#0009 - The Steven Spielberg Assistant

On this episode of The Wide Lens Podcast, we welcome Mark Kurtz, a filmmaker whose early career unfolded inside one of the most influential creative hubs in Hollywood. As a young production assistant at Amblin Entertainment, Mark stepped into a world largely created by Steven Spielberg, where dinosaurs roared to life, historical epics demanded precision, and the greatest storyteller of our time expected nothing less than excellence.

Mark shares how he went from running scripts and grabbing donuts to coordinating art departments on The Lost World: Jurassic Park, supporting visual effects on Amistad. He recounts the unforgettable moments that shaped him, from watching actors step onto set transformed into enslaved Africans for Amistad, to witnessing Spielberg’s instinctive leadership.

This is a conversation about courage, timing, and the kind of work ethic that opens impossible doors. Mark’s journey reminds us that opportunity often arrives disguised as hard work, and that the right environment can change the trajectory of a life.

If you want to connect with Mark, please email him at: mark@smsaisolutions.com