Mark Benjamin
Encyclopedia
Mark Benjamin is an American documentary film
maker. He is best known for the Sundance TV series Brick City and the feature film Slam, both of which were shot in his signature Cinema Verité
style.
highly praised one-man play. In addition, he is an executive producer with Forest Whitaker
and Marc Levin on the Sundance Channel series BRICK CITY.
One of his first films, the Jerusalem Peace (1977) was included in a New Directors series at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
, Prisoners of the War on Drugs, Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock, Thug Life in D.C., and Soldiers in the Army of God, and Discovery Channel’s CIA: America’s Secret Warriors.
BRICK CITY Season 1 (2009)
WHY WE FIGHT NOW (2009)
GOING HOME (2003)
JAILS, HOSPITALS & HIP-HOP (2000)
THE LAST PARTY (1993)
PORTRAIT OF AMERICA - PUERTO RICO (1983)
CREATIVITY WITH BILL MOYERS / PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (1982)
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL - WOMEN INSIDE (1980)
JERUSALEM PEACE (1977)
COLD FRAME (1975)
HOOKED (2004)
GOING HOME (2003)
THE BLUES (2003)
BROOKLYN BABYLON (2001)
JAILS, HOSPITALS & HIP-HOP (2000)
THUG LIFE IN DC (1997)
SLAM (1998)
AMERICA’S SECRET GOVERNMENT - CIA (1998)
EGG THE ARTS SHOW/CITY ARTS (1997–2001)
TALKING SEX (1995)
A TIME OF AIDS (1994)
GANG WAR (1994)
THE LAST PARTY (1993)
DAMNED IN THE USA (1992)
TAKEOVER (1990)
BADLANDS (1989)
DRUG FREE KID (1989)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC THE ATOCHA (1987)
FRONTLINE - INSIDE THE JURY (1986)
WALL STREET CONNECTION (1985)
CREATIVITY WITH BILL MOYERS – PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (1982)
AMERICAN ZEALOT (1982)
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL - WOMEN INSIDE (1980)
THE NEW IMMIGRANTS SERIES (1980)
JERUSALEM PEACE (1977)
COLD FRAME (1975)
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker. He is best known for the Sundance TV series Brick City and the feature film Slam, both of which were shot in his signature Cinema Verité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
style.
Director/Producer
Benjamin has worked throughout his career as a director/cameraman and his work in this area has produced such films as The Last Party, a 1993 political documentary starring Robert Downey, Jr., and Jails, Hospital, Hip Hop, an adaptation of Danny Hoch’s Danny HochDanny Hoch
Danny Hoch is an American writer, director and performance artist. He has acted in larger roles in independent and art house movies and had a few small roles in mainstream Hollywood films, with increasing exposure as in 2007's We Own the Night...
highly praised one-man play. In addition, he is an executive producer with Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television...
and Marc Levin on the Sundance Channel series BRICK CITY.
One of his first films, the Jerusalem Peace (1977) was included in a New Directors series at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Television
Benjamin was the director of photography for numerous television documentaries including HBO’s The Protocols of ZionProtocols of Zion (film)
The Protocols of Zion is a 2005 documentary film by Jewish filmmaker Marc Levin about a resurgence of antisemitism in the United States in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks...
, Prisoners of the War on Drugs, Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock, Thug Life in D.C., and Soldiers in the Army of God, and Discovery Channel’s CIA: America’s Secret Warriors.
Awards
Benjamin’s work has won numerous awards, most notably for SLAM, which won both the Cannes Film Festival Camera D’OR and the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in 1998 the Sundance TV series BRICK CITY, which won the 2010 Peabody Award, received a 2010 EMMY Nomination for Exceptional Merit in Non-Fiction Filmmaking, the Cine Golden Eagle Award, FACTUAL Entertainment Award, and an NAACP Image Award Nomination.Filmography (as Director)
BRICK CITY Season 2 (2010)BRICK CITY Season 1 (2009)
WHY WE FIGHT NOW (2009)
GOING HOME (2003)
JAILS, HOSPITALS & HIP-HOP (2000)
THE LAST PARTY (1993)
PORTRAIT OF AMERICA - PUERTO RICO (1983)
CREATIVITY WITH BILL MOYERS / PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (1982)
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL - WOMEN INSIDE (1980)
JERUSALEM PEACE (1977)
COLD FRAME (1975)
Filmography (as Director of Photography)
PROTOCOLS OF ZION (2005)HOOKED (2004)
GOING HOME (2003)
THE BLUES (2003)
BROOKLYN BABYLON (2001)
JAILS, HOSPITALS & HIP-HOP (2000)
THUG LIFE IN DC (1997)
SLAM (1998)
AMERICA’S SECRET GOVERNMENT - CIA (1998)
EGG THE ARTS SHOW/CITY ARTS (1997–2001)
TALKING SEX (1995)
A TIME OF AIDS (1994)
GANG WAR (1994)
THE LAST PARTY (1993)
DAMNED IN THE USA (1992)
TAKEOVER (1990)
BADLANDS (1989)
DRUG FREE KID (1989)
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC THE ATOCHA (1987)
FRONTLINE - INSIDE THE JURY (1986)
WALL STREET CONNECTION (1985)
CREATIVITY WITH BILL MOYERS – PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (1982)
AMERICAN ZEALOT (1982)
BILL MOYERS JOURNAL - WOMEN INSIDE (1980)
THE NEW IMMIGRANTS SERIES (1980)
JERUSALEM PEACE (1977)
COLD FRAME (1975)