BIO
Best known for Mike Tyson's HBO's "Undisputed Truth" grew up in Paris France. He was schooled in Paris, Lausanne Switzerland. He attended Film School at Columbia / AFI at the Greystone Mansion in Los Angeles.
Philip commutes between Los Angeles, Honolulu, Las Vegas, and Paris France. Married to Mia Marcus, Father of actress Sophie Marcus and Brother of Art Dir. Michael Marcus.
Philip is a cutting edge Director/DP, comprising an array of experience ranging from avant guard filmmaking skills to years of production knowledge acquired from classes and lectures by Alfred Hitchcock in person.
One of the first to recognize Philip's talents was Jacques Cousteau. Working as a team coordinator and under water cameraman, Philip spent 2 years working with the Cousteau research team. This culminated in the producing and directing of a diving documentary featuring Jean-Michel Cousteau.
Philip quickly gained additional experience producing TV shows and documentaries for the French and Canadian networks. In the US. Philip was responsible for managing the production of films such as, "Vipers", "Squeeze Play", "Under one flag", "The Turning", "Singles", "Bloody Madonna", "Taken Alive", "Odd Man Out".
Utilizing his production skills and creative expertise, Philip entered the then new era of Music Videos. Philip worked with many of the top bands and musicians under Motown and A&M Records. Concentrating on this new and specialized area of the Entertainment Industry, Philip DP'd, lensed and directed over 85 Music Videos including, "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi, obtaining best Music Video of the year at the "American Music Awards". Philip also worked on Michael Jackson's "We are the World" and was one of 6 camera operators in the video.
Philip also worked as 2nd unit DP with Paul Flattery on the "Return of Bruno" starring Bruce Willis and an incredible cast of Super Stars. Philip then wrote / produced / directed the TV show "LA Rocks" starring Sherman Hemsley of the "Jeffersons" and "Amen" fame. Other Features Films Philip was involved with were: "Terror on Alcatraz" Directed by Philip, "Jan and Dean the China Tour" Directed by Philip, "James Brown "The Man the Music and the Message" the Long Form Promo for "Coors Beer" Directed by Philip for Peter Coors.
Currently Philip is on location producing the Pilot for the TV reality show "American Classics" and in development on "Trompe L'oeil" / "The Switch" an Action Comedy feature to be shot in Cannes France. see iMDB
THE PHILIP MARCUS STORY...!
HOW I GOT STARTED IN FILM PRODUCTION !
The way young minds get inspired !
The year was 1957 In Paris France... During a long hot summer school vacation my Mother scanned the Parisian news papers to find some fun activities to occupy her 2 bored sons.
My brother was 10 and I was pushing 11... Mom called us and said, boys, I think I found something fun to do this summer...
As she read the news paper ad we clamored around her. It was a casting call for a “court metrage” (Short Film)
to be filmed in Paris during the summer.
That week, our Mother took us to the casting office. The waiting room was full of kids. One at a time, the kids were called in the casting office. There, sitting in front of us 3 adults behind a desk, then us sitting facing them..!
Besides being intimidated by these people one thing they asked us "can you cry"! I tried and tried but just could not cry on their command. This marked the brutal end of my acting career !
Then my brother Michael went in. Through the door, we did hear him cry... and more crying..! He walked out the casting office still crying, and I think he cried all the way home...!
One week later we did get a call back... My brother got the “Part”
I was disappointed but not surprised... and started to cry..! Our Mother diplomatically made us understand to face reality. She told us that we would both go to the set at all times.
The film was titled “Le Bateau” in english “A small row boat” I can not remember what the story was about. The one thing that I vividly remember is all the cinema equipment and my focus zoned in on that huge beautiful and mysterious “Camera”
Not having anything in particular to do on the set, I started to hang around and observe the the camera and the guy behind it..!
One day that “Guy” behind the camera noticed I was observing him, pointing towards me and called me over. I remember looking at him pointing at me and said "Moi” ?
As I walked over towards the “Guy” behind the Camera, he smiled and asked me if I wanted to help him...
I think this may have been the first day of my cinema career..!
I got to know the “Guy” behind the camera. His name was Claude Renoir, the grand son of famed impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir !
Thank you Claude...!