Marcus Markou

Marcus Markou is a British film maker, playwright[1] and internet entrepreneur.[2]

Markou’s debut feature film Papadopoulos & Sons, starring Stephen Dillane, was completed in 2012.[3][4] The film was self-distributed by Markou in UK cinemas in April 2013 achieving the second highest screen average of any film in that weekend.[5] This success places the film among the top 5 self-distributed UK films in the past 15 years.[6] The film went on to be bought by the BBC, ARTE and Netflix.

Markou’s approach to distribution included cold calling Greek Orthodox priests asking them to announce the film in their Sunday services[7]

Markou speaks extensively about self distribution at film industry events and film festivals and is the subject of self distribution case studies.[8][9]

His play Ordinary Dreams; Or How to Survive a Meltdown with Flair was staged in May 2009 at the Trafalgar Studios with actors James Lance and Adrian Bower. Age-Sex-Location, his play about chat rooms and virtual worlds, was staged at the Riverside Studios in 2004 with actor Ed Stoppard.[10]

In 2014 Markou was nominated by the London Critics Circle Awards for Breakthrough British Filmmaker.[11]

On 11 April 2018 it was announced that Marcus Markou was embarking in a new crowdfunding film and TV venture, along with US producer Cassian Elwes. Their company, dubbed Movie Collective, aims at financing film projects through an innovative crowdfunding approach that allows any investor to share the risk and the rewards, should a film be profitable.[12]

References
  1. The British Theatre Guide. "Marcus Markou - Interview". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  2. The Telegraph (19 July 2004). "A nation of publicans". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. The Wimbledon Guardian (12 August 2011). "Cameras roll for film stars". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  4. Birmingham Mail (5 April 2013). "Graham Young talks to Brummie director of chip shop film Papadopoulos & Sons". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  5. Birmingham Mail. "Brum fish and chips movie Papadopoulos & Sons set for wider release after beating Hollywood blockbuster in London". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  6. Sight and Sound Magazine. "The Numbers - Papadopoulous & Sons" (PDF). Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  7. Den Of Geek (9 August 2017). "Kevin Smith, self-distribution, and the future of cinema". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  8. The Guardian (29 May 2015). "How I self-distributed my feature film". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  9. The Huffington Post (30 March 2015). "How to Self-Distribute Your First Film". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  10. The Stage (11 March 2004). "Age Sex Location - Review". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  11. Hollywood Reporter (17 December 2013). "'12 Years a Slave' Leads London Critics' Circle Film Awards Nominations". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  12. Screen International (11 April 2018). "Cassian Elwes launching crowdfunding production venture". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
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