“We can change the world for the better and teach people through the arts and the many facets of storytelling.”
Breaking into the acting world is challenging. Even more challenging is breaking in as an elite actor and producer.
Ben Stranahan is one of Hollywood’s emerging creative powerhouses, having produced for and worked with actors such as Neve Campbell, Bill Paxton, Imogen Poots, Tony Baker, Jack Lowden, Tony Curran, Clancy Brown and many more.
As his website describes, “He has an electric energy that is injected into every role and is known to be a Director’s actor, working with the people around him to bring out the most compelling and dynamic characters. Ben belongs on the stage and in front of the camera, feeling at home with other artists and performers.”
Ben is a producer/partner with Tip-Top Productions. Their website explains part of what Ben facilitates:
“Founded in 2011, Tip-Top Productions (TTP) is an award winning independent film production house based in Los Angeles. Accolades include our BAFTA winning feature film Calibre and Cannes Film Festival’s official selection & premiere of Mean Dreams. TTP’s films have also been selected to premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), South By Southwest (SXSW) & Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). TTP utilizes the collaboration of established cross-company affiliations to produce high quality projects for a variety of budget levels.” (http://www.tip-topproductions.com/company)
Ben, an Aspen, Colorado native who was raised by inspiring and creative parents, found himself at a young age gripped by a lifelong passion for the arts. Ben quotes something Richard Linklater says in an interview that has stuck with him: “People who ask me why I make films don’t understand that it’s not a choice. Painters paint, filmmakers make films.”
Being a filmmaker is as integral to Ben’s identity as anything else. He’s equally adept on both sides of the camera, with lead roles in such films as Adam Levins’ Indie Hit Population Zero and Andrew Chan’s award winning anthology series, The Midnight Anthology. A seasoned festival-award-winning producer, Ben has produced many feature films including Mean Dreams starring Bill Paxton, Sophie Nélisse, Josh Wiggins and Colm Feore, which premiered in 2016 in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes and as a Special Presentation at TIFF. Mean Dreams went on to be sold into over 50 countries and have theatrical releases in over 10 territories. He’s also produced the genre-bending psychological thriller Population Zero that’s been critically lauded around the world and produced the thriller Calibre, which was released on Netflix in 2018 and was nominated for 4 BAFTA awards, winning one for Best Actor – Jack Lowden.
His most recent production work was Castle in the Ground, starring Imogen Poots, Neve Campbell and Alex Wolff, Which premiered at TIFF and SXSW. (BenStranahan.com)
In the TV landscape, Ben has produced the smart anthology series The Midnight Anthology starring Clancy Brown. The pilot premiered at the New York Television Festival in 2015 and won both the Artistic Achievement and Best Director awards at the festival. Ben and the The Midnight Anthology team are in development on the remaining episodes of the series.
Learn more about Ben at www.benstranahan.com
