No budget? No problem! 10 Years of On Mark Productions
A suicide story... a sexy striptease... a masked killer slashing starlets... lesbian vampires basting each other in blood... an erotic thriller... a musical biography... an offbeat romantic comedy... life in the urban jungle... corrupt cops... domestic dysfunction... These are the things that make up the 10-year, straight-to-video catalog of Charlotte, North Carolina's On Mark Productions. From 2001 to 2011, multi-faceted artist & independent filmmaker Mark Baranowski determinedly brought his own unique visions to cinematic life. From script to production, all the way to poster art design, he handled nearly every task himself to keep budgets to a bare minimum. Perhaps he spread himself too thin at times, or could have benefited from the help of others, he nonetheless self-released nine titles proudly... each one representing microcinema at its finest.
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9 titles
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsMark BaranowskiRyli MorganBonzaiA married couple's final day, before each commits suicide. The man no longer wishes to live a life in which his artistic talents continue to go unrecognized and unappreciated...The woman has no desire to live without him, and her depression drives her to both insanity and self- destruction.Baranowski's film debut, and the result of Bruce Campbell's advice for Baranowski to "become a producer and shoot the film yourself." This downbeat 1/2-hour short was filmed over two nights - about eight hours, total - and set in Baranowski's actual apartment (where he lived with co-star Ryli Morgan). Shot on VHS-C, with editing done in-camera. No Russian dwarf miniature bunny was harmed.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsRyli MorganMelanie MurdockJami HarrelsonA shady producer begins losing his actresses to a knife-wielding, masked killer. A detective teams up with the twin sister of the first victim to search for the culprit, as both the list of suspects and the body count grows...Another shot-on-VHS-C production, this one introduced Baranowski to numerous pitfalls of no-budget film-making; improper lighting, scheduling conflicts, continuity, insufficient locations/shooting space, camera noise, etc., etc... Initially edited with two VCRs and released in black-and-white.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsRyli MorganMark BaranowskiRachelle WilliamsDavid is a drug dealer who pays a final visit to his ex-wife Nicole before leaving town with his new girlfriend. Little does he know that Nicole is now a vampire, and he soon realizes that some things are better left in the past!Baranowski's first title to be shot on mini-DV (as all his consecutive titles would be), this one came about after Seduction Cinema (distributor of Baranowski's first film, DESPAIR) passed on his first feature, RUNAWAY TERROR. Convinced they wouldn't be able to resist a film boasting one of their own top choice ingredients - naked & bloody lesbian vampires - Baranowski wrote the script based on his own then-strained relationship with co-star Ryli Morgan, thus making it a very tense shoot for both. Production began immediately after Baranowski's previous film, THE ZOMBIE ROOM, was scrapped on account of poor casting and location choices. Ironically, Seduction Cinema never got back to Baranowski after receiving a screener of the film... Other distributors showed interest in it, instead.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsRyli MorganMark BaranowskiTim Perez-RossOn the night of their tenth anniversary, corporate lawyer Michael Barnes' wife is brutally murdered. Labelled the prime suspect by Detectives Jack Burns and Amy Cobb, Barnes must try to clear his name before it's too late... Along the way, Barnes' closest friends begin to show their true colors, and with no one left to trust, he finds himself with nothing to lose as he's faced with the toughest decision of his life.Baranowski's one and only co-production, made for Vista Street/Sterling Entertainment. Shot throughout the Christmas holiday season of 2003, with most exterior scenes located in St. Augustine, Florida and interiors in Charlotte, North Carolina. Given a bare-bones erotic thriller script to work from by Sterling, Baranowski rewrote most of it and tacked on an additional 30 pages in a valiant effort to make a comprehensible, watchable film. Love it or hate it, you won't forget it!
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsMark BaranowskiRyli MorganTracy EllisAfter the sleazy SIN BY MURDER experience, Baranowski anxiously returned to his musical roots for this one, his then-most personal project to date. It showcased his early creative beginnings in both fine art and rap music, and allowed him to create music videos for each track off his 2002 CD (as Marquis), "The Flesh + Blood Show," while incorporating a large amount of behind-the-scenes and interview footage to round out the complete package. Also includes raw footage from the scrapped 2003 ZOMBIE ROOM production.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsMark BaranowskiRyli MorganMichael HicksButch takes his girlfriend Angie for granted one too many times, causing her to finally dump him. Meanwhile, Butch's friend Donald has been desperately, and unsuccessfully, trying to write the all-American screenplay. He soon finds inspiration in Butch, who rebounds and gets involved with one "wrong" girl after another... Will Butch win back Angie's heart before it's too late???Baranowski added some laughs to his usual dramatic mix this time around, while recruiting the tremendously talented actresses Lynn Lowry & Brinke Stevens to play roles worlds apart from their usual "scream queen" personas. Again based partly on his relationship with co-star (and wife) Ryli Morgan, and partly on his relationships past, this indie romantic dramedy shows a lighter - if not still edgy & risque - side of Mark Baranowski.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsErnest BroomeDenzell Babyblue TillmonRyli MorganA day (the last, for some) in the lives of an immoral-yet-lovable sex fiend, a promiscuous small-time gangster, a vengeful female drug-dealer, an abused wife, a desperate single mother, a grieving widow, a wretched heroin addict, a shady hit man, a lonely mid-life crisis victim, a conniving husband, a guilt-ridden father and a hapless babysitter. Their stories intersect to create this gritty urban drama.A long-awaited, welcome return by Baranowski, coming from an entirely unexpected direction that pays homage to his influences in rap music and urban dramas/blaxploitation. An experiment of sorts, it's somewhat disorienting in its presentation, using one house to represent numerous locations (the idea being that location should make no difference if the viewer's attention is where it should be... on the characters/story).
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsMark BaranowskiAshlie RheyRyli MorganWhen a criminal imprisoned by detectives Ron Fugate and Morris Brinson is released and puts a hit out on them, both their partnership and their very existence quickly begins to decay... Who will survive, and at what cost?With a larger budget than usual at his disposal, Baranowski called in the troops - actress friends from both coasts - here, for what some consider his most debauched material yet. Baranowski plays the titular character himself, clearly enjoying life as a sexually corrupt detective, while still handling all production duties.
- DirectorMark BaranowskiStarsMark BaranowskiTeri WeigelMichael HicksFrustrated by his promiscuous wife and haunted by memories of an abusive stepfather, Chad's self-esteem is at an all-time low. A psychiatrist attempts to help rid him of his feelings of inadequacy, but Chad soon realizes that only he himself can bring about a change for the better. Of course, nothing worthwhile is ever easy... To leave the past behind, take charge of his life and become a more dedicated husband and father, he'll need to face certain challenges and confrontations head on - ready or not!Baranowski's swansong, and his most revealing film of all. Basically an autobiography, it recreates specific scenes from his own troubled childhood to explain what led him to be the man he is today. Also gives longtime fans some insight into his unconventional marriage to Ryli Morgan. Want to know the real Mark Baranowski? See this film. If you see only one Mark Baranowski film, make sure it's this one.