Mark E. Swinton is a multifaceted creative force in the entertainment industry, with a broad range of expertise in film, television, and theater writing, producing, and directing.
As the Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios, Swinton oversees the production of major television shows, feature films, and stage plays.
Currently, he is involved in the production of several television shows, including The Oval, SISTAS, The Cult Favorite - RUTHLESS, BRUH, and Young Dylan, all of which are airing on various networks.
Swinton's credits as an Executive Producer, Writer, and Director include the situation comedies House Of Payne and Assisted Living on BET, as well as the animated sitcom The Proud Family on ABC and the sitcom Second Time Around on UPN.
In feature film production, Swinton's notable credits include "Nobody's Fool" with Whoopi Goldberg and Tiffany Haddish, "Acrimony" with Taraji P Henson, and "Boo 2", which starred Tyler Perry and became the number one film in America at the time.
He has also produced "A Fall From Grace" and the upcoming film "Madea Homecoming", which will premiere on Netflix.
Swinton holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the prestigious Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where he studied television and film with a double major in creative writing and directing. He went on to pursue graduate studies in film at National University.
As a playwright and stage director, Swinton has made a significant impact in the theater world. His urban musical "U Don't Know Me" was nominated for seven NAACP theater awards, winning four, and he won the 2002 NAACP Theater Award For Best Director and the 2002 NAACP Theater Award for Best Playwright.
Swinton's original works include "Ephraim's Song", "Black Olive", "Sugarbread Sweet", "Keep Movin' On", and the provocative stage play "Autumn". He has also worked as the Assistant Director for Stan Lathan on the Tony Award-winning show Def Poetry Jam on Broadway.
As a theater educator, Swinton founded the Stephen and Carrie Odell Theatre Arts Academy in Los Angeles and The Youth Arts Initiative, an after-school program for at-risk youth. He wrote the curriculum for both schools and developed a creative writing, film, and theatre arts program that attracted thousands of youth from the greater Los Angeles area.
For his work, Swinton has received numerous awards and nominations, including the Teach For America Educator of the Year Award, the LAUSD Gold Star Award, and a nomination for the National Disney Teacher Award five years in a row.
