Biography

Mandel has completed the graduate film program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. His journey to NYU was a long one. After high school, Mandel attended Florida A & M's School of Business and Industry. But after his freshman year, he was forced to leave due to financial hardship. He worked as a handyman and pumped gas before joining the Army in 1986. There, he distinguished himself and was awarded seven service medals and commendations, as well as becoming a U.S. Paratrooper during his two years in the Sixth Ranger Training Battalion before his Honorable Discharge in October, 1988. Mandel then returned to New York and started work as a Paralegal at the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy with plans of becoming an attorney. He resumed his education at Fordham University as a full-time student, while maintaining his full-time job. In his senior year, Mandel decided against a legal career and instead looked into becoming a filmmaker.

In May, 1992, Mandel graduated with a B.A. in U.S. History, a Minor in African-American Studies, and a 3.0 GPA. Upon graduation, he devised a plan to go to NYU film school and make his first feature film in his third academic year. He continued working and took non-matriculated writing courses before putting his plan into effect. The plan resulted in the feature film _Other Brother, The (2001)_, (formerly titled "Tears Of A Clown"). The film stars Mehki Phifer of "8 Mile", MTV's "Carmen", "O", "Clockers" "Soul Food" and TV's "ER", Andre Blake of "Stepmom" "Philadelphia" "Loving Jezabel" and "Just the Ticket", Michele Morgan of "New Jersey Drive", "Bulworth" and the FOX television show "The P.J.'s" and Tangi Miller, star of VH-1's "The MC Hammer Story" and the W.B. television series "Felicity". Today, his challenge is to continue in a career as a "full service filmmaker".
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous

Former United States Paratrooper

Master of Fine Arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 1999.

Tenacity is the great equalizer.