ABOUT
Mark has been living and working extensively in the Kimberley for 27 years and started out as a camera operator with adventure film maker Malcolm Douglas. His curiosity led him into the edit suite and then into developing stories and creating films with deep underlying messages that reflect his very special part of the world.
Mark has collaborated with some of the greats in Australian film and television over the years and has branched out into fixing and Producing for some of the larger international TV broadcasters including the BBC (UK) and NHK (Japan). His ability to plan and implement shoots in difficult places with logistics, as well as permitting through government and Indigenous institutions, is invaluable to overseas Producers who are looking for that something different.
Not satisfied with just the small screen, Mark is starting to collaborate with Producers from the 'Feature' realm and is exploring ideas and opportunities in the long form.
It has been an unorthodox path in Mark's "27 year apprenticeship" as he likes to call it. He has worked as a 'one man band' right through to collaborating with big crews. He is hands on and has worked in most facets of the industry and has a great love of overcoming obstacles, which was the deep lesson he learnt from his friend and mentor, Malcolm Douglas.
The Kimberley is regarded as the greatest cultural landscape on Earth which houses tens of thousands of rock art sites and millions of heritage sites. It's natural beauty and dramatic coastlines are a cinematic dream. It is little wonder Mark has chosen to call this place home and raise his family.
Mark Jones BIO
PO Box 2991
Broome W.A.
P: +61 400 866 028
Education, Work & Media History
Education:
University of Western Australia: Bachelor of Physical Education (Graduated 1993). Did 3 years of Anthropology with a keen interest in Ethnographic film.
Work History
1992: Casuarina Prison. Special Handling Unit. Volunteer Recreation Officer.
1993 - 2000: Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park: Manager.
1994 - 2010: Malcolm Douglas Films: Camera Operator. 17 Films mixed with Crocodile ‘duties’.
“A Kimberley Adventure” - 3 x 1 hour series
“Living with Crocodiles”
“Walkabout with Malcolm Douglas” - 6 x 1 hour series
“The Coral Coast”
“In search of the big barra”
“In search of the bilby”
“The Wild coast”
“The Gibb River road”
“Broome and Beyond”
2000: Fishing Wild Australia. Camera Operator. 1 season x 13 Eps.
2001 - 2009: Fishing Western Australia. Camera Operator, Editor, Director, Writer and Producer. 9 series @ 162 Half hour eps. 12 x 1 hour eps.
2005 - 2008: Golfing Western Australia. Co- creator, camera operator, editor, writer, producer, director. 4 series @ 52 Half hour eps. 8 x 1 hour Specials.
2005 - 7: Outdoors WA magazine. Co - creator and Editor. A FWA Production on WA stories and characters.
2009: Old Country New Country. SBS. Producer, Director, Writer, Camera Operator, Editor. George Negus and Kirsty Cockburn Executive Producers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gykFOvEQh8Y
2010 - 2012: Malcolm Douglas Films. Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park. Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park. General Manager. After the sudden death of long time friend and mentor. Family asked me to run the businesses.
2012: The Australian: Wild Australia Series 2. Camera and Edit. “Kimberley Waterhole”.
2012: BBC - “Indian Ocean” with Simon Reeve. Talent.
2013 - 14: “Wild Australia” Landscape Series 3 for the Australian Newspaper. 10 x 5 min short films. Oldest plant in the world. Oldest Zircon in the world. Largest Saltwater Croc population in the world. Largest Red Gum forest in the world. Longest Sea Cliffs in the world. One of the ideas was largest art gallery in the world… the Kimberley. Co - Writer, Director, Camera and Edit.
2013 - 2016: 4 Series x 10 Eps of “Kriol Kitchen” - NITV (Highest Rating Show) and SBS. Camera and Edit. Collaboration with Mitch Torres.
2014: 10 x 15 min ’RRE’s’ for National Indigenous TV. Short stories on authentic indigenous people.
2014: Missy Higgins collaboration on Broome Concert.
2014: Roebuck Bay Working Group. Short film on Roebuck Bay and its World Heritage Values.
2015: Xavier Rudd Music Clip - “Come People”.
2015: Ingetje Tadros “Kennedy Hill” Exhibition.
2015: “Keeping Country” - US Production.
2015: National Indigenous TV (NITV) - 8 Short films for RRE project. Director/Camera/Edit. Collaboration with Mitch Torres.
2015: Writing a Novel between gigs.
2015: ICS Story. Mt Barnett “The Serpent and the Boy”
2015: Kimberley Rock Art Dating Project: KFA.
2015: Nyul Nyul Rangers: Media Workshop
2015: Wawili Pitjas. Broome. Pre production “Big Spirit Country”
2015: Kimberley World Heritage Project (KWHiP)
2015: FTI - Mt Barnett ‘Serpent Dreaming’. Camera. Collaboration with Mitch Torres.
2015: KFA Short Film: Kimberley Rock Art Dating Project.
2015: ‘Closing communities’ doco with Nic Wrathall - Research phase.
2016: “Great Nature: Kimberley tides” - Japanese production for NHK. Camera and talent.
2016 - Cygnet Bay Pearls - Documentary.
2016 - Writer/Director “Stories set in Stone” (Feature). Producer: Naomi Cleaver. Development.
2016 - WA Art Gallery and Mowanjum Arts centre 3 x short films on Kimberley Artists for major 2018 exhibition. “The Boab Carver”
2016 - Mowanjum Arts Centre - Mentorship for young Aboriginal film makers.
2016 - ICS. 3 x short films. Camera.
2016 - FTI ICS - Short film. “The Ganuda Band” of Broome. Camera and Edit.
2016 - “Kriol Kitchen” Series 4. NITV and SBS. Camera.
2017 - OGA Corporate.
2017 - “In my Mother’s country”. Short. Camera and Edit.
2017 - Mowanjum Festival: Camera
2017 - “Kimberley Project” (Feature documentary). Camera and co-Producer.
2017 - “Stories in Stone” (Feature). co-Writer/Director. Development.
2017 - TURA tour. Documentation. Director/Camera.
2017 - Nyangumarta Ranger Short film. Camera & Edit.
2018 - Mowanjum Arts Centre - Kupingarri short film. Camera and Edit.
2018 - Mowanjum Arts Centre - Junba on Country Film. Direct, Camera and Edit.
2018 - TURA Music Tour
2018 - Yawuru: 10 x “Cultural Places”
2018 - BBC “World Rock Art”
2019 - Angelika Markul (French Artist) - "In the steps of dinosaurs". "Chief Operator".
2019 - TURA ' Sonus tour'. Documentarian.
2019 - "The Serpents Tale". Producer. Director. Camera. Edit.
2019 - "Dirt Music". Drone.
2019 - Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney. Daisy Japulija, Sonia Kurarra exhibition. Documentarian.
2019 - Bush Heritage/Wunambal Gaambera. Documentarian.
2019 - "Stranded Earth" - Pre production. Producer.
2020 - Series of short films for Wunambal Gaamberra Aboriginal Corporation for new West Australian museum.
2020 - TURA "Flow"
2020 - Al Jazeera "Black and behind bars"
Field-Producer.
2020 - "Dolphins of Shark Bay". Plimsol Productions (Bristol).
Proof of Concept DOP.
2020 - "Limitless". Nutopia.
Proof of Concept.
2020 - "Stories in Stone'. LMI Productions.
Writing and Development.
2020 - "Yawuru AGM"
2020 - Rock Art Australia rebrand.
2020 - "In my Fathers Country". Mitch Torres (Producer)
DOP and Director mentor.
SBS/NITV.
2020 - "Blue Planet 3". BBC.
Proof of concept.
2021 - "The Serpents Tale" release.
2021 - "Stories in Stone" FACTory pitch AIDC.
Development.
2021 - "Rebellion" music clip. Dave Mann.
2021 - "Jandamrras Cave" music clip. TURA.
2021 - "Flow" music clip. TURA.
2022 - "Stories in Stone" development. First filming. Writing. Hugh Jackman narration. Xavier Rudd music/sound score. 6 x 1 hour series.
2022 - Xavier Rudd film (feature) development.
2022 - Willinggin plants and bush craft film.
2022 - "Fleeing Tiananmen" development.
Contracts
Tourism Australia
Perth Mint
Apache Oil and Gas
Tourism Western Australia
Tourism Queensland
Little Edie Productions
Xavier Rudd
The Australian
West Australian Football League
The Wilderness Society
Bush Heritage - WG Rangers
PEW Foundation
Nygamarta PBC
KLC
Wunambal Gaamberra PBC
Stills Publications:
The Australian newspaper
The West Australian newspaper
Fishing Western Australia Publications
Wunambal-Gaamvberra PBC
Scoop magazine
Aus Geo
Fishing Australia Magazine
Western Angler
Broome Visitors Centre
Various Music Albums
Social Movements
Qantas Magazine
Postcards
Private Prints
Veterinary conferences
Environmental Conferences
The Conversation
The West Australian
Fishing WA
Golfing WA
Outdoors WA
Bush Heritage
Yawuru PBC
Book publications:
"Crocs and Barramundi - On the road with Malcolm Douglas"
"Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja"
"Wild Australia"
Music Video Clips
Social Movements
BBC
NHK
Fox
PBS (US
ARTE (France)
Sundance (US)
ABC Australia
Channel 7
Channel 9
SBS
NITV
Australian Tourism Bodies
THE BRIEF VERSION
At the tender age of 23, Mark had an epiphany when filming with legendary Australian film maker, Malcolm Douglas. He realised that he had fallen in love with the camera and the stories it could tell... and he also fell in love with the Kimberley, its ruggedness, its people and its deep heritage.
Mark went on to make 17 films with Malcolm in those formative years. That experience led to a number of opportunities in the adventure, wildlife and ethnographic genres. It has allowed him to explore his 3 great passions: ‘Country’, its original people and the Cultural landscapes produced by the two.
Mark has constantly sought new experiences in the industry to extend his range since those early days with Malcolm. He has shot, edited, directed and written across a number of platforms both individually and in collaboration, with some of the greats of Australian screen including George Negus. It is these relationships and their teachings which Mark holds very dear.
This unorthodox ‘apprenticeship’ is now paying dividends for Mark. He has worked with many production houses from around the world (NHK - Japan, ABC - US, BBC etc) to showcase the Kimberley, one of the last great Cultural landscapes, to the big and small screen.