▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Toronto , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁and ▁studied ▁under ▁the ▁influ ential ▁media ▁the or ist ▁Marshall ▁Mc Lu han , ▁famous ▁for ▁the ▁phrase ▁" The ▁medium ▁is ▁the ▁message ". ▁Mc Lu han ' s ▁predictions ▁about ▁an ▁always - on , ▁w ired ▁" global ▁village " ▁pred ated ▁the ▁internet ▁by ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁After ▁ear ning ▁an ▁M . A . ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Toronto , ▁Sieg ler ▁attended ▁Bran de is ▁University , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁cinema ▁and ▁document ary ▁film ▁production ▁and ▁received ▁an ▁M . F . A . ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁He ▁began ▁writing ▁and ▁producing ▁independent ▁document ary ▁films ▁including ▁" With ▁Intent ▁to ▁Harm " ▁and ▁" Pat ri ot ism , ▁Inc ," ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁went ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁W K Y C - TV , ▁the ▁N BC - owned ▁station ▁in ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio . ▁He ▁produced ▁seven ▁document aries ▁there , ▁including ▁the ▁Em my - a ward ▁winning ▁" They ▁Sh all ▁Take ▁up ▁Ser p ents ." ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁American ▁Film ▁Institute ' s ▁Center ▁for ▁Advanced ▁Film ▁Studies . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Br andon ▁T art ik off ▁h ired ▁Sieg ler ▁as ▁a ▁current ▁program ▁executive ▁at ▁N BC ▁Television ▁network . ▁The ▁two ▁remained ▁friends ▁until ▁T art ik off '