Ben Stranahan, the producer for Tip-Top Productions and a successful actor/musician, says that making it in Hollywood is not just a matter of sheer talent. “Believe me, there are a ton of gifted people who tap out and leave the movie industry without having gained the success they were after,” he says. “While I am still here, I’m honestly not sure that I am really any better at what I do than they were. I think I have risen to the level I’m at just because of two things: I recognized early on that Hollywood is a business, and I am at heart someone who does not throw in the towel.”
If you approach LA with the understanding that your career must be managed strategically and that production companies want to know what you can do for their profits, you will more easily find roles or backing for your film projects. “Eventually,” Ben qualifies. “You can do everything right, but you still need to be able to keep going each day because those rejections are going to come for a long time. Just keep your head up because when you get that first yes, it is the best feeling in the world.”
The first major yes that Ben got was in 2015, when he was thrilled to see his production of The Midnight Anthology win two awards at the New York Television Festival. “We were tapped for Artistic Achievement and Best Director,” he remembers. “What a feeling that was! Only someone who has come up from the bottom of the industry can understand what it was like to hear our name called and to go up to accept the awards. I’ll never forget that.”
At the 2018 BAFTAs, Ben saw his career accelerate when Calibre received four nominations, and one of the film’s stars, Jack Lowden, was awarded Best Actor. “Few things are more satisfying than to have your peers respect your work,” Ben says. “Seeing my cast and crew be honored for their work will always be one of the highlights of my life.”
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’s on the production horizon for Tip-Top Productions and Ben? “You’ll have to wait and see,” he answers. “I’m one of those people who always has four or five projects waiting in the wings. It’s the blessing and curse, I suppose, of being creative. What is it they say? So many films to make, yet so little time!”
