People come to Hollywood for stardom, admiration, and wealth. It’s a place where if you play your cards right, you can have it all. People who have climbed their way to the top can vouch for how tough this journey can be. Ben Stranahan is a producer at Tip-Top Productions that has definitely scaled his way to the top. He credits this to always looking ahead to the future, staying humble and planning his next move. All that to say, he’s not the archetypal Hollywood producer you’d imagine. He’s actually very grounded. He has two cats that he is easily distracted by. He plays piano and makes music, and of course, makes award-winning independent films.
In spite of Hollywood’s tough business market, Ben continues to make highly successful independent films. He believes that staying one step ahead and focusing on what’s next, along with years of perseverance and self-improvement, have played a huge part in his recent successes. For young artists brave enough to follow their Hollywood dreams, Ben offers the following advice: “Don’t get discouraged and don’t doubt yourself. It is a hard road, but a negative mindset will only make things tougher.”
Ben’s long journey to Hollywood stretches all the way back to his middle school years in Aspen, Colorado. He remembers his first stage appearance as “thrilling,” a moment that sparked his passion for storytelling and inspired him to pursue his dreams of working in film. “It was a magical experience; a defining moment in my childhood,” Ben recalls.
After realizing his passion for art and entertainment, Ben found himself searching for a new means of expression. He explored several different avenues throughout his high school years, including music, stage theatre, and finally filmmaking. He studied each craft in any way he could – through school, self-education, or simple experimentation. “Experience,” he claims, “is always the best teacher.” He studied acting, singing, music, improvisation, movement, accents and dialects, stage combat (both armed and unarmed), and make-up.
After spending a summer studying music at Berklee College in Boston, he was accepted into the revered American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, where his Hollywood dream began to take shape. Ben spent the next three years learning everything he could about the industry. He loved analyzing characters, learned to speak in several accents, including Southern, Standard RP, New England, and Irish, and excelled at both armed and unarmed stage combat. Upon finishing school, he began building his career as an actor, producer, and musician.
One of Ben’s most fulfilling moments as a producer was when Mean Dreams, a drama/thriller starring Bill Paxton, premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and as a Special Presentation at TIFF in 2016. The film has since been released theatrically in over ten countries and sold in over fifty. He also produced the acclaimed thriller Calibre, released on Netflix in 2018. The film went on to be nominated for four BAFTAs, with star Jack Lowden taking home the award for Best Actor.
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”– Vincent van Gogh. The path to making a film isn’t always straightforward. It takes time, patience, and passion. The journey is long and treacherous, but in the end, it has led Ben Stranahan to his niche. “My hobbies are fulfilling. I have a career that I am passionate about. I can’t really see myself doing anything else.” He feels at home both in front of the camera and behind the camera, among other artists and creatives.” Ben continues, “ I know that Hollywood is all about that next big moment, but I don’t let that get to me.” Ben puts all of himself into every film he produces. He understands that so many people are in the business to fulfill their dreams too, but he believes there’s room for a lot more dreams in Hollywood.
For more information on the production house, visit www.tip-topproductions.com.
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