MARK WITHERS

Artist Profile

Mediums

Digital Video - Mini DV
Digital Video - Standard Definition
Digital Video - Hi Definition
Film - Super 8mm
Film - 16mm
Film - 35mm

Genres

Short Films
Commercials
Feature Film
Documentaries

Personal Description

The ‘multi-award winning’ director Mark Withers is a life long cineaste. Fascinated by the medium since his first cinema visit in 1978, he began making films age 16.

Successfully graduating top of his class on a B/Tec audiovisual course in 1994, Mark also participated in a voluntary film studies and theory class; passed with a ‘distinction’ grade.

Mark relocated in 1997 with the sole intention of putting his money where his mouth was and write, produce, direct a feature-length film.

Gathering a voluntary cast and crew of over sixty willing individuals; ‘darktaile’, one of the lowest budgeted motion pictures of all-time, would eventually run into censorship difficulties on completion three years later!

After his second feature film ‘Money Shot’ in 2002, Mark directed the short comedy ‘Schnibber’, gaining instant worldwide distribution before spending almost a year in Vancouver where ‘Strangers in the Light’, another short directorial effort was chosen to represent Canada as part of a worldwide film project.

At this time Mark also co-developed a 12 part Television series tilted ‘Beverly Hills Realtors’. Green-lit by Twentieth Century Fox, it was later dropped after finding its way into development hell!

Back in the UK, Mark’s biggest feature film project, the HDV mockumentary ‘Hardcore: A Poke into the Adult Film Orifice’ was shot in 4 weeks around London, Dorset and Hastings with a cast of 35.

Relocating near Manchester in 2006, Mark needed to re-establish himself amongst the North-West media industry, freelancing for projects by councils, National Grid, E.ON, Manchester United and the NHS.

2007 saw his short film ‘My Mum the Wrestler’ do incredibly well at worldwide festivals and on-line, before a follow up titled ‘My Dad Made a Seagull’ was shot.

In June of that year Mark also brought together 16 voluntary North West based film enthusiasts to produce the 21 minute film ‘Meat Market’.

Additionally, development of feature film number four ‘Baby Swipes’ began.

Please visit http://www.bigbrushfilms.co.uk

Special Skills

Mark has a genuine passion for all things filmic, ability to keep and influence calm, works competently in isolation or able to lead a team, eagerness to learn, free to travel anywhere anytime, used to working long unsociable hours, improvisational, honest, patient, open-minded with a wry sense of humour.

He has proven himself an adept film producer, camera operator, video editor, sound mixer and writer of nineteen complete feature length screenplays, alongside lending an un-credited hand to other scripts and productions.

Experience with various Film/Digital stills and motion picture cameras, Lighting, Sound Recording/Mixing, Video Editing, (Final Cut Pro & Premiere Pro) Titling, Storyboarding, Script and Production Lecturing and Studio Photography.

Has the word ‘cineaste’ tattooed on lower back!