We were lucky to catch up with Benjamin Oliver recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Benjamin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I want my legacy to be about telling stories that mattered… Stories that moved people. I hope I’m remembered not just for the videos and shows I created, but for how I helped others break into the industry, build confidence behind the scenes, and believe there’s room for them at the table.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in a small town in South Arkansas. There wasn’t a whole lot to do. Most people worked their 9 to 5 jobs and were content doing so, but I knew early on that I wanted something different. Since I was five years old, writing and acting out short scripts with my mom in our living room, I knew I wanted to work in video production.

In high school, I found out there was a direct path into the industry right in my backyard. Steve Taylor, the former Film & Video Production professor at SAU Tech, came and spoke to my class about the success of his students, many of whom were already working all over the world in film and television. I introduced myself after class, and we stayed in touch. One week after graduating high school, he had me on set working on real TV shows, films, and commercials. His program changed my life. There was nothing else like it, and there never will be again.

After college, I joined JM Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas. There, I dove headfirst into editing and honed my cinematography skills. I spent about 30 weeks out of the year on the road, filming TV shows, sometimes producing and shooting completely solo. I was constantly experimenting with camera angles, lighting, and storytelling styles. I’m incredibly thankful for the creative freedom and trust they gave me.

In 2020, I moved to Bentonville, Arkansas, to join the internal video team at Walmart Headquarters. It was a solid corporate gig, but I missed the creative freedom and diversity of projects I had grown used to. After three years, I decided it was time to bet on myself, and I haven’t looked back since.

I launched Benjamin Oliver Films LLC in 2022. We’re a full-service video production company specializing in commercials, television, documentaries, and live events. We bring cinematic storytelling to every project, no matter the scale. We own and operate a wide range of gear in-house, including cinematic cameras, drones (FPV and standard), gimbals, lighting, grip, and live production gear capable of streaming large-scale events like Miss America. This allows us to keep projects streamlined, efficient, and visually stunning without bloated costs.

What sets us apart is our ability to adapt. Whether it’s a live multi-cam broadcast, a viral social campaign, or a docu-series that needs heart and authenticity, we bring a personable, dialed-in approach to every project. We don’t just show up and shoot. We partner with our clients to elevate their ideas into something powerful and memorable.

What I’m most proud of is how far we’ve come and the number of people I’ve been able to support along the way. I’ve built a strong network of trusted collaborators—freelancers and creatives I enjoy working with again and again—and I continue to mentor newcomers who remind me of my younger self. I want people to know that you don’t have to come from LA or New York to make something meaningful. You just need vision, grit, and good people around you.

Outside of work, I’m a husband and a dad to two amazing boys. They’re a big part of why I do what I do. I want them to grow up knowing that it’s possible to chase big dreams, stay grounded, and create something that truly matters.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I moved to Bentonville, Arkansas, in January of 2020, all I had was a Sony DSLR. Up until that point, I had always relied on gear owned by others or the production company I worked with. It wasn’t until the onset of the Covid pandemic that I found an opportunity to start investing in the gear I needed to build my own business. While Covid was a challenging time for everyone, I recognized it as a chance to turn adversity into an investment opportunity.

In my previous role at JM Associates, I worked under incredibly tight deadlines. For example, we once produced a four-part documentary series for ESPN that was shot, edited, and aired all in the same week. I became accustomed to working quickly while maintaining high quality. However, when I transitioned into my corporate role, the pace was much slower, with three-week timelines for projects that could have taken me a day or less to complete.

When the world shut down and we transitioned to working from home, I found myself with more free time. I would complete my corporate deliverables and then spend the rest of my time freelancing. I made it a habit to use my corporate paycheck for living expenses and savings while using the money I earned from freelancing to reinvest directly into my gear. Before I knew it, I had built up enough equipment to stop relying on rentals for the projects I was working on.

Although Covid was undoubtedly one of the toughest periods in our lifetime, it became a pivotal point in my business’s growth. It gave me the time and resources I needed to lay the foundation for my company and get my gear to a point where I could truly operate on my own terms.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to make something that connects with people on a deep level. Whether it’s a commercial, a documentary, or a live event, the goal is always to tell a story that moves people, makes them think, or even inspires them. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing the impact your work can have, whether it’s bringing a message to life for a client or creating a piece of content that resonates with an audience.

Beyond that, the creative process itself is incredibly rewarding. It’s about problem-solving and pushing boundaries, finding new ways to capture a moment, experiment with lighting, or tell a story through the lens of a camera. Every project is an opportunity to learn and grow, and I love that constant evolution.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.benjaminoliverfilms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminoliver/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benjaminoliverfilms
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminoliver7/
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/@benjaminoliverfilms