{{short description|American film director}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox person | name = Mark Maxey | image = Mark_Maxey_on_location.jpg | caption = Maxey filming on location, July 2017 | birth_name = John Mark Maxey | birth_date = {{birth date|1969|5|13}} | birth_place = Long Beach, California, U.S. | occupation = Producer, writer, director, filmmaker | years_active = 2000–present | spouse = {{marriage|Rebecca Ewing|1998}} | children = 2 | website = {{URL|https://rollingpictures.com}} }}
'''Mark Maxey''' (born May 13, 1969) is an American producer, writer and director of film and television best known for the documentary film ''Up to Snuff'' (2019),<ref name="OC Weekly 2018">{{cite web | title=Documentary on TV Composer W.G. Snuffy Walden Leads a Strong Newport Beach Film Festival Music Program | website=OC Weekly | date=2018-04-26 | url=https://www.ocweekly.com/documentary-on-tv-composer-w-g-snuffy-walden-leads-a-strong-newport-beach-film-festival-music-program/ | access-date=2018-05-22| archive-date=2018-05-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522132838/https://www.ocweekly.com/documentary-on-tv-composer-w-g-snuffy-walden-leads-a-strong-newport-beach-film-festival-music-program/}}</ref> about musician/composer W. G. Snuffy Walden.<ref>[http://www.snuffywalden.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310114840/http://www.snuffywalden.com/ |date=March 10, 2019 }}, W. G. Snuffy Walden</ref>
==Early life== Mark Maxey was born on May 13, 1969, in Long Beach, California, the son of concert marimbist Linda Maxey and clarinetist Lawrence Maxey. The family moved to Lawrence, Kansas where Maxey's father taught at the University of Kansas School of Music for the next 37 years.<ref>[http://www.oread.ku.edu/2007/may/14/retire.shtml] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511001020/http://www.oread.ku.edu/2007/may/14/retire.shtml |date=May 11, 2019 }}, University of Kansas, retiring faculty, staff to be honored...</ref><ref name="ValverdeProduction"/>
In Lawrence, the Maxey family lived across the street from the Centron film studio, where, as a boy, Maxey first entered the industry in small roles and as an extra.<ref name="ValverdeProduction">{{cite news |last1=Valverde |first1=Rochelle |title=Lawrence native wins Emmy for excellence in TV production |publisher=Lawrence Journal-World |date=6 July 2015}}</ref> He was involved in the Lawrence Community Theater while in high school, and worked for the Theater after graduating from Lawrence High School in 1987.<ref name="ValverdeProduction"/>
In 1990 he moved to Washington, D.C. to begin working in television production.<ref name="ValverdeProduction"/> He became a vice president at Yorktel.<ref name="ValverdeProduction"/>
==Professional== Maxey is a television and film producer who wrote, directed and produced the documentary film '''''Up to Snuff''''' (2019) about musician and composer W.G. Snuffy Walden.<ref name="FreedmanSnuff">{{cite news |last1=Freedman |first1=Richard |title=November 1 Vallejo A&E Source: Walden saluted by longtime friend in 'Up to Snuff' |url=https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2018/10/30/val-l-snuffy-1101/ |access-date=13 May 2019 |publisher=Vallejo Times Herald |date=31 October 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.napavalleyfilmfest.org/artists/up-to-snuff/], Napa Valley Film Fest: Up to Snuff</ref><ref name="PolingMaxey">{{cite news |last1=Poling |first1=Cassidy |title=Television Producer Makes First Feature Documentary 'Behind-The-Scenes' with Mark Maxey |url=https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/television-producer-makes-first-feature-documentary-mark-maxey.html |access-date=13 May 2019 |publisher=Desktop Documentaries |date=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="MeyersStar">{{cite news |last1=Meyers |first1=Joe |title='Snuffy' Walden: From rock world substance abuser to TV composing star |url=https://www.ctpost.com/living/article/Snuffy-Walden-From-rock-world-substance-13053963.php |access-date=13 May 2019 |publisher=Connecticut Post |date=9 July 2018}}</ref> The film is a story of redemption and chronicles Walden's excesses as a touring rock and roll musician in the 1970's and '80's, and his decision to choose sobriety and reinvent himself as a television and film composer.<ref name="BellStory"/>
In 2014, Maxey won an Emmy Award for ''The Honors: A Salute to American Heroes'' which he produced.<ref name="ValverdeProduction"/> Maxey's other productions include television specials such as ''American Valor'', ''Salute to Veterans'', ''The Wounded Warrior Experience'', and the ''National Memorial Day Parade'', each of which were broadcast nationally on cable television. Maxey also created the PBS primetime special ''On Stage at the Kennedy Center: A Holiday Concert for the Troops'' with the late Marvin Hamlisch.<ref name="IMDBwg">{{cite web | title=Mark Maxey filmography | website=IMDB | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2810506/ | access-date=2019-05-12}}</ref><ref name="ValverdeProduction"/>
In 2011, Maxey co-founded with Brad Russell the Washington West Film Festival<ref>[https://wwfilmfest.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511001020/https://wwfilmfest.com/ |date=May 11, 2019 }}, Washington West Film Festival</ref><ref name="FreedmanSnuff"/><ref name="ValverdeProduction"/> Maxey serves as chairman of the board and Russell as president.<ref>[https://wwfilmfest.com/about/our-team/], About Our Team</ref>
Maxey produced Mayim Bialik's feature directorial debut '''''As They Made Us''''' which was written, directed and produced by Bialik. The film stars Dianna Agron, Simon Helberg, Candice Bergen, Dustin Hoffman, Julian Gant, Charlie Weber and Justin Chu Cary. The plot follows Abigail (Agron) and the last moments that she and her family spend with her dying father (Hoffman). It was released in theaters and on video on demand by Quiver Distribution on April 8, 2022. It received positive reviews from critics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/as-they-made-us-quiver-acquires-mayim-bialik-film-starring-dianna-agron-1234929934/|title=Quiver Acquires Mayim Bialik's Feature Directorial Debut 'As They Made Us' Starring Dianna Agron, Simon Helberg, Candice Bergen & Dustin Hoffman, Sets April Release|website=Deadline|date=February 10, 2022|last=Grobar|first=Matt|access-date=February 22, 2025|archive-date=December 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225184759/https://deadline.com/2022/02/as-they-made-us-quiver-acquires-mayim-bialik-film-starring-dianna-agron-1234929934/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2022, Maxey produced the feature film '''''Space Oddity''''' directed by Kyra Sedgwick and written by Rebecca Banner. The film stars Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg and Kevin Bacon. The film had its premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Jill |title=Tribeca Festival Lineup Includes ''Corner Office'' With Jon Hamm, Ray Romano's ''Somewhere In Queens'', More |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/tribeca-festival-2022-lineup-film-tv-1235005218/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=3 August 2022 |date=April 19, 2022}}</ref> It was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films on March 31, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Valle |first1=Ali |title=Space Oddity Drops Official Trailer Ahead of March Premiere |url=https://movieweb.com/space-oddity-trailer/ |website=MovieWeb |access-date=February 22, 2023 |date=February 12, 2023}}</ref>
Maxey produced the 2025 film '''''Words of War''''' about the late Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Directed by James Strong, it stars Maxine Peake as Politkovskaya, Jason Isaacs as her husband Sascha, and Ciarán Hinds as her Nobel Peace Prize-winning editor at the ''Novaya Gazeta'', Dmitry Muratov.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0516/1298269-ciaran-hinds-to-portray-nobel-peace-prize-winner/|title=Ciarán Hinds to portray Nobel Peace Prize winner in film about murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya|website=rte.ie|date=May 16, 2022 }}</ref> Sean Penn is the executive producer of the film. Variety reported that ''Words of War'' will be released in U.S. theaters starting on May 2, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/words-of-war-may-release-date-sean-penn-executive-produced-1236311689/ |title= Sean Penn Executive Produced Thriller 'Words of War' Gets May Release Date |first= Jazz |last=Tangcay|date=February 18, 2025|accessdate=February 22, 2025}}</ref>
==Personal== On September 6, 1998, Maxey married Rebecca Ewing. Together they have two sons and reside the Washington D.C. metro area.<ref name="BellStory">{{cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Becky |title=Snuffy's story of redemption goes public in film that tells East Texas native's story |url=https://www.news-journal.com/features/lifestyle/snuffy-s-story-of-redemption-goes-public-in-film-that/article_b898dcce-1558-11e9-b660-8332dc12346c.html |access-date=13 May 2019 |publisher=Longview News-Journal |date=13 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="MeyersStar"/>
==External links== * [https://www.rollingpictures.com Official website of Mark Maxey] * {{IMDb name|2810506}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maxey, Mark}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Film producers from Virginia Category:American documentary filmmakers Category:Film directors from Virginia Category:Screenwriters from Virginia Category:Writers from Lawrence, Kansas Category:People from Loudoun County, Virginia Category:Television producers from Virginia