Mark Viau (pronounced like the word "view") is a former F.B.I. agent turned actor/spokesman/film consultant/model, as well as the father of child inventors and entrepeneurs Deja and Canyon Viau, whom we previously interviewed.
Mark: Please call me "Mark".
WMV: Okay, Mark!
Thank you for granting LA Libertad another interview. How are Deja and Canyon?
Mark: They are doing great. We have several entities wanting to carry their "Freshman Inventors" show, including Canada.
http://youtu.be/Q5NpT5ZFB5E
WMV: In our interview with your children, your daughter made it clear that you are single and available. Is that still true?
Mark: Ha! Yes, I am still single.
WMV: What became of your children's mother?
Mark: I am a trained killer and thought about erasing my former spouse (but it's illegal) in the U.S.A. I hope your readers have a sense of humor.
WMV: Your children indicate your surname is French, but I neglected to clarify the pronunciation. Do YOU pronounce it just like the word "view," or like the "voo" in "voodoo"?
Mark: Pronounced “View.”
WMV: Your IMDb page
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6402226
is so new that you don't even have a StarMeter Rating yet, which means it's probably less than a week old. Congratulations!
It indicates that you have only one credit on your filmography: Wayward: The Prodigal Son (Rob Diamond, Director.) What credits are missing?
Mark: I am new to IMDb but not acting.
https://www.facebook.com/markviau/media_set?set=a.3475599858428.2159398.1524169979&type=3
Demo Reel
http://youtu.be/XT-GRkz8XNM
Nominations *Transition in Transmissions – Peabody Short
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUA_QSgYdWQ
Television/Internet Inventor/CEO Imagineitskins.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwuE0_QzPsI
Co-Host YouTube Co-Inventor Kool Spoon
Co-Host YouTube Inventor/C.E.O. SpinePal
Co-Host YouTube “You Don’t Know Me” Music Video by E. Williams
Host/Extra YouTube/Flava Entertainment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=238MHYujbFE
The World Horror Convention Host ABC Sundance Film Festival (Simply Stated)
Co-Host ABC Film Demo Reel
http://youtu.be/XT-GRkz8XNM
*Transition in Transmissions, Lead Director, Darrin Far
The Kane Files, Supporting, Stunt Driver, Technical Advisor
Director Benjamin Gourley Commercials
The Advocates - Law Firm Fifty Fifty Films
http://youtu.be/DL0trNToXko
Chart Logic - Health Care Software
http://youtu.be/qGPXaqf-qbI
Lockheed Martin
http://youtu.be/BopWWOjPDJg
National Spokesperson: Diversified Wealth Solutions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=787WIRoOnYU
Attorney Endorsement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHkhS81UHMU [This video is private.]
Spot On Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_giYHDImYEA
Producer C.E.O./Founder Freshman Inventors
http://youtu.be/9_l_8xx1h4Q
C.M.O. [Chief Marketing Officer] Kool Spoon
http://youtu.be/ty2wSIb0K_Q
Cooking Channel,
Lifetime TV,
Oprah Winfrey Network,
Soap Net
C.E.O. BackPal
http://youtu.be/1f1Dab3GFRE
http://youtu.be/4OuiTm5dKv0
http://youtu.be/_O3XvqdVfbg
Extensive Undercover Training, F.B.I. Academy
Master of Accounting, Weber State University
B.S. Finance/Public Affairs, University of Utah
Professionally Trained Actor, Wilhelmina Agency
Exceptionally Experienced In Firearms/Former Instructor
Extremely Athletic (Excels at Most Sports)
Performs Conventional and Martial Arts Fights On Stage
Rhythm: Learns Choreography Quickly
Fluent Spanish
Does Own Stunt Work
Officer [Major] Air National Guard
Scuba Diver Former Swim Instructor
Martial Arts Defensive Tactics
Comedian
Horseback Riding
Experienced, Licensed Motorcycle Rider
Experienced in Snowmobiles/Jet-Skis
WMV: Thank you for your military service!
Why did you become an F.B.I. Special agent?
Mark: I wanted a challenging career, and wanted to serve my country.
WMV: How hard is it to become an F.B.I. Agent?
Mark: It's brutal, especially after Nine Eleven [September 11, 2001], because everyone wants to be an F.B.I. agent. When I went through, I beat out three hundred plus other candidates, and that was before Nine Eleven. It took me two years to get in. There are like a ton of steps, background check, testing, polygraph test, panel interview, et cetera.
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| Models: Viviana Gomez and Alexy Guerrero.Photographer: Edwin Gualotuna |
The course work is really rigorous. But you have to be really well rounded, not just smart. For example, we had some brilliant people wash out because it’s not just about academics. For instance, there are defensive tactics, firearms qualifications, high speed driving and chasing, academic studies of multiple fronts, physical conditioning, real under cover training, and scenarios; this list goes on.
So you have to be able to keep many balls in the air at the same time. When I went through, the training was sixteen weeks long.
WMV: What do you bring to the set that is unique?
Mark: Well, having been a real life F.B.I. agent gives me an entirely unique perspective. I know how a real agent would react and what tone, inflexion to use. I also do my own stunt work, high speed chases, arrest scenarios, et cetera. In addition, I had formal training at the F.B.I. Academy on how to “act” as an undercover agent. Then, as a Field Agent, I actually did undercover work where my acting skills were important to me staying alive. Later, I did get formal “industry” acting training to complement my acting skills.
I would describe myself as a real world version of something in the middle of James Bond and Tony Stark (Iron Man).
WMV: More specifically than 2014, when does Wayward hit theaters and/or shelves?
Mark: We just barely got distribution.
WMV: The phrase "Prodigal Son" is peculiar to Christianity. Are you Christian?
Mark: Okay, for Wayward there is an interesting story, and yes, I am Christian. I live part time in Utah because I was a former Ski Instructor at the Deer Valley Ski Resort, and love to ski. Christian films are big in Utah, due to the Mormons, although I am not a Mormon. As you know, the Sundance film Festival is in Park City, Utah, each year, further validating Utah, which is home to over one hundred feature films having been filmed in Utah.
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| On the set of Wayward: The Prodigal Son Mark Viau and co-star Crystal Udy |
WMV: Yes, I remember going to the set of Three O'Clock High (Phil Joanou, Director) at Ogden High School in Ogden, for example.
Did you want your first film to be based on Christianity, or is that merely a coincidence?
Mark: I was more than happy to be in a Christian film for the first IMBD credit. Our society needs as [many] wholesome and inspirational stories as possible. At the same time, it’s not my only genre.
WMV: You play an agent in Wayward. Did your prior career as an F.B.I. agent help you get this role?
Mark: Absolutely. They needed someone who could play an F.B.I. agent and knew how to correctly perform an arrest scenario. Also, I filled the shoes of the Expert Law Enforcement consultant to advise the Director on what would be a reflection of a real world arrest.
WMV: With reference to the recent massacre at Fort Hood, some suggest arming military personnel in the rear as in combat is the answer. Where do you stand on gun control?
Mark: It's a viable option to let people carry a firearm.
The bad guys will always find a way to get a gun. I would rather the good guys have the option to have a say in their own destiny. It’s kind of like when I fly in an airplane armed. I always felt that at least I would have a chance to intervene if someone tried to overtake the airplane. I would add the takeaway from this experience is that the Military does note deal well with people who have had a traumatic brain injury (T.B.I.), and or mental health issues. I have experienced this first hand since I suffered a T.B.I. in the line of duty as a Federal Special Agent, and the military was ill equipped to deal with my recovery.
WMV: What do you offer a Director or Producer?
Mark: This is really important. I have acted as an expert Film Law Enforcement Consultant on several movies. I try and be really respectful and careful with my input. Specifically, I always try and let the Director know what we would do in the real world. That way, they are informed and can make a good decision. I realize things are changed up for theatrical reasons, but at least the Director knows when they are diverting from what would happen in real life, and they can make an educated decision. The public is smart, and they tend to pick up when something depicted in a film is not accurate.
WMV: What are your thoughts on Obama and Putin?
Mark: As I am still a senior Officer in the U.S. Air National Guard (weekend warrior), I can't comment on the Commander in Chief.
WMV: If you were the President, and you could have your way, what would you do about Putin in Syria and the Ukraine?
Mark: As I am still an Officer, I can't comment on the Commander in Chief.
WMV: HealthCare.gov?
Mark: I worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for almost five years, so I know a bit about health care. It’s really unfortunate the stress this has caused people. I see my friends posting their nightmares about trying to get health insurance because of the mandate. It’s so un-American to force people to do something they don’t want to.
WMV: Anything else you'd like to say about religion?
Mark: Sure! That famous song had it right: "All we need is love." I don't care what your belief is, or what religion you associate with.
The Golden rule that is the common thread among most religions is that we treat each other how we would want to be treated.
WMV: What are your interests besides acting?
Mark: This would fill up a phone book. To name a few, they include being an inventor (patent published), C.E.O., a dot com website founder (more on this another day), Inventor Ambassador for Board Walk Brands---they fly me around the country looking for great products to distributed in over ninety countries, fostering my kids' invention pursuits, including being the behind the scenes “pretend producer” of their show; I am also helping [to host] the first ever Pan Am Formula racing series in Salt Lake City, in June, 2014 (www.panamgp.com) .
WMV: What web links would you like to share?
Mark: My kids' invention, BackPal: An insert for any existing backpack that keeps the weight of the laptop and books up against the [back of students] of any age:
http://youtu.be/1f1Dab3GFRE
Hopefully soon coming to a store near you...
Heely shoes, Costco, and Staples are interested.
Me and my kids' venture to "GIVE BACK":
Imagineitskins.com; recent scientific studies prove that kids with bright images in their hospital room heal faster.
Imagineitskins.com Art for Kids Hospital Rooms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwuE0_QzPsI
By the way, I am looking for a talent agent and manager in L.A.
Anyone looking to contact me can reach me at markviau@gmail.com
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| Photographer: Edwin Gualotuna Formula 3 Panam Driver Orem Office 1145 South 800 East Orem, UT 84097 Phone: 801 636-7973 www.panamgp.com www.gualotunamotorsports.com |
Interview by William Mortensen Vaughan
This guy sounds fascinating!
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