One of the biggest problems potential filmmakers have is getting a project started and seeing it through. They feel they don't have the connections or the money and unfortunately, their dreams stop right there.  Considering that a ten million dollar picture is considered low budget, where is an independent filmmaker to go?  Even an Ultra low budget film-$100,000, $50,000 even $25,000 - is still a lot of money for the average individual to raise.

In 1974,  Mark Pirro left New York and came out to Hollywood in an attempt to start a filmmaking career, with no connections, relatives or friends in the industry. He sought out other artists with the same dream and after making a few short films in the late 70's, Pirro started his first feature in 1981: A horror/comedy entitled "A Polish Vampire in Burbank". The 84 minute film cost under $2,500 to produce and had ultimately grossed over a half a million dollars in homevideo and cable television sales. Keep in mind that this was long before the "digital age of filmmaking." Today, it's not that unusual to hear about moviemakers who produce their films on ultra low budgets, but in 1981, making a feature produced on film for under $10,000 or $20,000 was not very common. 

To date, Pirro has written eight feature films, edited and directed seven, produced four, scored and executive produced one, all tailored for the home video/cable t.v. markets, with many accumulating a cult status, like his 1991 film, Nudist Colony Of The Dead and his first feature, Polish Vampire.

In 1994, he produced a documentary video on low budget filmmaking entitled "Mini Motion Picture Making", based on a book he had written in 1990. Outdated by today's digital filmmaking standards, the book and video share his techniques for producing feature films using undiscovered talent and on budgets less than a week's stay at the Chateau Marmont.

His films have appeared on HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and USA Network. Pirro himself has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Fox News, A Current Affair, and Hard Copy.  He also has been on the lecture circuit, speaking at filmmaking classes at colleges like UCLA.

In mid 1995, Mark Pirro wrote, produced and directed a musical stage production adapted from his 1991 motion picture, "Nudist Colony Of The Dead". Four new songs were added to the original seven from the movie. Originally scheduled to run eight weeks, the Hollywood production did so well that it was extended to several months, running from May through October.  Billed as The Rocky Horror Show of the 90's, the show was so successful that it afforded Pirro the wealth to continue producing movies, which is is first love.

In early 1998, he had completed his comedy feature film entitled "Color-Blinded", which premiered at Universal Studios to a full house.  The movie, about a black girl who becomes white, received a standing ovation that night and was the subject of a July '97 "Digital Video Magazine article."   The movie is more poignant and touching than any of Pirro's previous films and has gone on to win three awards over the years. As for its not being as 'gut busting' and 'bizarre' as his earlier work, Pirro refers to Color-Blinded as his 'Schindler's List'.

Back to his old tricks, in December 2003, Pirro's latest feature, Rectuma, returned to the offbeat comedy he is best known for.  Rectuma premiered at Hollywood's American Film Institute to a very receptive crowd.  Verified by many in attendance, Rectuma appears to be the funniest and zaniest Pirromount film ever.  It's about a mutant 20 foot ass that rampages the country. In the tradition of earlier Pirromount films, Rectuma is loaded with parody, satire, innuendos and downright bizarre humor.  Rectuma screened at the 2004 Cannes film festival and had a midnight movie run for one month at the Sunset 5 Theatre in Hollywood.  In February 2005, it screened at the Berlin Film Festival.  It is distributed widely in Japan, Australia, U.K. and Israel and is currently available for licensing in all unlicensed territories only through Pirromount.

In 2007, Pirro started his most ambitious film to date: The God Complex.  This movie is a retelling of the Bible with the Pirromount slant.  It will undoubtably be in production for at least two years, but will be the biggest undertaking he has ever attempted.

In addition to his filmmaking, Pirro spends much of his time writing and avoiding the windbags of Hollywood hype. "I've known a guy for over twenty years who keeps calling himself a producer, and the only thing I've ever seen him produce was lunch."