Doc spotlights legendary art-educator, author, and TV host for global fanbase.
Imagination Films and Corgan Pictures present the untold story of the prolific art educator behind the beloved 80’s and 90’s TV shows The Secret City, Draw Squad, and Imagination Station. Mark Kistler became a well-known face on classic PBS alongside Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Bob Ross, and Reading Rainbow. He helped shape a pivotal era of instructional programming for children in the pre-YouTube world, teaching 3D drawing before CGI. With over one-million books sold, the Emmy-award-winning host continues to inspire audiences through his elaborate hand-drawn worlds and unique teaching philosophies. The original 1986 TV series, The Secret City, was broadcast nationwide and was produced by flagship PBS station, Maryland Public Television. The world premiere screening will take place Thursday July 20th, 2023 at the San Diego Comic-Con.
The Secret Cities of Mark Kistler is directed and produced by Jason Corgan Brown through his Corgan Pictures banner in collaboration with Robert Neustadt and Kenneth Welch. “Mark is a gifted art communicator who generates highly original, creative worlds in the process. His work’s unique design aesthetic captured the zeitgeist of an era. This is what inspired me to bring the story of Commander Mark to the screen.” stated Brown, who received an Art Directors Guild award for Amazon’s 2022 Lord of the Rings series “Rings of Power.”
Mark Kistler Global Chairman, Kenneth Welch, said, “This bold project has completed post production and we are excited to share Mark’s story with fans around world.”
As a co-producer of TV episodes with Kistler, Neustadt states, “Mark Kistler is a high-energy force of nature, and this film quenches the curiosity of what ever happened to that guy. It’s incredible that when only 21 years old, Mark hosted his own TV show that inspired kids to become filmmakers, designers, artists, animators and engineers.”
The feature documentary features guests such as Joel Gori (actor who played Zebtron), Dan Fraga (Superman, Spiderman Comic Book Artist), Tim Decker (Simpsons Animator, former head of interactive at Disney), Jack Moore (NASA), and more.
