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Issue #77
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
RC Mentor Rick Rooney (left) with apprentice Devin Zorn
Control Room in January Sound
Shot from ‘Love My 419’
R&B Band Daemine Lowe Trio
FC Apprentice Daren Frease
FC Mentor Mark Leisher
That idea led to the forming of Mark Leisher Productions, which is now a leading full-service video production, web design and digital marketing company in Bethesda, MD, servicing major clients such as Red Bull, Hitachi, Under Armour and others. Never one to shy away from the cutting edge, his was among the first companies to go digital and HD, and to accommodate his large number of location assignments, he invested in a mobile studio. One of his more notable recent assignments? “I did a documentary for the 50-year anniversary of the Beach Boys,” he says. “I was on tour with them for three and a half months.”
Mark’s experience in film and video, especially in running his own successful production company, gives him a particular understanding of embracing risk to do what you love. “I have had three businesses and none of them have failed,” says Mark. “I only got bored and wanted to do something else…Taking action and not being scared to fall or fail—this has been the hardest quality for me when it comes to being an entrepreneur. I don’t ever look forward to or expect failure, but it is part of the deal.”
As a Film Connection mentor, Mark imparts that same drive, passion and entrepreneurial spirit into his students, immersing them in hands-on instruction along the way. “How could a race car driver ever be competitive if he/she never got behind the wheel of a race car?” he says. “Teaching real world situations is the most valuable teaching opportunity that anybody can have. I feel most young people run off to college just for the college experience. They know beforehand that the first year or more will be a wash, and forgiving for their parents. I feel this is a big waste of time, money and resources. I learned early that a ‘trade’ was more important than a piece of paper with a degree.”
FC Apprentice Madison Dan
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