[6][7] In 2012/13, Budd directed and produced Love of My Life, a horror thriller in which he also starred alongside Peter O'Brien and Diarmid Heidenreich.

The screenplay, co-written by Budd, was included in the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' permanent Core Collection.

[11][12][13][14] 2019 Michael produced and directed Rubys Choice the production faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was eventually completed under strict guidelines in Windsor.

[15] Ruby's Choice premiered at Margaret River HEART for CinefestOZ in August 2021,[16][17][18][19][20] then on 7 March 2022, at the 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

[22][23][24][25] In 2023 he was painted by AFI costume design winner for Baz Luhrmann's film Australia, Eliza Godman for entry to the Archibald Prize in a portrait named “Remembering” in which Budd is in a director's chair with his grandmother looking over his shoulder.