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For Ben Stranahan, the producer for Tip-Top Productions and a successful actor/musician, few things are more stressful than the night before a movie opens. “I’ve been producing and acting in films for years, yet I still get the jitters,” he reveals. “You know how it is, the thoughts that run through your mind. What if it tanks? What if the critics hate it? What if no one shows up to see it?” He pauses and laughs. “Thankfully that’s never happened! It’s just proof that no matter how long I work in this business and how far I go, I’m still just a guy who gets nervous like anyone else would.”
Yes, Ben is only human, and his fears are proving to be unfounded. Since graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, he has worked his way steadily to the top of the independent film industry. “I am hitting a good spot in my career where I have projects to produce as well as the resources to produce them,” he says. “That means things are going well at Tip-Top Productions and in my own career.”
The road to being a respected Hollywood producer began back in 2015, when Ben saw his production of The Midnight Anthology win two awards at the New York Television Festival. “There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that goes into every production,” he reflects. “You put everything you have into the show so that the vision reaches the audience. To be honored with awards for Artistic Achievement and Best Director, then, was just incredible. I was flying as high as a kite for weeks afterwards. Then I came back down to Earth and got back to work.”
One of his passion projects, Calibre, found success in 2018 at the BAFTAs. “We were blessed with incredible actors for that film, including Jack Lowden,” Ben remembers. “They did outstanding work on that film, and it paid off when Jack won for Best Actor. I don’t think anyone was clapping harder for him than I was.”
After this recognition, Ben’s calendar filled up with projects, and he has kept busy ever since. One of his latest films, Monstrous, starring Christina Ricci, is due in theaters in 2022. “This is one I am really excited about releasing,” he reveals. “It’s a very strong female character, and Christina plays her to perfection. She goes through so much to save her son, and the story is compelling.”
The advance buzz for his other film, Better Than Yourself, is just as good. “It’s a mystery, so it’s very different,” Ben reveals. “That said, it’s still got a lot of drama. I had an amazing time acting in it and producing it, and people are going to like trying to figure out the ending. You won’t see it coming!”
Ben is exploring another genre, animation, and is currently voicing characters in The Inventor, a Daisy Ridley film about Leonardo da Vinci, and Exodite from Games Workshop. “These two movies are completely different,” he marvels, “yet I’m having a great time with both. I love exploring the world of da Vinci in such a light-hearted way, but I also enjoy delving into a world at war and bringing out the passion and drama of that setting. I’m really happy about the types of roles and movies I am part of these days.”
As busy as he is, Ben finds time to kick back at his beloved piano with his cat, Moose. “I am still a musician at heart, and I just love jazz,” he reveals. “I could sit for hours, improvising on some chord while Moose hangs out and listens. Thankfully, he’s a kind critic.”
What does Ben really think of Hollywood, the place that has captured the imagination of so many around the world? “That’s changed over the years,” he answers thoughtfully. “When I first got here, I probably saw it as something to be conquered. My job was out there ‘somewhere,’ and I was going to do everything I could to find it. Now that my career is clicking along, I guess I see it as an old friend. It’s got its quirks and annoyances, but we understand each other. I plan to grow old with it and hope that my movies add to it and make it even better.”