Mark Burg
Mark Burg is an American film producer, manager and actor. He is the co-founder of Evolution Entertainment and produced the Saw film series as well as the CBS television series Two and a Half Men.
Mark Burg | |
|---|---|
 Burg at the Saw 3D premiere on October 28, 2010 | |
| Occupation(s) | Film producer, manager, actor |
| Years active | 1986–present |
Biography
Burg graduated from the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in 1981.[1]
In the 1990s, Burg worked for Island Pictures and Palm Pictures, producing such films as Basketball Diaries (1995), The Sandlot, The Cure, and Strictly Business (1991).[2] In 1998, Burg founded Evolution Entertainment along with his producing partner Oren Koules.[3]
In 2003, Burg and Oren Koules saw a seven-minute teaser of a film written by Australian screenwriters, Leigh Whannell and James Wan, and agreed to produce the film. The film would later become the original Saw film that was released in 2004.[4] The budget for the film was $1.2 million with $1 million of the funding coming direct from Burg and Koules. Production was done under a newly formed subsidiary of Evolution Entertainment called Twisted Pictures. The film turned in the Saw franchise with the sequel released in 2005 and the franchise making $420 million at the box office by 2007.[5] Evolution Entertainment was also responsible for the production of Two and a Half Men starting in 2003.[4]
Burg became the sole-owner of Evolution Entertainment in 2011, buying out co-founder Oren Koules.[6] He also became an advisor for Forest Road, a special-purpose acquisition company, in 2020.[7] Burg also co-produced Spiral, the ninth installment from the Saw Franchise. The franchise has grossed more than $1 billion from box office and retail sales as of 2021.[8]
He has received a ShoWest Awards,[9] People's Choice Awards, and has been nominated for four Emmy Awards.[10]
Filmography
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Film
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Can't Buy Me Love | Co-producer | |
| 1988 | Bull Durham | ||
| 1991 | Toy Soldiers | Executive producer | |
| Strictly Business | Executive producer | ||
| 1993 | The Sandlot | Executive producer | |
| 1994 | Airheads | ||
| 1995 | The Cure | ||
| 1996 | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood | Executive producer | |
| The Little Death | Executive producer | ||
| Eddie | |||
| 1997 | B.A.P.S. | ||
| How to Be a Player | |||
| 1998 | The Gingerbread Man | Executive producer | |
| Body Count | |||
| 1999 | Black and White | Executive producer | |
| 2000 | Lockdown | ||
| 2001 | Good Advice | ||
| Diary of a Sex Addict | Direct-to-video | ||
| 2002 | Run Ronnie Run! | ||
| John Q. | |||
| Malevolent | Executive producer | ||
| 2003 | Love Don't Cost a Thing | ||
| Dude... We're Going to Rio | Executive producer | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | Saw | ||
| 2005 | Saw II | ||
| 2006 | Saw III | ||
| 2007 | Dead Silence | ||
| Catacombs | |||
| Saw IV | |||
| 2008 | Repo! The Genetic Opera | ||
| Saw V | |||
| Vlog | Executive producer | ||
| 2009 | Saw VI | ||
| 2010 | Lottery Ticket | ||
| The Tortured | |||
| Saw 3D | |||
| 2013 | Texas Chainsaw 3D | Executive producer | |
| Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Executive producer | ||
| Grace Unplugged | Executive producer | ||
| 2014 | Catch Hell | Executive producer | |
| 2016 | Havenhurst | Executive producer[11] | |
| 2017 | 9/11 | Executive producer | |
| Jigsaw | |||
| 2018 | Traffik | Executive producer | |
| 2019 | The Intruder | ||
| American Skin | |||
| 2021 | Spiral: From the Book of Saw | ||
| 2023 | Saw X | ||
TBA | End of the Road |
- As an actor
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Toy Soldiers | Himself 'Mouthwash' Buyer | Uncredited |
- Miscellaneous crew
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Waxwork | Production consultant |
- Thanks
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Boxing Helena | The producer wishes to thank |
| 1995 | The Basketball Diaries | Special thanks |
| 1998 | Let's Talk About Sex | Very special thanks |
| 2017 | Atomic Blonde | The producers wish to thank |
TBA | He Helped Me: A Fan Film from the Book of Saw | Special thanks |
Television
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Three Amigos | Documentary | |
| 2004 | The Casino | ||
| 2005−06 | Love, Inc. | Executive producer | |
| 2008 | Vlog | Executive producer | |
| 2011 | Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen | Co-executive producer | Television special |
| 2003−12 | Two and a Half Men | Executive producer | |
| 2012−14 | Anger Management | Executive producer | |
| 2017 | Hit the Road | Executive producer | |
| 2017−20 | Loudermilk | Executive producer |
References
- Pirani, Steven (April 11, 2014). "Accomplished producer discusses business in film industry". The Ithacan. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- "On The Film Front". Billboard. 16 May 1998. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- Andreeva, Nellie (16 January 2013). "Evolution Entertainment Launches TV Division, Inks First Look Deal With Lionsgate". Deadline. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- Lidz, Franz (21 October 2009). "Limbs Pile Up, and Money, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- Barry, John (19 August 2007). "In Lightning trio, he's Mr. Hollywood". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- Crowe, Deborah (23 June 2011). "Burg Buys Out Partner at Evolution Entertainment". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- Goldsmith, Jill (30 November 2020). "Showbiz SPAC Closes $300M IPO; Forest Road With Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Shaquille O'Neal Eyes Media Deals". Deadline. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- Rubin, Rebecca (23 May 2021). "'Spiral' Pushes 'Saw' Franchise Past $1 Billion at Global Box Office". Variety. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- Kilday, Gregg (9 March 2007). "Burg, Koules to get ShoWest producing nod". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- "Awards by Mark Burg". Award Winners.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - Beale, Lauren (6 April 2015). "Producer Mark Burg sells in Sherman Oaks". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 4 April 2022.