Michael Sterling Eaton

Michael Sterling Eaton
Born	December 1, 1978 San Diego, California, United States
Occupation	Multi Media Artist, Music Producer, Creative Director, Photographer
Website	michaelsterlingeaton.com

Michael Sterling Eaton is an American multi media artist. Most known for his work as a music producer, creative director, film maker, clothing designer and photographer. He was born in and raised in Del Mar, California and is currently based out of Southern California. He began shooting photos with his father at the age of 12. Eaton studied and graduated from Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar, California. After graduating Eaton started to travel the world developing his skills as a film maker and photographer. He returned to Los Angeles, California where he primarily began producing music, as well as filming and photographing the music and fashion industries he found himself in.^[1][2]

Career

Michael Sterling Eaton's work encompasses many forms of media. It has appeared worldwide throughout many different platforms including global advertising campaigns, political campaigns, magazine editorials and covers, film making, television commercials, artist branding, music videos, music production, film scores & soundtracks, album covers/artwork, fashion shows and photojournalism. His client list, amongst other artists includes, American Idol, Arnette, Billabong, Cartoon Network, FUEL TV, Fox Sports, FOX, Grammy Music Foundation, The Grammy Brand,^[3] Burton , Kings of Leon, My Chemical Romance,^[4] Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Citizen Cope, Mos Def, Stalley,^[5]Bilal, The Cool Kids, Scoop DeVille, Damon Dash, Curren$y, Gil Scott-Heron,^[6] Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Hayden Panettiere, The Lafayette Hotel, 11 Mirrors Design Hotel, Nike, Osiris, RCA Records, Sony Records, Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, Surfing Magazine Swimsuit Issue, MTV, VH1 ^{[7] [8][9][10]}

Beginnings

In 2004 Michael became the first managing editor and a photographer for Risen Magazine It was while working on a shoot for the magazine that he met his wife, actress Sanoe Lake.^[11] He stayed with the magazine for two years before moving on. While he was at Risen he was responsible for getting many A list celebrities into the magazine. He conducted interviews and shot the photography for many of the stories that graced the pages during his 2 year time there. Due to Eaton's influence, the magazine was able to include the likes of Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers,^[12] Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, The Kings of Leon, and Blink 182^[13] to name a few.

2007–2012

Eaton started his company Neo Nostalgia. Soon after, he was chosen to create and design the high-end fashion line The Grammy Brand ^[14] for The Grammy's 50th anniversary. The Grammy Brand was worn by the likes of Coldplay, Alicia Keys, The Roots, Gnarls Barkley, Earth Wind and Fire, The Pussycat Dolls, Linkin Park, and John Legend.^[15] In 2009 Michael directed the music video for Gil Scott-Heron's video "Me and The Devil."^[16] It was the first new album in Heron released in 15 years (40 years since his first solo album).

Eaton shot and directed the music video history for Mos Def and Talib Kweli. He also produced the music, shot and directed the music video for Mos Def's song "White Drapes".^[17][18][19] He also produced the music as well as shot and directed the music video for Curren$y's track "Under The Scope" ^[20] on his Pilot Talk album (released 2010.)^[21] The song received major airplay on MTV and VH1.

In 2010 Eaton's long-time friend actress Hayden Panettiere introduced Michael to the heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Soon after, Michael began working for Wladimir filming and photographing every training camp and every fight for the heavy weight champion. He also photographed his brother Vitali Klitschko for the last two fights of his boxing career. Vitali retired from boxing and became a political leader in the Ukraine. He continues to use Eaton to photograph his political campaigns.^[22][23]

It was also in 2010 that Eaton was contracted by Fox racing for 4 years as a freelance creative director, photographer and consultant. He was responsible for 16 campaigns during his time with the company.^[24][25]

In 2011 Surfing Magazine selected Michael to creative direct and shoot the entire issue of the 2012 Surfing Magazine Swimsuit Issue.^[26] It became Surfing Magazine's number one selling swimsuit issue.^[11][27][28]

Later that year (2011), the 11 Mirrors Design Hotel ^[29] contracted Michael as a creative director and consultant for the 2012 launch of the hotel. In addition to his creative direction and consulting, Eaton gave the hotel its slogan "Reflecting You" and shot the photography for the hotel imagery and advertising campaign. That year, 11 Mirrors won "Best Small Hotel" at The International Hotel Awards. It was awarded the "Best New Hotel" of 2012 by HVS in the Luxury category and was TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Award for Top Hotel in Kiev and Top Luxury Hotel in Kiev.^[30][31]

2013-2014

In 2013 The Lafayette Hotel of San Diego, CA contracted Michael to Creative Direct the hotel. In addition to his Creative Director tasks he also directed marketing, shot all of their advertising campaigns as well as provide hotel collateral. Eaton recreated the hotel's restaurant Hope 46. He is responsible for the interior design, the art direction as well as the entire food and cocktail menus. True to his innovative nature, he created Frank's General Store out of an old hotel office/storage space. He took the hotel's original blue print drawings designed by Master Architect Frank L. Hope, Jr. and had them turned into wall paper that he had put up onto the walls of the store.^[32]

Michael produced and released "Black Widow" the first single from Neo Nostalgia flagship recording artist Ernie Gaines debut album "Lost In Time." The album features Grammy Award winner Om'Mas Keith as well as Thundercat(Stephen Bruner) and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson.^[33] Black Widow is the first song the public has been able to hear off the album "Lost In Time" Michael is currently in production with Grammy nominated music producer Scoop DeVille on the duos Watercolor Werewolf debut album "Survivial."^[34]

2015

In 2015 Eaton began focusing more energies on his Creative Direction and Branding skills. He established Neo Nostalgia Creative Agency. Eaton's work flow continued to grow and he soon found himself selected by Modern Luxury as Most Influential Entrepreneurs Under 40.^[35]

2016

The music group formed and headed by Eaton Watercolor Werewolf was selected to perform in Los Angeles among other high profile acts and artists for The Bernie Sanders "Feel The Bern" campaign. In January 2016 Eaton Creative Directed and designed the new Epic Records website and campaign.

References