Mark Speranza
(he/him) is the co-creator and lead artist for Hell-o Highwater as well as executive producer and developer for Tour De Force and Pixel Perfect!.
Writing philosophy: As a kid, I obsessed over cartoons and games, always thinking about what it was about their worlds that captivated me so much. Now, as an adult, I want to make sure my kid self would become obsessed all over again with the stories I create.
“...I want to make sure my kid self would become obsessed all over again with the stories I create.”
Mark is an illustrator, animator, and writer from Long Island and a recent graduate of SUNY Fredonia. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Animation and Illustration and a minor in Creative Writing, his career path and interests involve storytelling through the art of animation inspired by the cartoons, video games and music he grew up being mesmerized by. Mark has a taste for science fiction, fantasy and the philosophies that they bring and strives to take those ideas into the stories he brings to life. His accomplishments include not only being an artist and writer for Sophisticated Lions, but also being the lead artist for the local Long Island theater group, Paradoja with three of their shows: Moments in the Mayhem, Tales from the Paradoja Zone and Egoismo. He has also worked on a number of animations including a short adapted from Ray Bradbury’s short story “There Will Come Soft Rains,” which is available to view on his Youtube channel.