Ben Richardson

Performance Coach and Career Mentor I’m a Performance Coach and Career Mentor for both aspiring and established filmmakers. I have a long and successful track record of helping many individuals break into the film and video industry and quickly advance up the business ladder. I specialize in both training and guiding filmmaker’s careers so that my clients achieve their dream goals. One of my favorite mentoring success stories is Kenny Allen. When I first started working with him, he had never even used a video camera. Only a short 5 years later, he was the cinematographer on a documentary film called “Lifeboat” that was nominated for an Academy Award in 2019. Currently, he is photographing his first TV series for Animal Planet. Another successful coaching client, Israel Arias, just won the Best Cinematography Award at The Los Angeles Indie Film Festival for his first feature film. Only two years out of a community college video program, director client Devin Tau is currently directing his first feature film after several short films had successful festival runs. Credentials I have over 35 years of experience in the film and video industry as a director of photography. I’ve shot 23 feature films including “The Juniper Tree” which was Icelandic singer Bjork’s screen debut.  The film was nominated for The Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. “The Juniper Tree” was recently digitally re-mastered in 4K and re-released theatrically. I was also a camera operator on an Academy Award winning short film and an Emmy winning television movie.  I also have over 25 years of experience as a director. I trained in acting and directing actors under Judith Weston, the premier “directing actors” coach in Los Angeles. I’ve taught numerous filmmaking classes and workshops at several colleges and universities around the country.  I trained in hypnosis and other cutting-edge techniques at the Northwest Hypnosis Institute and the Mike Mandell Hypnosis Academy so that I can better help my clients overcome any obstacles that are holding them back. I’m certified as a Consulting Hypnotist by the National Guild of Hypnotists.

Unique traits: ~Accents and Dialects: Australian, New Yorker, Boston, Italian, Southern, Midwest, British, Irish, Scottish, more! ~Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hiking, Kayaking, Running. ~Misc. Talents: Bartending, Barista, Swimming, Whistling. ~Singing: Baritone. ~Improvisation~ ~Character Voices~ ~Celebrity Impersonations~ ~Experience with Kids & Animals~ ~Voice Over~ ~Passport Ready~