Global Warrior: High Noon’s Flueck travels the world in search of history

Michael Flueck stands in front of modern-day Zulu warriors in South Africa during February production of the “Warriors with Terry Schappert” series for the History Channel.

By Emma Garten

For the director of photography at High Noon Entertainment, it’s about telling stories. “It’s invigorating to try to produce something new and original each day,” Michael Flueck (’98) said. “I meet new people every day and get to tell their stories. It’s a powerful position.”

As a middle school student, Flueck said he got his start in broadcasting when he hooked two VCRs together and edited sports videos in his Boulder home. Once in college, he said he took over the sub-basement of Macky Auditorium, where the School’s production facilities were located then, and instead of playing the latest Madden NFL video game, he would stay until 7 a.m., reworking his own videos.

Flueck prepares a shot from inside a clear plastic box to protect him from flaming ancient weaponry.

Though Flueck was passionate about video production, he said shooting was his biggest weakness. Instead of steering around his faults, however, he chose to fill his plate with as many opportunities as possible. “You can turn in your project and be done for the day,” he said. “But if you’ve got drive and passion, that’ll take you a long way.”

Flueck directed the SJMC’s popular extracurricular college television show, “Sports Mag,” and said he took on extra school projects to enhance his learning. Before he knew it, he was finished with college and working for network news stations in Kansas – first in Lawrence and then in Wichita – directing sports segments and taping the unforgettable Timothy McVeigh trial, he said.

In 2001, Flueck said he remembered what it was like to see mountains every day so he made the move back to Boulder and began working for High Noon Entertainment, a film production company based in Denver and Los Angeles. High Noon has produced shows for several networks, including the Discovery Channel, History Channel, Food Network, HGTV, TLC and VH1.

Besides being High Noon’s director of photography, Flueck said he also directs, produces and, as needed, serves as a lighting director, gaffer, grip, audio operator, camera operator and production assistant. Among the shows he has worked on are “Unwrapped” and “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” on the Food Network; “My Big Amazing Renovation,” “Carter Can” and “My First Place” on HGTV; “Tough Love” on VH1; “I Want to Save Your Life” on WE, “Cool Tools” on DIY and many other series that have yet to be shown.

Show host Terry Schappert shoots a closeup in Germany with Flueck, standing with camera, and other sound and camera crew members.

One of the biggest challenges Flueck said he faces is keeping the interest of viewers. “We don’t just go out there and start shooting,” he said. “I work with the development team and producers to create a cohesive look and make sure it’s consistent through the series.”

Flueck said his latest major project is “Warriors with Terry Shappert,” a series that began its run on the History Channel in March. He said he traveled the globe researching and documenting pinnacle battles in various warrior cultures. Each episode tells a story through the eyes of the host, a 17-year veteran Green Beret, Terry Schappert, who tries on silver armor and crawls over fortress walls in Malta, learning how difficult battles were for the Knights of St. John. The show illustrates nine warrior cultures, including the Vikings in Denmark and Norway, the Samurai in Japan and those ancient Roman foes, so-called barbarian tribes such as the Vandals and the Goths.

Flueck and “Unwrapped” producer Glenna Stacer Sayles consult before shooting in the Broomfield Events Center.

What warrior would Flueck be? “I’d have to take the Vikings away,” he said, imagining himself on a large wooden boat. “I’d get sea sick. But I did grow close to the Germanic barbarians. They brought down the strongest army in the world through hard work and grit, and I respect them for being the underdog and coming out on top.”

While filming “Warriors,” he said he and his team walked historic battlegrounds and studied with historians. Cast members used original spears and razor-edged swords to execute fights. And details of battle strategies were uncovered as they discovered how intelligent those warriors truly were.

With his background, Flueck is his own kind of warrior, paving the way for new developments in electronic media. “We’ve only been documenting people’s lives for 20 to 30 years,” he said.

“It’s still in its infancy to record daily life. We’re refining it and giving it style, and in a thousand years, this stuff will still be valid to see what life was like.”