Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ben Everard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ben, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I recently wrapped a film called WAY OF THE WARRIOR KID, based on a book by Navy SEAL Jocko Willink. The message of the film resonates strongly with me, and I am hopeful its themes of resilience, discipline, dedication, and hard work, will connect with an audience.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I moved to Los Angeles to begin my career as an attorney at Quinn Emanuel, one of the world’s premier litigation firms. Over roughly three years there, I participated in matters that were entertainment related, which I often tell people was the equivalent of my “agency training”. I was able to review deals for movies that ultimately fell apart, which is a great way to learn the red, green, and yellow flags. Once I felt confident that I could replicate the successful approaches to putting movies together, I took the leap and starting identifying concepts I felt I could adapt into audiovisual programming. My first project was in the unscripted space (HANG MEN), and eventually I raised some capital to acquire IP, which led to my first film, LIGHTS OUT. From there, I helped produce THE LAUNDROMAT, YES DAY, PAIN HUSTLERS, and FAMILY SWITCH. I work on a slate of a few dozen projects at any given time, all with the intention to turn them into big movies or tv shows.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
I’m a contrarian here, and think NFTs might have a place in the business moving forward. I think of core fans for large brands (e.g. the NFL), and utilizing NFTs as gates to have real and virtual experiences that interact with that brand.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Watching an audience connect emotionally with material that you worked on for years is incredibly gratifying. I can vividly recall my first theatrical audience with LIGHTS OUT, and having a bunch of movie-lovers react meaningfully to the story’s beats was truly a thrilling experience. I constantly try and replicate that.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Itsbeneverard
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-everard-450b0785
- Twitter: @beneverard
