Thanks for popping by, I’m Ben.
A Screen International Star of Tomorrow (Click here to read more)
Just selected for the BBC Comedy Collective 23/24 – designed to nurture the next generation of comedy talent (Click here to read more)
Currently on the shortlist for The Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2023 – The Award was established in 1992 to commemorate the life and work of Alfred Bradley, the distinguished BBC Radio Drama Producer and is run by Audio Drama North in conjunction with the BBC Writersroom. (Click here to read more)
As well as taking part in BFI’s flagship professional development program Network@LFF (Click here to read more)
I am am incredibly passionate writer who also works as a director. I write on projects that I’m not attached to as a director and direct projects that I didn’t write.
At the moment, I’m currently in development with the BFI Film Fund on the feature ‘Marwell‘, a time-travel comedy-drama, without any time travel! ‘Marwell’ was one of 12 selected for The Biennale College – Cinema, and was selected for EIFF Talent Lab Connects.
For TV – a ground breaking comedy/drama was optioned by BBC Studios in 2020.
I am also developing the series Humans, Birds and Other Mammals. It is set in a world where mental health issues have physical manifestations. Humans, Birds and Other Mammals received early development support from BFI Network.
I’ve been lucky enough to make some short films one of my personal faves is Step Right Up it played at over 35 film festivals, won 3 awards, nominated for a further 20 and we were long-listed for the BAFTA Best Short Film Award… not bad considering it was a film school exercise and only had 32mins of film stock.
The first film I wrote and directed, A Plastic Toy Dinosaur, was made while at university with a bunch of lovely and talented people including producer Rob Watson. The film played at over 20 film festivals, we won numerous awards.
In 2015 I started collaborating with the incredibly talented Producer Maria Caruana Galizia (Candle and Bell), our first project together Mordechai, funded by The Pears Short Film Fund and UK Jewish Film premiered in 2017 and has since screened at huge festivals all over the world… including London BFI Film Festival 2017, Palm Springs Shortsfest 2017, Denver Film Festival 2017, and lots more Bafta and Oscar qualifying film festivals. The film was also Long-listed for the BAFTA in 2018…
Metroland, a short funded by Creative England and the BFI, the project was supported by Mike Leigh when we were raising extra funds via crowdfunding. Played at festivals all over the world and was released online by Omeleto .
I was lucky enough to graduate from The London Film School, where my studies were funded by a full Creative Skillset bursary. I also won the NISI MASA European Short Pitch the same year with my short project, Wheels, a comedy about family, love and dogging.
I also directed a taster/pilot project written by Dan Mersh for Baby Cow/C4.
Also… when everyone else is busy… I make no-budget, super- short comedy films. One of which, Frank, a heart-wrenching story of a man who is betrayed by his animated friend, scored us a night out at the BAFTAs… As we didn’t win I got drunk and stole the place mats. Sorry Bafta… but the booze was free… So kind of your own fault!
I’m represented by Hannah Linnen @ 42 management.
Anyway, enough about me, how are you?