5Q's w/Mark Atkinson "The Power Agent" Director
#1: Can you describe your movie and why somebody should see it in less than 140 characters?
Mark Atkinson’s The Power Agent is a cute comedy about a struggling actor’s meeting with his much wiser and much, much younger talent agent.
#2: What do you want the Borrego Springs Film Festival audience to know about your film that isn’t obvious from its title?
The Power Agent explores, exploits and parodies the talent and talent representation relationship. There are several homages to certain scenes in multiple Hollywood movies that most film lovers would and should hopefully pick up on. In these strange days we’re living in audiences need escapism, entertainment and to laugh now more than ever. Even though The Power Agent is only 5 minutes long, if it provides that even just for 5 minutes, then Mission: Accomplished. Plus Charlie is adorable!
#3: What is your movie making background? Tell us about yourself.
Mark Atkinson is a San Diego based actor, who is known mostly for comedic roles. In addition to acting Mark is also a writer, producer and unique content creator.
Originally from Rhode Island, Mark graduated from the University of Rhode Island with BA in Communications and Film. Mark started his career in the entertainment industry in the New England stand-up comedy circuit. After transplanting to Southern California Mark studied improv at legendary improv institutions The Groundlings and The Second City in LA. With has over 70 IMDb credits ranging from short films like A Quint-mas Carol and The Power Agent (which he wrote, produced & directed) to web-series like Soldiers of Misfortune (which he co-wrote & co-produced) to independent films like Skin: The Movie and Dark Harbor, Mark continues to work hard in the entertainment industry. In addition to this, Mark has won or been nominated for multiple awards for several his performances in numerous projects. Most recently Mark had a co-starting role in the popular Netflix show Selena: The Series.
Charlotte “Charlie” Blue Krapf is a San Diego based actress who made her film debut in The Power Agent. As the titular character Charlie, at only 6 years old, has been nominated twice for a Best Actress award at The Oniros Film Festival and The Oceanside International Film Festival. Even though she’s only in first grade, she’s got a bright future a head of her, but still enjoys the simple pleasures of childhood. As Charlie has been quoted ‘I’m just a kid looking for my next pool to jump into and slide to go down.”
Jeff Krapf is a San Diego based TV host and On-Camera Personality with NBC7. He also is an international traveler and host/announcer for live events, red carpets etc… Jeff is a boat enthusiast who studied “Enjoying Life” at the “College of Life.” Jeff plays Charlie’s assistant/father in The Power Agent and is her father in real life. According to Jeff, Charlie is also his boss in real life.
#4: What was the biggest lesson learned in getting your film made?
They say you should “never work with children or animals”, but I’d have to make an exception with Charlie. Not only is she incredibly cute, but she is also very talented too and a real pro. Didn’t complain once and gave a solid performance from when she got home from school all the way to her bedtime. I have to give Jeff credit too for not only playing her assistant/father, but also being her on-set acting couch too. This project had a very loyal and talented skeleton crew that consisted of Aiden Keltner (Director of Photography), Dan Butler (Sound/Editor), Justin Burquist (Grip/Gaffer) and Cheryl Rees Heaslett (Production Assistant/Script Supervisor). The takeaway from that is you don’t need a big crew when you have enough of the right crew, which was is also good when your entire crew has to film in a 6 year-old’s bedroom. Another lesson is don’t submit to film festivals during a pandemic. These virtual film festivals are for the birds and I want to THANK YOU Borrego Springs Film Festival for doing the whole in-person drive-in thing.
#5: What does the future hold for your film and you?
The Power Agent has already been selected to few other film festivals in the in-coming months and once the pandemic is over and film festivals are permitted to be in-person again I will probably submit it to several other film festivals. After TPA is done with its film festival run, I will probably self-distribute it on Amazon Prime for a wider audience to see. As for myself… I helped produce another short film currently in the film festival called Leave ‘Em Laughing, a semi-bio drama about late comedian Dick Shawn’s tragic last performance in 1987. In addition to that, I’m in pre-production for another comedy short that I wrote, will produce, direct and star in and I might possibly work on another feature film hopefully in the next few months too, depending on the Covid situation. Even in this damn pandemic, I have several projects in various stages of development well into 2021.
