About Mark Piper

PRODUCER DIRECTOR

FILM & TELEVISION CONSULTANT

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ASIA USA EUROPE

With three decades in the international Film, Television and Theatre industries, Mark Piper has been a key member of the initial teams setting up, producing and directing numerous film and television drama programs in Australia, Fiji, United States, Vietnam, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Germany, encompassing over 300 hours of film and television drama in all genres. Mark has gained industry recognition through numerous award nominations and, in 2000, received an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Episode in a Television Drama for All Saints (staring Eric Bana). Mark continues to work in feature films, television drama, and theatre. Mark also shares his wealth of experience with emerging actors and directors through teaching engagements at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and various other schools and through a range of his own courses and seminars. Mark is also working on a variety of new projects through his production company Piper Pictures.

KEY AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Film & TV Production
Director / Producer
TV & Film Consultant
Script Development
Complex Film & TV Logistics

Drama Teacher
Mentor Film and Television
Board Member
Project Management
Talent Management, Mentoring

SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Producer “PHOBOS – fear kills” Thriller / Action / Horror feature Film
Winner of the Australian Film Industry Award for Best Episode in a TV Drama, the two-hour season opening of “All Saints”
Award Nominations for Water Rats, Blue Heelers, Home and Away, All Saints and Halifax fp, highly regarded Australian Drama Series.
Director of Pilot Episodes for the Drama Series “Water Rats” Australia.
Executive Producer Care Vietnam Drama Series “Qio Qua Mien Toi” Vietnam
Pilot Director of the Drama Series “Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten” Germany
Production Manager -Preproduction & Assistant Director “The Blue Lagoon” Columbia Pictures (USA)
Key Director Network 7 Australia and assisted to establish popular international shows such as Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Home and Away and All Saints and many others.

SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Piper Pictures 1980 – current	Producer, Famous, Feature Film & TV Drama Series TV & Film Director / Producer Various Projects Trainer & Facilitator Mark Piper Workshops Independent Film & TV Consultant
Go Wyld Productions 2009	Producer, PHOBOS, Horror Film in Post Production
NIDA, International Film School, Actors Centre 2007 – 2009	Teacher and Mentor for Screen Actors & Directors
Network 7 1980 – 2009	Series Director Home and Away Always Greener All Saints Blue Heelers Rafferty Rules Neighbours Sons and Daughters A Country Practice Acropolis Now (Sitcom)
Hallmark Channel USA 2001	Series Director, Ponderosa
UFA / RTL Germany 2001	Pilot Director, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten Drama Series.
Network 9 1996 – 2001	Series Director, Water Rats Director Telemovie, Halifax FP Director for Murder Call, Prime Time and Chances.
Care Vietnam, Vietnam Government 1995	Executive Producer, Qio Qua Mien Toi, Drama Series
Network 10 1985 – 1988	Series Director, Beastmaster Series Director, Neighbours 1985 – 1988 Series Director, E Street Director, Richmond Hill 1988 Director, Pacific Drive Director, Prisoner, 1978
ABC 1991	Series Director, GP
South Pacific Films, NZ 1991	Series Director, Mercy Peak Series Director, Shortland Street
Feature Films 1976 – 1980 Assistant Director / Unit Production Manager	The Blue Lagoon – Brook Shields, Randal Klieser Attack Force Z – Mel Gibson, Sam Neil Tim – Mel Gibson, Piper Laurie Sleeping Dogs – Sam Neill, Roger Donaldson My Brilliant Career – Judy Davis & Sam Neill Money Movers – Bruce Beresford Dawn – Ken Hanam

EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS

Director & Producer

Piper Pictures Pty Ltd 1990 – 2009

Background

Piper Pictures was established as a vehicle for unique and creative Film and TV projects conducted across Australia and in various international markets. The business also offers Business Consulting, Mentoring, Training, TV & Film Consultancy and is engaged across national and international projects. In addition, Piper Pictures has produced a variety of workshops designed specifically for actors, directors and producers, often entering the industry for the first time.

Key Responsibilities & Contributions

FAMOUS ‘peace through music’, is a Feature Film and Television drama series, currently in development which has been created by Mark Piper with a scheduled launch for 2010.
PHOBOS ‘fear kills’ is a low budget Horror Feature Film, Mark Piper is the Producer and the project is currently in Post Production phase.
Led a unique project with Care Vietnam, in conjunction with the Vietnamese Government entitled ‘Qio Qua Mien Toi’; a 32-part Drama series, of which Mark Piper was the Executive Producer. This was a TV series utilised on behalf of the Government to highlight the HIV & AIDS problem emerging in Vietnam; Mark was involved from the outset to set-up the concept and assisted in sourcing finance through French private investors.
Director and Consultant of the Pilot TV Drama Series – Gute Zeiten Schlechte filmed in Germany and based on successful Australian series. Engaged by The Fremantle Group who have reinvented and franchised popular Australian serial dramas to other countries. Asked to go to Berlin for one year to direct the pilot and advice in the set-up of the series including casting, locations, style and look of each series.
Engaged as the Director for Water Rats, TV Drama Series about Australian water police which was successfully sold to 179 Countries. Involved in the set-up of the drama show on Sydney Harbour, Directed pilot episodes, initial casting, locations, and set up and style; successfully managed complex water logistics.
Key Director and involved in the initial setting up of Network 7 Australia’s internationally successful dramas, Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Home and Away and All Saints and many other dramas over a 25 year period.
Directed a one-off episode of Home and Away “Hearts Divided” in 2003 which was subsequently used as a template to refresh the look of the entire series.
Engaged on the Blue Lagoon, feature Film; invited to Fiji to coordinate logistics of shoot from USA and Australia to an Island in the Yasawas Islands Fiji. Coordinated all building of sets and setting up of film on Island before main crew arrived, then joined the production as the Assistant Director for Film.
Teacher & Mentor for Drama Directors Network 7, NIDA, Actors Centre, and International Film School and for various workshops conducted nationally.