MONKEY DO

MARK BONN
Director/Producer

I have been working professionally in television for over 30 years. My first professional job was as the videographer and editor of mini-documentaries that were created for WNED-TV, PBS in Buffalo, NY. In 1986 I moved to Los Angeles where I continued to do camera and editing work, along with technical directing. For over 27 years I worked for the Fox Broadcasting Network as an editor where I edited several network specials and received 7 Promax Awards.

Looking to get back into my production roots, in 2002, I formed my own company, My Monkey House. In 2004 I started producing Documentaries. The first, “Letters To Defiance,” won an Honorable Mention when it premiered at the 2005 ReelHeART International Film Festival in Toronto. It also won 2 Telly Awards and is currently showing on WBGU-PBS. My next film, “In Times of War: Ray Parker", had its World Premier at the 2007 Durango Independent Film Festival where it won a Jury Commendation Award, and has gone on to win 6 “Best Documentary Short" awards, and just recently won an Audience Choice Award at the 2012 Sedona International Film Festival. Our third documentary, “Wings of Silver: The Vi Cowden Story,” has won a total of 11 Awards including 5 Audience Choice Awards.

We are continuing to capture new stories for the "In Times of War Documentary Project," and have 17 amazing interviews already recorded. Of the over 16 million U.S. veterans who fought in WWII, barely 167,000 are still alive. That means that only 1 soldier out of every 100 who fought are still with us today.

This project is self funded, using our savings and all our spare time, but it is worth it! The reward is to create a documentary that touches so many people, and opens them up to a world they might never know. What I love is that it is done without a huge production company behind it. Just me with the support and help of my wife. It's an honor to tell the stories of these courageous men and women.

CHRISTINE BONN
Assistant Producer

I began my documentary work in radio at WUWU 107.7 FM in Buffalo, NY producing and hosting a half hour program every week called “Issues and Insights.” Two years later I was living in Vienna, Austria working as an actor with the International Theatre. I starred in 12 productions in Vienna as well as tours throughout Austria, Germany and Switzerland. When I returned to the States three years later, I went to work for WNED-TV (PBS) where I was Associate Producer for their award winning documentaries, “Turning Points” and “ Great Lakes in Crisis”.

After moving to California, my husband Mark began his own production company, My Monkey House, in 2002.  My memories of looking at the books that my grandmother had put together of my Uncle’s illustrated envelopes pulled me to seek them out again.And, with my Uncle’s blessing, Mark and I began the journey that became “Letters To Defiance”. This documentary opened the door to meeting other veterans and hearing their amazing accounts of World War II. And so, the award winning "In Times of War Documentary Project” was born. Our second film, “In Times of War: Ray Parker’s Story,” won six first place awards for Best Documentary Short along with an Audience Choice Award at the 2012 Sedona International Film Festival. Once the film was out, I assisted Ray in editing his book, “Down In Flames,” which was published in the spring of 2009. Our present film, “Wings of Silver: The Vi Cowden Story,” has won 11 awards so far.

Along with our documentary project I have produced several plays to raise funds for local charities and I am a past member of the Board of Directors for 1736 Family Crisis Center, one of the premiere domestic violence agencies in the United States.


designer and webmaster Christine Bonn chrisbonn@mymonkeyhouse.com