Barataria is an island where Don Quixote’s sidekick Sancho briefly became governor. Gotham Screenwriting teacher Michael Eldridge so identifies with the noble folly of Quixote and Sancho that he named his production company Barataria.

Like Quixote and Sancho, the company is a small gang afoot on big adventures. They produce TV segments on extreme sports, news segments for the here! network, and the series Auction Adventures for the Fine Living channel.  Michael serves as the everyman host of this last show, taking viewers to all kinds of auctions, from those related to fine arts to horses to items confiscated by the police.  Michael has even bought a few items for himself.  Two favorites: a vintage poster of La Dolce Vita and an Indian motorcycle helmet.  (After several wipeouts, always going five miles too fast, Michael has given up riding motorcycles.)

Barataria recently wrapped up shooting their first feature film, Homeland, which Michael directed. The script, by Brad Rothschild, is about an Israeli soldier who, after making a horrible mistake, flees to New York City, where he falls in love with a Palestinian woman. Shot in New York and Israel, the film is now in post-production. Michael has two other features in development, both written by himself.

Michael loves what he does, saying, “What other job do you get these amazing stories running in and out of your life?” And he claims to love teaching most of all. His main advice to students: “It’s about learning every angle you can about how to work, then having enough confidence or faith or selective stupidity to think that will do something for you down the line.” Advice of which Quixote would approve.

Producing, writing, directing, hosting, teaching. How does Michael sustain the pace? Hard work, little sleep, and the occasional Red Bull. As Michael says, “It seems to be working so far, as long as I’m not on a motorcycle.”

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Michael frequently teaches screenwriting for Gotham in NYC and soon we’ll unleash him on the world, when he begins his first online class in mid-December. (Hint: spaces are now available in his section, but they’ll fill fast.) For more information about Barataria Productions, visit here.