FILM DIRECTOR
About Mark Patterson
Mark started his creative career in CGI and VFX. He did a short course in CGI and was hooked. In 2004 Mark started supporting lecturers in teaching 3D modelling and animation. By 2012 Mark was a qualified lecturer teaching BA (hons) in Digital Media Arts specialising in teaching CGI, VFX, editing, videography and storyboarding. During this time, Mark was active as a freelance CGI and VFX artist working independently on TVC's, corporate work and music videos.
From 2012 to 2018, Mark ran a film unit that was contracted to create films for the British Army. Here Mark got his first taste in large scale directing with a full crew and an exhilarating subject. He directed many shoots involving large numbers of military personnel, SA's, blank weapons, explosions and armoured vehicles utilising film industry armourers, SFX crew and makeup artists. Mark and his team delivered hundreds of films to the British Army which had a significantly positive impact upon the quality of their training material.
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​In 2018, Mark chose to explore routes into narrative directing within the UK film industry. After a year of freelancing, Mark was offered a job as Head of Production at Sandstorm Films and became the in-house director. Mark subsequently gained extensive experience in studio production, directing shoots for many high profile clients. Mark's interest in narrative filmmaking persisted and in 2023 he got the opportunity to direct his first fully funded narrative short film, Strike.
TESTIMONIALS
“My experience of working with Mark has been fantastic from start to finish. I’ve been impressed at every stage of the process by his creativity and attention to detail. He brought a real visual understanding to the floorplan that I provided to be animated. Mark’s creative flair was matched throughout by attention to detail, prompt and helpful communication and timely delivery of the end product. He was an absolute pleasure to work with, and I look forward to working with him again soon."
Florence Ordesh / CastAndHire.ie
“Mark was an exceptional employee, creating an innovative and targeted product that met the needs of the client [The British Army] long before they realised what they actually required. He led his team with just the right balance of good humour and direction and turned a department of highly skilled individuals into a group of highly motivated, exceptional achievers, working together to create cinematic products at a fraction of the cost of the market place, and completely changed the ethos of the military client, in the delivery of training and instructional films."
Glenn Johnson / Manager / Aspire Media Services
