Who We Are

We’re all COGs, part of a Greater Machine.

Established in 2013.

Accidents happen. Sometimes for the better. I had a video camera and my sister wanted to capture her wedding on video. I said yes. What started as a fun project later became a journey when friends and family began to enjoy my work and share it amongst others. I quickly found myself working alongside new friends I had never before met to help them capture their weddings. It became a rewarding process of documenting these stories and truly getting to know the people behind them. Since 2013, I’ve filmed countless weddings, yet each has proven to be different from the last.

My name is Michael and I began COG Cinemas with the commitment to serve. As a disciple and believer in the work of Jesus, I strive to not only uphold that commitment, but to also use my gifts to serve others.

As the name and logo imply, I’m fascinated with the mechanics of machinery, specifically clockwork. When a watch is crafted, the watchmaker gives purpose to each individual piece before the watch is even created. Regardless of size or shape, each piece is required for the watch to function as intended and of equal importance. In that mindset, we’ve all been given a purpose. We’re all cogs, part of a greater machine.

The Man behind the Motive

Michael D. Arteaga, Founder

My journey began with a dusty keyboard that I found in our old family garage. I was always musical, playing various instruments in plastic toy form, but I practiced on that Yamaha keyboard until I had a slight idea of what I was doing, Through my early school years, I continued to play, later songwriting, singing, and performing in bands at various venues around SoCal including House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and the Orange County Fair amongst others.

During high school, I picked up a camera to make summer videos with a friend, which later became filmmaking. Music was still a prominent part of my life, so I chose to pursue it in my college studies, eventually beginning COG Cinemas. In 2018, I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management and Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry Studies.

Although I still actively work on music with friends and fellow musicians, my ultimate passion is storytelling through art, whether that be music or film. It’s my goal to inspire others, just as I’ve been inspired by those before me. I believe that if you’ve successfully inspired at least one person through your own work of art, then you’ve done your job well.

Michael’s Music Releases