Tyler Perry Studios Ups Mark Swinton To SVP Scripted Programming

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Swinton has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Scripted Programming at Tyler Perry Studios. In his expanded role, Swinton will oversee the creative department which includes current programming, casting and development. Serving as head of scripted, Swinton reports to TPS’ Chief Operating Officer Robert A. Boyd II. He will also continue to write, produce and direct.

Swinton is a film, television, and theater writer, producer, and director who has been working in the entertainment industry for 25 years, the past 14 years with TPS. During that time, he has produced several of Perry’s shows that are currently on-air, including The Oval, Sistas and Ruthless on BET, Bruh on BET+ and Young Dylan on Nickelodeon. He serves as an Executive Producer, writer, and director on BET’s House of Payne and Assisted Living.

On the film side, he has produced features including Nobody’s Fool with Whoopi Goldberg and Tiffany Haddish, Acrimony with Taraji P Henson, and Boo 2! A Madea Halloween which starred Perry and went on to be the number one film in America during its release. He also produced Netflix’s A Fall From Grace and TPS’ newest release A Madea Homecoming”which recently premiered on Netflix. Swinton is also a seasoned director who has been behind the camera of such television shows as House of Payne, Assisted Living, The Paynes, Love Thy Neighbor, For Better or Worse and Bruh.

Prior to joining TPS, Swinton was a writer on ABC’s animated sitcom The Proud Family and UPN’s Second Time Around. Also an accomplished playwright and stage director, Swinton was the winner of the 2002 NAACP Theater Award For Best Director, and the 2002 NAACP Theater Award for Best Playwright. Swinton’s original works include Ephraim’s Song, Black Olive, Sugarbread Sweet, Keep Movin’ On, and the provocative stage play Autumn. His urban musical U Dont Know Me was nominated for seven NAACP theater awards, winning four. Swinton was the Assistant Director for Stan Lathan on the Tony Award-winning show, Def Poetry Jam, on Broadway.

Before entering the industry, Swinton spent ten years as a teacher of Theater & Film. He founded the Stephen and Carrie Odell Theatre Arts Academy in Los Angeles, and The Youth Arts Initiative, an after-school program for at-risk youth.