As writer, producer and director Mark L. Lester has worked on many high-drama films, including some of the world's biggest box office draws.

His directorial expertise has garnered praise for such films as Arnold Schwarzenegger's box office mega hit Commando, with Alyssa Milano who also stars in Public Enemy #1; Showdown in Little Tokyo, starring Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee in his first major role and Stephen King's supernatural thriller Firestarter. The prestigious cast of Firestarter includes George C. Scott, Louise Fletcher, Art Carney, David Keith, Drew Barrymore and Martin Sheen.

Having amassed credits on more than 30 films, Lester founded and became President of American World Pictures in 1992, devoting himself to developing and producing films in the same genres he helped to popularize.

Since the company's formation, Lester has created an impressive body of work in a relatively short period of time. He has produced and directed the drama-thriller Night of the Running Man, starring Scott Glenn and Andrew McCarthy; Extreme Justice, a suspense drama also starring Glenn and Lou Diamond Phillips; Public Enemy #1, the HBO feature with Eric Roberts and featuring Theresa Russel as the notorious Ma Barker; The Ex with Nick Mancuso and Yancy Butler, about a woman terrorizing her ex-husband's family; Double Take, a suspense thriller starring Craig Sheffer and Costas Mandylor; Misbegotten, a suspense thriller starring Kevin Dillon and Lysette Anthony; The Base, a military drama picture starring Mark Dacascos, drama picture Hitman's Run starring Eric Roberts, a suspense thriller Blowback starring Mario Van Peebles, James Remar, suspense thriller Sacrifice starring Michael Madsen and the recently completed the sequel The Base II - Guilty As Charged starring Antonio Sabato Jr.

Lester's career as a director was launched when his first feature project, the highly acclaimed Twighlight of the Mayas, won top honors at the Venice Film Festival. His first breakout film was Roller Boogie, starring Linda Blair in a story about the disco era. Included in his earlier credits are such non-stop drama films as Steel Arena, about the demolition derby, Truck Stop Women, Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw and Stunts.

Among Lester's other directing and producing credits are: Armed and Dangerous, starring John Candy and Meg Ryan; and two frighteningly prophetic films about the state of society - Class of 1984, which starred Perry king, Roddy McDowell and Michael J. Fox in his first film role, and the sequel Class of 1999, with Malcom McDowell and Stacy Keach. In addition to international critical acclaim, Class of 1984 was an excellent U.S. box office draw and became the top grossing film in many major markets around the world. Commando was also an international success story, grossing over 120 million dollars.

Mark's level of experience and relationships within the film industry is a valuable commodity and a unique combination which benefits American World Pictures and it's distributors. Mark is seasoned filmmaking, financing, producing veteran who is a very talented director. All of these things put American World Pictures into a very exclusive category of international film sales companies.

Early career highlights include television syndication at Modern Videofilm, television production at Gary David Goldberg’s Paramount Studios-based UBU Productions, and administrative duties at Paramount Pictures Pay Television Division.