Testimonials
Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal & Beth Lonkri
From the very first moment we met Mark Aaron, we knew he was the perfect documentarian to create a history of our father, Bill Fischer. Bill’s colorful life and career is rich and has been filled with adventures and milestones. His pioneering vision of his company, Fischer Travel, was beautifully articulated based on Mark’s deft ability to draw out his subject, make them comfortable in the moment and create an intimate atmosphere in which to film his subjects. We thank him for creating a film we will treasure!
Yasmine Satre, Fischer travel enterprises
Dear Mark,
I am in awe with Bill’s Legacy Movie and how you truly managed to capture what he has deep in his heart and mind! You really are a People Whisperer.
Joan Lazarus
Mark Aaron did a really wonderful job in engaging my husband, Charles Phillip Lazarus -- the founder of Toys R Us -- in documenting his life story. I had been trying for years to have Charles allow someone to write a book about his life. He was absolutely convinced it would be left on the books-not-to-be-read table and of course refused!!! I interviewed Mark and from our ensuing conversations I was convinced that Mark would be the man for the job of documenting Charles' life story. Mark collected all the publicity we could find, tons of photographs of Charles' life, and began to assemble the questions he would ask him. Once Mark's list of questions was compiled, Mark presented this to Charles to review. When all this was accomplished, everyone comfortable with the process, Mark and his video cameraman arrived and the interview began. Mark was able to evoke more enthusiasm from Charles than anyone to date. Charles had a great time, so much so that we now have seven hours of him recounting wonderful stories on video. Through masterful editing -- including archival photos and film footage -- Mark organized these seven hours on a 3-DVD set. A really wonderful history of Charles' life.
Henry Wallach
As I approached my 75th birthday, I realized that I had never had in-depth conversations with my sons about my life, their mother's life (my late wife), their grandparents or their heritage. What did they really know about their parents or their family? Very little, but how could I fix that? The answer came in the form of an unexpected but very special birthday present: a gift certificate for a video biography by Mark Aaron. I got in touch with Mark and together we compiled and discussed appropriate topics and questions. The actual video interview lasted the better part of a day and was exhilarating! I not only reflected on my own life but got to talk to descendants I will never know. Mark put me completely at ease and was genuinely interested in creating a biography and oral history that my children, grandchildren and beyond could watch with pride in their ancestor (yes, me), their family and their heritage. Mark included many family photos, superbly edited the video and made the entire experience meaningful and purposeful. A Mark Aaron video biography is a perfect gift.
LLOYD P. ZUCKERBERG
Partner, Samson Investment Partners
Mark Aaron changed my entire view on videotaping family events. Until I met Mark, I held a very negative view of the way videographers stick a camera in your face and ask you to 'say something meaningful.' Mark's approach is completely different. He interviews people and asks them thoughtful questions that allow them to say nice things much more naturally. Only at the last minute before my daughter's Bat Mitzvah did we decide to engage him, and thank goodness we did. Now I wouldn't think about having an important event without him being part of it. Indeed, I've engaged Mark on two other projects since. In addition to his interviewing skills, the shooting and editing of his productions are of the highest caliber. Mark is a class act and it comes through in his product.
ROANNA SCHOROFSKY
Head of School, The Heschel School
Dear Mark,
On behalf of everyone at Heschel I want to express my gratitude for all of the hard work that you put forth in creating the Auction video, “More Than A School”.
I especially would like to thank you for the hours of filming and editing. Your outstanding job resulted in an extraordinary film that captured the essence and spirit of the school perfectly and accompanied the Scholarship Appeal very well. Your efforts in creating the video really made a difference. It was a wonderful evening.
Please accept my personal thanks as well as that of the Board of Trustees.
HILA RICHMAN
Director of The Annual Fund, The Heschel School
Dear Mark,
Thank you for creating such a wonderful video for the auction! I received such great feedback from all those who attended. It definitely helped us raise critical dollars for the scholarship fund ($140,000) — thank you! It was such a pleasure working with you and getting to know you. Thank you for contributing to the auction’s success.
ROBERT IMERSHEIN
Trustee, The Heschel School
Hi Mark,
I saw the video this evening and was very pleased with how it came out. I was also very impressed with how you edited our conversation and the conversation with the student into a cohesive and coherent message.
ELI FABER
Historian of American History and early American Jewish History
Praise for America’s First Synagogues, a documentary film by Schuyler Sackett and Mark Aaron
“America’s First Synagogues is a wonderful documentary about early America’s Jews from the colonial period well into the nineteenth century that illuminates not only the landmark synagogues they constructed but also the ways inn which they established themselves inn the United States and the contributions they made to it. As a historian of the early American Jewish experience, I have had several opportunities to participate as a consultant in the production of several previous documentaries of the subject and to view the final products, but Mr. Aaron’s effort is without question the finest piece I have seen to date. Most important, it is historically sound, in both detail and overall context. Often I find myself restlessly shifting midway though historical pieces of this sort — but not in this case. It holds one’s attention throughout, for its script is interesting and its visual effects and drama are quite beautiful. Best of all, as the film came to its end I found myself saying, as my very first reaction, that ‘I am proud to be an American Jew.’ No documentary inn American Jewish history, whether of the early period, the nineteenth century, or the twentieth , has ever evoked this response in me until this one. In sum, I cannot praise it enough.”
sylvia Herskowitz
Director, Yeshiva University Museum
Dear Mark: It was a great pleasure (and a relief) to work with you again, having been assured by your video from our previous benefit dinner of your great competency and skill. At least this time, I didn't worry about the video, and it was exactly what we needed! Thank you so much for a terrific production that expressed all the right things about our Museum.
I particularly enjoy working with you because of your relaxed calm manner, which is exceedingly reassuring while we work under the enormous pressure of our dinner deadline.