Mark Needle

Mark Needle is an award-winning filmmaker and a well-respected actor, which takes the sting out of him being a filmmaker and an actor. His dark comedies have opened conversations regarding topics such as eating disorders, gender identity, family, and overcoming trauma in ways that make people feel safe and included. He has performed both on stage and on screen, and was even an opera singer for two weeks! His background in education has allowed him to use all of these experiences to create his Hyph-Life Vlog series, a compendium of over 100 videos with the filmmaking and career advice he wishes someone had given him 10 years ago.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Mark often heard phrases such as, "Eww! The valley!" but he says that you don't even notice the 120-degree heat after a while. He went to college because his mom told him to, leading him to earn a Bachelor's in Cinema and Television Arts (emphasizing Electronic Media Management) on purpose, and earn two other degrees by accident. He's up to 6 degrees now, if anyone is interested.