Mark is an award winning writer, director and film editor. Miracle Desert is a passion project he's been developing for fourteen years. The short film based on the project has won multiple awards, including Best Comedy at the 2019 Edmonton International Film Festival and the 2019 Dragon-Con. The project also won the 2019 RAINE Filmmaker Award for best potential feature, and the feature screenplay was recently shortlisted at the 2019 Austin Film Festival. He has worked alongside such studios and production companies as Davis Entertainment (Ground Zero), Intrepid Entertainment (White Knuckle), Hannibal Entertainment (Give ’em Hell, Malone) and Sony Crackle (Sequestered). He’s also a member of the WGA. Mark wrote, directed and co-produced the award winning independent film Pale Blue Moon (distributed by Shoreline Entertainment), and wrote the screenplay for the action feature Give ’em Hell, Malone (Thomas Jane, Ving Rhames – distributed by E1). Mark has also written several books, including the amazon best selling thriller, The Good Spy Dies Twice (Wide Awake Books) and Identity (Simon and Schuster). He is currently finishing the novelization of Miracle Desert.

MINDSET

1.RAINE: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself 5 years ago?

Hmmm. Definitely: Finish what you start and be sure that it’s good. Also, be sure to live life. As a writer, the best ideas don’t come from sitting at a keyboard all day. Get out there.

CREATIVITY

2. RAINE: If someone asked you how could they stimulate their creativity, what advice would you give?

Exercise. Take long walks and longer showers. Let your mind wander and, most importantly, give your mind time to wander. Don’t jam it up with details all day, all the time. Ideas often come when you’re least expecting them, or they’re inspired by something you see or read - give yourself time to observe.

BURNOUT

3. RAINE: Have you ever faced the issue of burnout in your career? If so, how did you overcome it?

Oh yes. Burnout comes after every failure and in the middle of every project. The only time burnout doesn’t happen is during an upswing. The old adage is right: persistence is everything. There are more failures and long bouts of grinding out a project than there are successes and awesome screenings. For me, trying to enjoy the process helps me with burnout. If you can find some enjoyment in writing or developing a project, even when its hard, burnout is easier to deal with.

SECOND CHANCES

4. RAINE: If there was one thing you could have changed during your journey as a creative entrepreneur, what would it be and why?

This is a hard one. I think the answer, as a screenwriter, is I probably would’ve tried to collaborate more. Most of the successes I’ve had have come from writing or developing projects with someone else. In Hollywood, it’s really tough to make it as a screenwriter. Having a writing partner not only gives you two heads to develop a project but two people to network as well.

As a director, I definitely should’ve taken to storyboarding earlier. I thought I could make it up as I went. Nope.

SURPRISE MOMENT

5. RAINE: What was the biggest surprise you have experienced in building your business or career?

Biggest surprise - well, I just finished writing and directing a short film called Miracle Desert. My good friend Brad Walker shot and produced it. We didn’t have enough money to pay for the movie - so we went to Vegas and bet three $1,000.00 hands of blackjack - letting it ride until we won $8,000.00. That was enough to finish the movie. That was certainly a surprise!

IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCE

6. RAINE: What life experience impacted you the most, and how did it change you or your course in life?

It was definitely when my best friend died in a car wreck at 22; we were in college, I was getting my degree in biology and was planning to be an evolutionary biologist. But after my friend died, I decided to make a short film about it called Hinterland and never went back.

YOUR “WHY”

7. RAINE: What is your “Why?” Why have you chosen to pursue this path?

As a novelist/screenwriter, I started writing books when I was in high school. I think writing chose me, which makes me fortunate in some ways. At this point in my life, I don’t feel like I can do anything else. As a director, I’ve always loved film and entertainment, and I love finding the arc of a visual story. I get great satisfaction from finishing a film.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

8. RAINE: What major project coming up are you most excited about?

I’m developing my short Miracle Desert into a feature! I’m definitely most excited about that. The short film has been making the rounds on the festival circuit, getting a lot of attention - so that’s a ton of fun. I’m also developing my best selling spy novel, The Good Spy Dies Twice, into a film project, which is exciting as well.

WORLD CHANGER

9. RAINE: What is the biggest problem that creatives face today, and how would you solve it?

As a creative, undoubtedly, the business in show business. Hollywood had to make Taxi Driver with the Joker in it to get that sort of film made today. And how hard is it to get that gig? To direct or write a movie like Joker?

I think creatives get more "No’s" than ever because everyone is looking for IP, and fewer studios are looking for original content. Though Neon and A24 are doing awesome stuff and TV has never been better - but theatrical features sure are tough.

There are more and more opportunities in independent film, novels, etc. However, there’s usually no money in the independent scene, which makes it tough to live.

EMBRACING YOUR BOLD

10. RAINE: What is one or more examples in how you have embraced your bold?

Hmmm. I only cut my hair about once every six months? I also have three small-ish kids. Nothing is bolder than getting them ready for school.

ADVICE

12. RAINE: What words of wisdom can you share with others on a similar journey?

I think the best advice I’ve seen from anyone is a blurb I read from James Gunn who said, "Finish your shit. It’s really important." As a writer, you have to have strong material, and you have to have more than one property.

If you’re writing, carve out time to write every day. If you’re directing, if you’re going to make an independent film, it’s not easy. It’s expensive.

Do whatever you have to do to make it. Probably, most importantly, in an indie, take the time to find the right actors for the parts. The acting either will make or break your movie.

There are no rules. Do whatever works for you to create something that you’re proud of and most importantly, listen to other people while you’re creating. Feedback really helps, and it’s tough to see outside the bubble that is you.

Mark Hosack Raine Filmmaker Award In Partnership With Prindle Independent Film festival.