Mark Vicente - Director, What the BLEEP Do We Know?

Mark Vicente was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1965. With a father in Radio and a mother in the Diplomatic Service, he rarely stayed in one place for very long. As a child he traveled the world and lived in such diverse places as Portugal, Brazil, Canada, and the US. When it came to his life's passion, he took his cue from his Grandfather who owned an advertising agency. Taking his first photograph at age 4 he soon developed a keen eye for visual storytelling. This led to his "professional" decision at age 13 that he wanted to make movies. After working as a news-cameraman in Apartheid South Africa, he went on to shoot music videos and commercials, and got his first big break as Director of Photography on the musical, "Sarafina" starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992 at age 26 he became one of the youngest cinematographers to shoot a big budget studio picture with Disney's "Fatherhood" starring Patrick Swayze, Over the next 8 years he shot another 14 feature films, but eventually tired of interpreting stories presented to him by other directors. Driven by the conviction that tales of greatness could be as exciting and financially successful as the subjects of rape, pillage, plunder and scandal so beloved by the industry, he decided that no one else was telling the stories that he deeply cared about. In 2000, driven by creative desperation, he decided it was time to embrace his inevitable destiny as a director. He began directing and shooting commercials and documentaries that gave voice to his rebelliousness and politically incorrect sense of humor. The Rockumentary, "Where Angels Fear to Tread," takes to task organized religion and the lengths to which human beings will go to abuse minorities and specifically woman, in the name of God. "What the BLEEP do we Know" is his most recent project and it's success has been astounding. The audience, which Hollywood never said existed, seems to have come out in droves in support of the film. And his dream of creating cinema to uplift and inspire, is finally coming to fruition. Mark has a number of projects in development with mysterious, reflective and unusual subject matters. He is currently preparing to shoot "Bending Time," a big budget spy thriller which includes themes of remote viewing, reincarnation and time travel... and of course a healthy dose of cutting edge science.

How did you get involved in the What the Bleep project?

The Financier, Will Arntz, and I met at a retreat that we were attending together. We realized that we had the same dream, which was to make a film that blended science and mysticism together.

What was your biggest challenge in directing the film?

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to blend the narrative, the interviews and the animation in a seamless fashion. This involved a lot of experimentation and trial and error.

What surprised you about the way it was received?

That so many people took ownership of the film as their own, and that people of all denominations found common ground to share themselves with each other.

What is "Down the Rabbit Hole" (the now playing "director's cut" version of the movie) and how will it be different?

"Down the Rabbit Hole" is basically the same film, however it is a deeper exploration of the science. All the interviews have been replaced with new interviews and an additional narrative scene was added along with four new animated sequences starring Dr. Quantum.

Where do you turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

That is a really good question. I used to have to take a break from my life to refuel. So I recognized that there was something about my life that was not working. I am living a life now where what I am doing is refueling to me all the time. If we ever need to refuel it would suggest to me that we are not doing the things that we love in life. For inspiration I turn to anyone that does something better then I do.

How did you find your purpose?

I grew up in South Africa in the middle of the bush, and I had a recognition that there was something wrong with the way that people were treating each other in that apartheid era. I remember as a six year old child, banging on some cake tins that I imagined were drums, and I felt this exhilarating feeling in my body. I thought that if everybody could feel what I was feeling in that moment, that they would never do bad things to other people. I imagined that there might exist speakers big enough to reach across the entire valley where I grew up as a child. Then I imagined the sound reaching beyond the mountains, across the whole country. I did not know what that speaker system was until I saw Star Wars at the age of thirteen, and then I knew. Movies. That was how I could get my message to the world. I feel like I saw my purpose when I was six. It just took me awhile to figure out how to do it.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Two things, the first was seeing my name up on the screen in 1992 after having focused on that for so many years as a child. The other is, having participated in touching so many people lives with "What The Bleep."

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life and business?

The First book that truly got me onto my spiritual path was Autobiography of a Yogi. Also the early works of Lucas and Spielberg moved me tremendously. I also have a great admiration for anybody that has stood for a principle against a massive majority who were fighting for mediocrity and small mindedness. Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King come to mind for me.

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

Very much so.

Which technology do you think has most improved your quality of life?

An introspective science that I am currently studying developed by a scientist, which has the highest IQ in the world, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

What's your preferred method of getting the news?

Anywhere outside of the U.S.

What dream for the world would you like to see achieved in our lifetime?

I would like to see people willing to be mindful of how everything we do affects everything and everyone else.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

A science fiction thriller that I am producing called "Bending Time." I am also in the middle of writing a screenplay for a historical piece set in the middle ages. People can look on my website to check on the progress of these projects.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)