswood was championed by outlets including Empire Magazine, Dreamwatch, SFX, and critic Kim Newman. Other projects include Skatelife 3D, a VR experience shot on the Samsung Round 360 featuring legendary skater Steve Caballero, music videos, and anti-violence PSAs. Mike's recent project is El Cruce, a film exploring migration through the experience of a Guatemalan farmer. El Cruce reflects Mike's continued interest in bold narrative structures and socially resonant storytelling.