NOW AVAILABLE
"A collection of cunningly conceived, poetically descriptive tales with layer upon layer of intrigue"
- Kirkus Reviews
"There is so much deep observation and reflection in these stories and such rich depth, yet relatively few words. A novel-from-stories like this is a challenging undertaking at the best of times and
I admire North's ambition and the success of that ambition even more."
- The Bookbag
THE BITTERSWEET PROCESS
As a thank you
for signing up for my newsletter, you will receive a PDF of CHASING CLARITY - a frank and honest look into my personal creative process, many of the obstacles modern artists face and some best practices for chasing your muse.
THE BITTERSWEET PROCESS
If it is a song, or a photograph, a book or a film I keep things stripped down. There is nothing extra. It all springs from a personal, rare and genre-defying place. I leave room for the viewer, saying “hang out here, experience this” and then I just try to make sure it never gets boring. If you stumble into one of these worlds with me, we come across some surprising things together. I think life is like that - and what is more strange and unpredictable, as wonderful as life? All of my work is a huge reminder that none of us knows what is going to happen next .
As a thank you
for signing up for my newsletter, you will receive a PDF of CHASING CLARITY - a frank and honest look into my personal creative process, many of the obstacles modern artists face and some
SUBSCRIBE TO THE BITTERSWEET LOWDOWN
best practices for chasing your muse.
ABOUT
Marco North is a filmmaker, photographer, author and musician based in Moscow, Russia. Born in Brooklyn, and educated at SUNY Purchase, he has developed a highly refined, personal approach to storytelling.
In the 90s he played tenor saxophone in Spitball, the “greatest (and only) unsigned surf punk band in the East Village.” His plays were workshopped at La MaMa, and his stories were published in Lonesome Traveler, The Raven Chronicles, Red Wheelbarrow
and other journals. A prose poem, Eclipse
inspired a modern ballet at Lincoln Center. Film work included cinematography for numerous independent shorts, as well as The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Smithsonian, PBS, MTV and SONY Music. He became known for his imaginative behind-the-scenes coverage, helicopter shots for Yoko Ono/John Lennon and down to earth interviews of David Bowie, Liza Minelli and Peter Beard. He taught and lectured at The Pratt Institute, The School of Visual Arts and NYU.
By 2000, he launched Bittersweet Content, a hybrid production and design studio where he wrote, directed, edited and animated narrative, documentary and brand films. At the same time, his first novel, Samantha
was published. Next, North put down the horn, and picked up a guitar – performing his original songs at the Living Room, Siberia Bar and the Bowery Poetry Club. An abrupt life-experience transplanted him in Moscow, Russia where he began writing Impressions of an Expat, a weekly personal blog which has garnered loyal followers from over 130 countries.
An independent press - Bittersweet Editions, began in 2012 with a critically acclaimed anthology, In the Night Count the Stars
which Marco curated and edited. Next, he developed a collection of short stories, Papa on the Moon. Episodic narrative projects Whale, Blackbetty
and Cowboy Oleg
went into production. At the same time, he began recording Heaven Get Behind Me, an album of prison songs. During his work-related travel, and life as a single father The Mayor of East 1st Street, a book of film photographs came together.
Now happily remarried, he is buying old guitars, writing a novella, and a series of think pieces about the obstacles of mid-career artists. To get updates and exclusive previews about everything bittersweet, sign up below.
ABOUT
Marco North is a filmmaker, photographer, author and musician based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Born in Brooklyn, and educated at SUNY Purchase, he has developed a
highly refined, personal approach to storytelling.
In the 90s he played tenor saxophone in Spitball, the “greatest (and only) unsigned surf punk band in the East Village.” His plays were workshopped at La MaMa, and his stories were published in Lonesome Traveler, The Raven Chronicles, Red Wheelbarrow
and other journals. A prose poem, Eclipse
inspired a modern ballet at Lincoln Center. Film work included cinematography for numerous independent shorts, as well as The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Smithsonian, PBS, MTV and SONY Music. He became known for his imaginative behind-the-scenes coverage, helicopter shots for Yoko Ono/John Lennon and down to earth interviews of David Bowie, Liza Minelli and Peter Beard. He taught and lectured at The Pratt Institute, The School of Visual Arts and NYU.
By 2000, he launched Bittersweet Content, a hybrid production and design studio where he wrote, directed, edited and animated narrative, documentary and brand films. At the same time, his first novel, Samantha
was published. Next, North put down the horn, and picked up a guitar – performing his original songs at the Living Room, Siberia Bar and the Bowery Poetry Club. An abrupt life-experience transplanted him in Moscow, Russia for fifteen years where he began writing Impressions of an Expat, a weekly personal blog which has garnered loyal followers from over 130 countries.
An independent press - Bittersweet Editions, began in 2012 with a critically acclaimed anthology, In the Night Count the Stars
which Marco curated and edited. Next, he developed a collection of short stories, Papa on the Moon. Episodic narrative projects Whale, Blackbetty
and Cowboy Oleg
went into production. At the same time, he began recording Heaven Get Behind Me, an album of prison songs. During his work-related travel, and life as a single father The Mayor of East 1st Street, a book of film photographs came together.
Now happily remarried, he is buying old guitars, writing a novella, and a series of think pieces about the obstacles of mid-career artists. To get updates and exclusive previews about everything bittersweet, sign up below.
LATEST NEWS

By Marco North
•
July 31, 2019
Blackbetty was part of the program at the Fusion International Film Festival -Valencia Edition where we took the award for Best International Web Series once again! I sat down with Steve Grossmith, the co-director of the festival for an interview about the inspiration and process behind Blackbetty as well as some teases about the premiere of Whale .
By Marco North
•
March 30, 2019
It was a lovely Spring evening in Rome, and Blackbetty was part of the program at Roma Cine Doc where we took the award for Best International Web Series. Valentina Vincenzini (Co-Founder and Festival Director) and the entire staff were wise and gracious hosts, with a fresh and fascinating set of questions for every filmmaker that attended. I was lucky enough to have one of our actors, Irene Mascara there with me and she even shot some video of our Q&A as I rambled in my best "English for foreigners".