Feature film work, as writer and director
Although this is a design portfolio site, I consider myself first and foremost a filmmaker, even while graphic design remains my primary source of income. It's been sort of a double-edged sword: some people don't realize that a person can do more than one thing with their lives, so often I've been considered as either an artist who makes films as a "hobby" or a filmmaker who will walk out on a design job as soon as his Hollywood ship comes in. The reality is, I love both film and design, and wherever possible, I work within both worlds. (The other reality is, I stopped waiting for my ship years ago.) For those curious about my film work, below you will find screen captures from my two features, Foreign Correspondents and Claustrophobia. Scroll down to read more about each film.


Foreign Correspondents (1999). Romantic drama, 35mm, 103 minutes. Rated PG-13. Self-released. Starring Melanie Lynskey, Wil Wheaton, Corin Nemec, Yelena Danova, Steve Valentine, Blaire Baron, Douglas Coler, Lisa Lo Cicero, James Michael Tyler and Richard Moll. Written and directed by Mark Tapio Kines.

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

ForCor screencap ForCor screencap

Foreign Correspondents is a film split into two separate stories. In the first, a young woman in Los Angeles starts receiving romantic postcards addressed to the previous tenant of her apartment, and starts investigating what happened to the tenant. In the second, conceived as a sort of backstory to the first, a young British man visits his Yugoslavian penpal in California, only to learn that she has told her host family that he's coming out to marry her, so that she doesn't need to return to wartorn Sarajevo. The film was well-received at several film festivals in the US and Europe, winning Best Screenplay at the Chicago Alt.film Fest.


Claustrophobia (2004). Suspense thriller, digital, 79 minutes. Rated R. Released by Lions Gate. Starring Melanie Lynskey, Sheeri Rappaport, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Judith O'Dea. Written, produced and directed by Mark Tapio Kines.

Claustro screencap Claustro screencap

Claustro screencap Claustro screencap

Claustro screencap Claustro screencap

Claustro screencap Claustro screencap

Claustrophobia is a thriller shot on a shoestring budget about three women who learn that a reported serial killer may be on the roof of their house, stalking them. Shot entirely in daylight, it puts a spin on the standard slasher flick, substituting character and suspense for gore and mayhem. It was quickly snapped up for domestic distribution by Lions Gate, who changed the title to Serial Slayer and marketed it as a typical horror movie. That's show biz!


The Closest Thing to Time Travel (2006). Science fiction/romance, found footage, 1 minute. Written, produced and directed by Mark Tapio Kines.

Time Travel screencap Time Travel screencap

This was my entry in Getty Images' "The Next Big Idea" competition, wherein entrants from around the world submitted short films (60 seconds or less) that made use of stock footage from Getty's library. Out of 240 submissions, The Closest Thing to Time Travel was the Grand Prize winner. I got a good chunk of money and trips to New York and Chicago out of the deal. Not bad for 60 seconds.

 

Copyright © 2008 Mark Tapio Kines