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About the Instructor Mason Bendewald
Mason Bendewald has been working in the arts since the 1980s — as an actor, director, writer, and producer. He graduated from New York’s High School of Performing Arts (the “FAME” school), where his love of ensemble storytelling first took root. In his twenties, he began producing and directing theater and independent projects, eventually founding his production company, Mega Mace, in 1995.
Over the past three decades, Mason has directed hundreds of productions — from independent films and documentaries to large-scale commercial projects, including record-breaking programs like P90X. While his career has spanned many formats, the throughline has always been collaboration and story.
He recently earned his MFA in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts, deepening his focus on character-driven, socially relevant narratives. His short film The Machine explores identity and dialogue in a high school setting and has screened in community and educational spaces to spark meaningful conversation.
Mason is excited to bring his filmmaking experience to the Westside community — not as an improv expert, but as a fellow artist eager to build something together. He’s grateful to contribute to a space that nurtures creativity and looks forward to helping performers translate their live brilliance into cinematic storytelling.