Mark Hannah, PRODUCER of STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS has been working with Writer / Director Jeff Burr on the film since it’s conception. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knows the two as they grew up together in the same small town in Georgia making their own Super 8 epics. Hannah, who has his own production company, Hanpost Film Productions, worked with Jeff on his feature directorial debut FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM aka THE OFFSPRING, with Hannah taking the position of an Associate Producer and First AD. The film. Starring Vincent Price and a host of memorable character actors was partially shot in their hometown of Dalton. Hannah returned to Dalton in 1991 with his partner C. Allen Posten to Co-write, Produce and Direct the Feature Comedy ISLAND GIRL, “The world’s only family comedy about cannibals,” he claims.

Mark Hannah has worked as everything in the filmmaking process “except mixing sound,” he says. He started out as a grip and worked several years for the East Coast version of Roger Corman, Earl Owensby, at E.O. Studios in North Carolina, working his way up from Key Grip on films like CHAIN GANG in 3D to First A.D. on HYPERSPACE. starring Paula Poundstone and featuring Chris Elliot. He worked in the Art Department on the original James Camerone TERMINATOR, gaffed effects sequences on a new ULTRAMAN series for David B. Sharp Productions where he also Production Managed effects sequences for the Charlie Sheen film THE ARRIVAL. He worked on several projects for Oscar winner (for STAR WARS) Robert Blalack’s Praxis effects company where he Production Coordinated effects sequences on such varied productions as the original LOIS AND CLARK:THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN Pilot movie to the motion based simulator theme park ride SEAFARI for Universal theme parks in Japan and Spain.

After marrying his Brazilian wife and having two daughters, he took a break from features and focused on corporate videos and commercials. During this recent period of short term projects where he worked on projects for corporations like Delta Airlines, NAPA, Bell South and Suntrust Bank, he got to direct a Christmas spot for Alta Vista, the internet search engine company, that was a take off on the old Rankin-Bass Christmas specials of the ‘60s. For this he got the distinct pleasure of directing a six-inch Santa Clause puppet and a bunch of rebellious elves.

“When Jeff called about a World War II movie to be shot in Romania, I knew it was time to get back to features.” A film degree graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he had double majored in History as well. Hannah feels this gave him an edge up on the historical nature of the project.

“This movie is as close to being in a real war as I ever hope to be,” he says. Although his Producer duties made him more like a brigadier general, coordinating actual troop movements, ammo procurement, and tank deployments for the war film. “The shoot was tough, as hard as I’ve ever worked, and I spent as much time sloshing through the winter mud at midnight in Romania as I did back in the office faxing, phoning and emailing all over the world. STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS is a project that he hopes will lead he and Jeff straight into success!