Mike is an Emmy, and Cannes Grand Prix winning director, creative director and executive creative director. A serial top award winning creator of groundbreaking and seminal work that brings realtime, digital technology to storytelling and cultural moments.
In his time as a digital creator, nobody else in the industry can match his overall awards haul.
From realtime AI characters performing live at the Superbowl, to XR projects with Christopher Nolan, to legendary Game Of Thrones activations and Emmy award winning Opioid epidemic installations, to years spent bringing nascent Sphere Las Vegas content to life, Mike has made a career out of taking niche and new technologies to a mass audience, in realtime, immersive and experiential ways.
He began his career by founding and leading Oscar winning studio Framestore’s Digital and VR Departments, serving as Head of Studio and Executive Creative Director. During his time there he developed real time animation and motion capture workflows for projects such as Coca-Cola “Polar Bowl”, “Beats Realtime” for Beats By Dre, and Geico’s “Realtime Gecko”.
He also designed and directed numerous award winning immersive and mixed reality experiences including Game of Thrones “Ascend The Wall”, Merrell’s motion tracking adventure experience “Trailscape” and two VR pieces for Marvel Studios.
After 15 incredible years, might left Framestore to pursue a startup, before joining m ss ng p eces in 2017.
In 2020, Mike had the most award heavy year of his career, with projects for Tinder, Baskin Robbins & Stranger Things, and Ally Bank Monopoly all winning big.
Tinder and Baskin Robbins actually gave him a 'clean sweep' in the AICP Next Awards prestigious 'Integrated' category, before Tinder going on to win a coveted Cannes 'Grand Prix'
He’s led projects as serious as a 3D selfie-powered petition app for the United Nations World Humanitarian Day and as light hearted as an AR Fart App, which was a Creativity editor's pick and FWA of the month.
Post pandemic work has seen Mike win awards for a Kamala Harris installation, a groundbreaking recycled carbon installation for COP26, and live and experiential projects for KFC and Google
After visiting the nascent building site in Vegas in 2022, Mike has spent 2+ years working and consulting on various activities within the LAS VEGAS SPHERE, including acting as 4D Effects Supervisor on Darren Aronofsky's "Postcard from Earth"
Mike was named to Ad Age’s illustrious “Creativity 50” list in 2013 alongside Jay-Z, Shonda Rhimes and Ted Sarandos.
In 2019, 2020 and 2021 Woods served as Jury President for the AICP, has been a New Inc mentor for the last seven years.
One day Mike will count all of his awards, like lots of other people on LinkedIn do, and list them all.
But not now. He's too busy making stuff.