Mark Potts: A Prolific Filmmaker from Oklahoma

I had the opportunity to interview Oklahoma filmmaker Mark Potts. It was a wonderful chance to talk to a fellow artist who shares the same wavelength when it comes to making independent films. Mark, a film graduate of University of Oklahoma, knew it was a tough choice going to film school. Yet, it clearly shows how his commitment to the craft has made him into a promising young filmmaker who has big dreams to fulfill. A prolific artist with a number of independent films to his name, he continues to produce works through Singletree Productions, which he founded with friend Cole Selix.

What was your dream when you were a kid, and compare that to who you are now, metaphorically and/or literaphorically (just borrowing the words from a line in one of your works)?

My first dream was to be an astronaut or a baseball player. But, as I grew up, so did my stomach. But the discovery and awe of astronomy felt the same as writing and creating stories and movies, so it was a natural transition to me. A story is unknown, the characters are unknown, and the outcome is limitless. It's always exciting to go on that journey.

Who are your major influences in filmmaking?

I was greatly influenced by Alexander Payne and Wes Anderson. I love how their characters are often very soft, very mute in emotions. Their stories are dark and humorous and are always finding ways to make fun of themselves. I love that style of story. Their films live in distinct worlds, yet they always feel real.

How do you keep your films' costs manageable given your limited resources?

We just do what we need to do. Our budgets, up to now, have been from my student loans. We have very limited resources and honestly, our films show that. They aren't perfect. But that's why we spend so much time on story and dialogue. If you have good story and it's funny and enjoyable, then most people will look past the downfalls of poor lighting and sound. But, that only lasts so long. That's why now we're making a bigger film with a bigger budget. We need to take that next step. All the practice we've had with the features and countless shorts have prepared us for a major production.

What are your inspirations when making your stories?

Our projects are usually pretty personal. They deal with rejection, sadness, doubt, and loneliness. We deal with these subjects the same way we do in real life: by cracking jokes and having fun. The moment I start taking myself seriously is the moment it feels too much like a job. I mean, I'm playing make believe constantly. How awesome is that?

How do you market your films?

We like creating buzz, if possible. Recently, we found that if we make buttons with funny quotes from the films, people try to collect them all, sort of hunt for them. That worked really well. We are also very specific in our poster design. You're not suppose to judge a book by its cover, but everyone judges things by a poster. A cool poster definitely helps get a crowd. From there, we make viral videos for Facebook and YouTube to spread the word.

How do you see yourself in five years?

I don't know how I see myself, and that's fantastic. I hope I'm in film. I hope I'm still writing. But really, I'm just along for the ride. Who knows what's next?