Every so often, we discover some highly talented independent film-makers in NC doing very unusual things. Charlotte residents Mark Baranowski and his wife Ryli Morgan for instance. They've made several independent films on bare bones resources, but Ryli's natural beauty and Mark's relentless creativity which includes writing scripts and music, are the stuff dreams are made of.
Ryli, as comely a lass as they come, and then some, has gained praise from no less than the Drive-In Man himself, king of the B film critics, Joe Bob Briggs, who says she's his favorite "Scream Queen" of all time and he's seen them all. Not only that, she gets good words from make-up artist Tom Savini, who did the effects for Romero's "Dawn of the Dead," not to mention acting in that, Romero's latest Zombie flick, and other seminal works of the genre.
Baranowski/Morgan's On Mark Productions is recognized mainly for its straight-to-video contributions to the erotic horror/thriller genre. But recently, the couple decided to reinvent themselves and do a comedy-drama. The August 14th production wrap date of their latest film--a comedy-drama entitled Heaven Help Me, I'm In Love--approches..
On Mark Productions was created in September 2001, when the couple made their first film, the grim and thought provoking Despair (featured among the extras on Seduction Cinema's Roxanna DVD, shortly thereafter).
Five months later, they released a short film, which Baranowski scored and edited himself, entitled Ryli Morgan: Audition. And what an audition it was... Initially released on VHS in limited quantities, the film quickly sold out, and would later become one of the extras on the DVD release of their first feature, Runaway Terror. Filmed using the barest of resources, this title would nevertheless be praised by both critics and audiences alike for its original spin on the typical slasher film formula, further enhanced by a pounding soundtrack by Marquis (one of Baranowski's numerous pseudonyms) and Ohio-based techno wizards Dubok.
Baranowski wrote Expendable, his most appreciated and requested title to date. Starring only himself, Ryli Morgan, a lovely newcomer named Rachelle Williams, and veteran “Scream Queen” Brinke Stevens, this otherwise standard drama becomes a bloodbath—literally—by the last ten minutes of the film.
Based on the merits of Expendable, Sterling/Vista Street Entertainment commissioned Baranowski to direct a film for them less than six months later, an erotic thriller entitled Sin By Murder.
You'll be hearing lots more about this couple and their work here and in more depth on www.ncflix.com.
