From Sigma Pi to Hollywood

Director Mark Rosman (UCLA ’75) Thankful for Fraternity Years

Mark Rosman (UCLA ’75) developed his love of film from trying still photography in elementary school, from which he learned to create storyboards. Now, he has a successful directing career that includes movies from A Cinderella Story and The Perfect Man to The House on Sorority Row. He has also directed episodes of TV shows such as Lizzie McGuire, Even Stevens, and Greek. If Sigma Pi brothers have ever wondered whether his Fraternity years inspired some of these projects, the answer is yes!

“When I interviewed for Greek, I pulled out a picture of my brothers all posing in our career-defining outfits on the front lawn!” The House on Sorority Row, which Mark also wrote, drew inspiration from spending time with Sigma Pi Little Sisters and other sororities. “In one scene, a pledge is practicing her Greek alphabet at the house party and constantly messing up. Lots of the characters were inspired by people I met in my two years of UCLA—and the house where we filmed outside Baltimore was eerily laid out almost exactly like our Westwood house!”

Lived Experiences

Fraternities had a poor reputation when Mark was a freshman, and he never pictured a film nerd like himself in that environment. But dorm rooms were hard to find and apartments were expensive, so he gave some houses a look. The brothers he met at Sigma Pi were nothing like he expected.

“They were a group of about eight guys who wanted to reactivate Upsilon Chapter, which had been inactive for years,” he recalled. “They were striving to find guys who were diverse, eclectic, and interesting—and there would be no hazing. As I started to meet other recruits, my hesitations disappeared and I realized this was indeed the place for me.”

Living away from his parents for the first time was daunting but also liberating and fun. “Other than the one other person interested in film, there were a couple ROTC guys, a couple jocks, and a few science and business majors. But we all got along and supported one another.” The brotherhood exposed Mark to different points of view about life and culture, giving him a broader worldview as he matured. “Yes, there were lots of parties and meetings, but it was the one-on-one times and the small hangout groups that I loved the most and will cherish forever.”

New Opportunities

Mark enrolled at UCLA solely to major in film, for which students had to apply at the end of sophomore year. When he wasn’t accepted (“the first of many rejections in my film career!”), he got into the film program at NYU. He graduated and landed a free assistant director job under Brian De Palma (Carrie, Mission: Impossible, Bonfire of the Vanities) on a low-budget film with a crew of students. Mark used that experience to complete his first feature, The House on Sorority Row, which successfully launched his career.

While Mark is known for several family films, he was skeptical of the idea when a friend approached him about potential Disney Channel projects. Luckily, he saw a new story opportunity: his grandfather died when he was only five years old, and he wished he could have known him better—not just through family stories. This became The Blue Yonder, a film about a 10-year-old boy going back in time to save his grandfather from a biplane accident.

“It was the only movie I’ve made since that touched on a deeper emotional level, coming from my own life experience.” Forty years later, Mark plans to get personal again with his next project.

Finding Support

As Mark worked on his biggest family films (A Cinderella Story and The Perfect Man), he learned his then-teenage daughter was spiraling into serious substance abuse. “Her struggles taught me and my wife a very important lesson: when we looked at our own behavior and started to change, that opened a space for our daughter’s recovery to begin. She is now over five years substance-free, thriving, and she just got married.”

In the script for his upcoming film, Keep Coming Back, Mark spotlights how families play a crucial role in recovery from addiction. The film is set to shoot this October in Utah. “Now that I’m in the latter part of my career, I’m only interested in making films that resonate for me, personally, and have a deeper message that will bring something positive to the world.”

Staying Fresh

Mark returned to UCLA 13 years ago as a full-time film professor. He receives time off when working on films, and he loves keeping his brain in the game by teaching and engaging with inspiring young filmmakers. He recently wrote a textbook, Shooting the Scene: The Art and Craft of Coverage for Directors and Filmmakers.

In recent years, Mark reconnected with Upsilon Chapter by attending the 100th anniversary celebration, where he saw several brothers from his era. He also enjoyed a recent Monday night meeting as the guest speaker. “It’s always fun for me to come back to the house and meet great guys.”

Film is a tough way to make a living, but Mark believes he’s lived a blessed life. “I’ve had some amazing highs, like my two years at Sigma Pi, and some extreme lows, like when my wife and I didn’t know whether our daughter would survive.  But I look back now and realize that I always learned and grew wiser from the tough periods. My time at Sigma Pi shaped me in so many positive ways. I hope today’s brothers have as good an experience as I did, and wish them and our Fraternity all the best.”

If brothers are interested in donating to or investing in Keep Coming Back, contact Mark at keepcomingbackmovie@gmail.com and visit the film’s website at keepcomingbackfilm.com. You can also find the film on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.