Just for Laughs: Mark Little on Picnicface, Sketch Comedy

Mark Little speaks to iThentic about popular sketch comedy show Picnicface, including its legacy and its future.

Mark was featured at the Just for Laughs Comedy Conference as both a pitch contestant as well as a performing comedian As the member behind the massively popular Picnicface, Mark is a champion of new media and a shining example of how best to monetize in a quickly evolving climate. iThentic was lucky enough to get the opportunity to sit down and speak with Mark about his experiences in comedy, content creation, YouTube and TV culture, and where he sees the industry shifting in response to innovative creators like himself.

Mark, the comedian, actor and writer is one of the founding members of the sketch comedy group Picnicface, whose television show (Picnicface) aired on The Comedy Network. Picnicface also released a movie, Roller Town, which Mark co-wrote and starred in, and which D Films is distributing. It opened the 2011 Atlantic Film Festival, had its U.S. premiere at the 2012 Slamdance Festival in Utah, and screened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2012.

Mark currently plays Simon Hunt in the CBC sitcom Mr. D. He has also written for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, starred in one episode of Jason Priestly’s HBO series Call Me Fitz and stars in the web series Dad Drives. He’s opened for Paul F. Tompkins, appeared in the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival the past three years (two filmed galas, including ‘A Tribute to Nerds’) and recorded a Comedy Now special. He also won Canada’s top two stand-up comedy competitions – the Just For Laughs Homegrown Competition and the Yuk Yuk’s Great Canadian Laugh Off – as well as appearing at the San Francisco Sketchfest, the UCB in LA and NYC, the Hollywood Improv, and contributed to The Debaters on CBC Radio/TV.

Last year iThentic was lucky enough to check out the Just For Laughs Comedy Conference, which gave the crew access to some of the industries most talented and influential players!

The Just For Laughs Comedy Conference is a unique, annual, global gathering of the biggest names in the comedy world that explores all facets of comedy. You can’t get any closer than this to the biggest stars and the biggest players in the comedy industry. Past participants include: Judd Apatow, Todd Phillips, Jay Roach, Paul Feig, Lewis Black, Steven Levitan, Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman, Edgar Wright, Louis CK, Dan Harmon, Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron, Chelsea Handler, Adam Carolla, just to name a few!

With this incredible access iThentic has produced a series of candid and hilarious behind the scenes conversations with some major industry personalities. The series also allows a unique insider perspective on the pitch process and industry advice often shared behind closed doors. Segments from the series include conversations with Patton Oswalt, Paul F. Tompkins, Shane Dawson, Lloyd (Epic Lloyd) Ahlqhist, Grace Helbig, Andy Kindler, Todd Barry, Burnie Burns, Mark Little, Mike Farah (Funny or Die), Lee Aronsohn (Two & A Half Men), Casey Bloys (HBO), Bill Prady (Big Bang Theory), Sam Reich (College Humor), Kent Alterman (Comedy Central), Jennifer Caserta (IFC), Kevin Beggs (Lionsgate), Ben Relles (YouTube), Andy Nulman (Just for Laughs President) and many more!