From Lockdown Film Binge to Hollywood Assistant Director
A lifelong film enthusiast turned director, Benjamin Williams leveraged the COVID-19 lockdown to watch hundreds of movies, a period that ultimately propelled his career in the film industry.
During the extended COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Benjamin Williams, then grappling with boredom and free time, watched an estimated 800 films. This intensive period of cinematic immersion has now transitioned into a burgeoning career, with Williams working as an assistant director on high-profile projects, including Apple TV's "Slow Horses" and Marvel's upcoming "VisionQuest."
Williams, originally inspired by animated films like "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and "Pokemon," pursued his passion for filmmaking at Hereford Sixth Form College. His career has since seen him work on a diverse range of productions, from "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" starring John Krasinski to the "Squid Games" reality show and the "Peaky Blinders" film, "Immortal Man."
Reflecting on his experience, Williams highlighted his time on "Slow Horses" as particularly formative. "That's probably the one I've learnt the most on, because that's the one I've spent the most amount of time on," he stated, while acknowledging the confidentiality agreements surrounding the production, which stars award-winners Sir Gary Oldman and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas. "I can't say anything about it - obviously the cast and crew are amazing - it's a very wonderful show to work on."
He also had the opportunity to work on "The Christophers," a film featuring Sir Ian McKellen, for which he completed additional photography. "There's such an incredible aura around him of just, 'Oh god, it's Ian McKellen'," Williams remarked about the brief encounter.
His own short film, "Keys," premiered at the Worcester Film Festival in September and has since received a nomination for "best local film" at the Birmingham Film Festival.