Mark David – Showcasing the World His True Entertainment Expertise
The film industry was founded in New York, the nation’s theatrical center, and with most films made in New York or New Jersey, with a few exceptions shot in Chicago, Florida, and elsewhere, the film industry grows tremendously. However, in 1908, a rising number of filmmakers were drawn to southern California for its easy access to diverse scenery, cheap labor and land, and a climate suitable for year-round outdoor filming.
By the early 1920s, Hollywood established itself as the world’s film capital. It produced almost all films shown in the United States and received 80% of the revenue from films shown in other countries. During the 1920s, Hollywood solidified its position as the world’s leading film industry by attracting many of Europe’s extremely talented actors and actresses, such as Hedy Lamarr and Greta Garbo, and directors such as Ernst Lubitsch and Josef von Sternberg, as well as camera operators, lighting technicians, and set designers. By the end of the decade, Hollywood claimed to be the country’s fifth-largest industry, accounting for 83 cents of every dollar spent on entertainment in the United States. Hollywood also represented the 1920s’ as the “new morality”—a mix of glamour, fun, and extravagance. Meanwhile, a number of actors, directors, and producers entered the fold of filmmaking, similar is an individual named Mark David.
Mark David is an American director, cinematographer, producer, and rock drummer who has received numerous awards. He has been a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) since 2014, the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG) since 2017, and the Producers Guild of America (PGA) since 2014. In addition, his music is represented by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). David has over 25 years of experience and has shot over 40 feature films, commercials, and music videos. He is originally from Houston, Texas, and now lives in Los Angeles, California, but shoots all over the world.
David began his career as a rock and roll drummer in the 1990s. In 2003, he formed New Breed Syndicate (NBS) with long-time bandmate William Tabanou to write music for his second feature film, Intoxicating, which he directed with all his expertise. NBS later collaborated on new songs with Coolio, Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, and Brother Marquis (2livecrew).
Given his love for entertainment, David worked with many other accomplished musicians over the years, including Ben Sheperd of the mega-band Soundgarden and Doug Pinnick of King’s X in his band Ultrarev. In 2015-16, David collaborated with his two bands, Ultrarev and Westheimer, to write and record an all-original soundtrack for his film Jonny’s Sweet Revenge, reuniting him with his childhood friends Dean Truitt and Gabriel Ordonez. Refining his entertainment skills, he also worked as a session drummer for Krassimir Avramov: Popara in 2006. Later, he went on a tour with Krassimir, performing at the Dolby Theater in 2006 and the LA Music Awards in 2007.
Mark David founded Buffalo Speedway Film Co. and has been producing films under that banner ever since. From 2003 to 2007, he was a partner at Rogue Arts, where he distributed over 40 independent films alongside Kirk Harris and Ron Gilbert. From 2002 to 2009, David co-owned and operated Jam Picture & Sound in West Hollywood with his childhood friend and long-time collaborator, William Tabanou. In between all this hustle, he founded his own post-production company, Bombshelter, in Los Angeles, California, in 2014.
David was the original director of the film Samuel Bleak in 2013, however, due to unresolved major artistic differences with the writer, lead actor, and producer regarding the script, he left the film after the first week of shooting. But since then, he has shot a number of other independent films, including The Preacher’s Daughter and its sequel, A Woman Betrayed (also known as The Preacher’s Mistress), Jonny’s Sweet Revenge (2016), his fourth feature film, directed and shot in 2014, followed by Texas Heart (2016) a few months later.
American Cowslip, David’s third independent feature film, starred Diane Ladd, Rip Torn, Cloris Leachman, Bruce Dern, Val Kilmer, Peter Falk, and Lin Shaye, with Warner Bros. and E1 distributing the film entire North America. The film American Cowslip, starring the legendary Peter Falk in his final big-screen appearance, won the top prize at the 2010 Albuquerque Film Festival. He has collaborated with several actresses such as Blake Clark on several occasions, the most recent being his film Starf*cker. David’s work as a filmmaker frequently demonstrates his extraordinary versatility as a director, cinematographer, editor, and producer.
