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Mark Samels Biography

Birth Name:Mark Samels

Profession Producer, Director, Writer

Fast Facts

  • Won a Bronze Wrangler for Outstanding Documentary at the 2010 Western Heritage Awards, which he shared with Rob Rapley and Kathryn Lord for "The American Experience․"
  • Shared a Video Source Award from the International Documentary Association with others involved with "Wounded Knee" in 2009
  • Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Produced a documentary about hearing-impaired children while he was in college, which launched his career as a filmmaker
  • As a documentary filmmaker, he has explored a number of events from American history
  • Has worked extensively with PBS, serving as an editor, an executive producer at the Morgantown, W․V․ PBS station, WNPB, and a vice president for production at WITF of Harrisburg, Pa
  • Helped found the International Documentary Association and served on the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Nonfiction Peer Group

Awards

  • 1998Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Series: winner
  • 1999Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Series: winner
  • 2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Series: nominated
  • 2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Special: winner
  • 2004Emmy-Best Documentary: nominated
  • 2004Emmy-Outstanding Historical Programming - Long Form: winner
  • 2005Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2006Emmy-Outstanding Historical Programming - Long Form: nominated
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: winner
  • 2007Emmy-Outstanding Science, Technology and Nature Programming: nominated
  • 2007Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2009Video Source Award-: nominated
  • 2009Video Source Award-: winner
  • 2009Pare Lorentz Award-: nominated
  • 2009Pare Lorentz Award-: nominated
  • 2009IDA Award-Limited Series: nominated
  • 2009IDA Award-Continuing Series: nominated
  • 2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Nonfiction Series: nominated
  • 2010IDA Award-Continuing Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Nonfiction Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2011IDA Award-Best Continuing Series: nominated
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking: winner
  • 2011Spur Award-Best Documentary: winner
  • 2012Humanitas Award-: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2013Emmy-Outstanding Historical Programming - Long Form: nominated
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special: nominated
  • 2014IDA Award-Best Curated Series: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special: winner
  • 2015Emmy-Outstanding Science and Technology Programming: nominated
  • 2017IDA Award-Best Curated Series: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2019IDA Award-Best Multi-Part Documentary: nominated
  • 2019IDA Award-Best Curated Series: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: nominated
  • 2021IDA Award-Best Curated Series: winner