Mark Maclaine (director)

Mark Maclaine

Mark Maclaine with bass. Mid 2004.
Background information
Birth name Mark Maclaine
Also known as The Silence
Born 1980
South Africa
Genres Trip hop, Rock, Hip hop, Jazz
Occupations Film Producer, Film Director, Record producer, bassist
Instruments Bass guitar, guitar
Associated acts Second Person
Website http://www.secondperson.net

Mark Maclaine (aka The Silence) is a film director, music producer and writer. Previous to his work in film he was best known for his work as bassist/producer for Post Trip-Hop band: Second Person. Maclaine was one of the founders of the acclaimed UK Hip-Hop record label Dented Records and is co-owner of film company Silence Corporation Films. As well as a number of film projects, he is currently working alongside producer/engineer Tony Platt (Bob Marley, AC/DC, Iron Maiden) on an untitled musical solo project under his pseudonym "The Silence"[1].

Contents

History

Mark Maclaine started as a bassist in London before eventually becoming interested in the recording process. He would often accompany friends' bands into the studio to help them record. From this he gained extensive studio technical knowledge and this, combined with a solid musical ability, meant it was not long before he began to be paid to oversee recordings for a number of bands from a wide set of genres.

In 1999 and after two years of studying Nuclear Physics at university he became frustrated at not having time to pursue his musical interests and left to study a degree in film production. This course also gave him the opportunity to compose a number of film scores in his spare time. Having to produce a large quantity of material to tight deadlines meant he turned to sampling and computer-based sequencing. The majority of records available to him at the time were classical music and jazz so many of his hip-hop tracks were created using samples from these genres exclusively. Tapes of his work started to circulate around London and eventually he began pressing up albums under the name: "The Silence".

In April 2001 he started Dented Records with two members of successful UK Hip-Hop group Foreign Beggars.

In 2002 he went on to form Post Trip Hop band Second Person with singer/pianist Julia Johnson and after completing a number of film scores (including the Snow's in the House trilogy [2] and work for the Extreme Sports Channel)[3] they released their debut album in October 2004 [4]. To further his production skills Mark went to work for a brief time (in early 2006) as the first assistant/editor to legendary producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol, R.E.M., Bloc Party).

In 2003 Maclaine graduated from university with a degree in Film Production and Directing and began producing his own films. With the skills and contacts he had gained in film school he also started directing and producing music videos for Second Person. Some of these being play-listed on such channels as MTV and VH1 meant that eventually he was commissioned to direct videos for other bands.

Having gained a large amount experience in a varied set of film departments, Maclaine went on to work with Face Films (UK)[5], on its debut feature film City Rats (starring Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, MyAnna Buring, Susan Lynch and Kenny Dougherty), which was released in cinemas early 2009 and on DVD a few months later on 27 April [6]. His work was as composer as well as sound and music director for the film. Along with Second Person singer Julia Johnson this was their debut movie score writing for a full orchestra.

He continues to produce a large quantity of music and videos for other artists, film and television, and recent credits include the BBC, Channel 4, Snowsport Synergy Films, Amazon.com, Extreme Sports Channel, Rip Curl, Skechers, Nike and Oakley. Maclaine has also announced that he will be working with New York celebrity stylist Mia Morgan on a number of upcoming projects. [7] He continues work with underground artists using various pseudonyms and has recently finished producing an album in New York with New Zealand rapper Maitreya under the name The Silence. Two tracks from this album have been nominated for the APRA Silver Scroll Award for songwriting in New Zealand since its release in 2008.[8]

His father is Hollywood 2nd Unit Director/AD Richard MacLaine (Zulu Dawn) and his mother, photographer Christiane Weston-Baker. His maternal grandmother is Princess Friederieke Marie Windisch-Graetz. He is a descendant of Sophie, Princess Palatine of the Rhine, and, as of December 2010, is 1553rd in line of succession to the British throne.

Selected film/theatre crew credits

Selected film music credits

Selected music/album credits

External links

References

Preceded by
Christiane Maclaine		 Line of succession to the British throne Succeeded by
Georgina Maclaine