James M. Muro

J. Michael Muro made his entrance into the world of entertainment in 1986 when he directed the low-budget cult horror film "Street Trash." The film was about a lower Manhattan liquor salesman who sells 60 year-old wine to the local hobo community, which causes them to melt and die in a horrific fashion. Other plot points concern the insane violence of a deranged Vietnam vet and the plight of two homeless brothers. Following the distribution of "Street Trash," Muro began to work as a cinematographer and Steadicam director. During the late 1980s and 1990s, Muro became the Steadicam operator of choice for director James Cameron, working on some of his many hit movies, such as "The Abyss" "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," and "TItanic ." Muro also did Steadicam work on the Academy Award winning drama "Dances With Wolves" starring and directed by Kevin Costner. Muro's work on that film contributed to the Oscar won by the movie's Director of Photography, Dean Semler. Muro worked steadily as a Steadicam operator on a slew of big-budget Hollywood films such a throughout the 90s and 2000s. In 2010 Muro began directing again, helming three episodes of the Los Angeles police drama "Southland" which premiered on NBC in 2009.