Mark Vennis started his career at Virgin Vision in the technical department and in 1995 J&M appointed him to head up and run their newfound classics division with a brief to nurture new talent and finance less cast orientated films. The first film the division sold was the independent South African film Hearts and Minds directed by Ralph Ziman. While there Mark executive produced George Milton’s first feature Appetite and the John Hurt/Brenda Blethyn film Night Train.
Mark took a part-time masters course in Film Studies at the University of Westminster and was awarded a Master of Arts degree in October 1997.
In May 1998 he joined Heather Mansfield at Mansfield Associates, a company specialising in international film finance and became a director of MA in January 1999.
Mansfield Associates during this time were crucial, amongst others, to the financing of The Clandestine Marriage, the $5 million feature Saving Grace, the Michael Caine movie Last Orders, and Michael Winterbottom’s film 24 Hour Party People.
Mark left Mansfield Associates at the end of August 2001 to set up the international sales and production company Moviehouse Entertainment with Gary Phillips, where he is co-managing director, and in charge of Finance and Acquisitions.
Moviehouse Entertainment has been involved in the financing and distribution of over 50 films since their inception over 15 years ago, a combination of high quality feature films and theatrical documentaries.
Mark is the executive producer on over twenty-five films including Nicolas Winding Refn’s first English Language movie Fear X which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, The Rage in Placid Lake, an Australian comedy with Miranda Richardson and Rose Byrne, Blind Flight, the true story of the kidnapping of Brian Keenan and John McCarthy with Ian Hart and Linus Roache, Sandy Collora’s cult hit Hunter Prey, the acclaimed South African gangster movie Jerusalema, and the hit movie Nativity 2 with David Tennant in the lead role. This year’s films include My Feral Heart, which played at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Hallows Eve, which played at Fright Fest. He has worked with John Boorman (the Tiger’s Tail) Nick Broomfield (Biggie and Tupac), Lenny Abramson (Adam and Paul), John Battsek (Live Forever) and Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker 30 Century Man), and Julien Temple (the Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson).
He is currently working on a documentary about the punk rock band The Slits, the Maxine Peake film Funny Cow and the Last Step with Jean Reno.
He has served as a director for Film Export UK, the Sales Agent’s industry body, for two years and as a mentor for the Screen Yorkshire Triangle program 2013 and 2014.