Ben Morris(II)
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, He
graduated from Central Missouri State University with a pilot's license
and a sudden urge to continue exploring his creative side after
minoring in Broadcasting and Film. Ben found entry-level work while
living in the Washington, D.C. area. Radio commercial production,
industrial films as well as short films and music videos with some
friends at Howard University gave him a good foundation for the big
move to Hollywood. He paid his dues as a Page at CBS Television City in
Hollywood working on such shows as "The Young and the Restless", "Wheel
of Fortune" and various sitcoms. He also worked in CBS's Current
Programming Dept. which led to numerous CBS pilots and a dream job on
ABC's "Me and the Boys" starring Steve Harvey.
After a twelve hour day as a Set P.A. on the family comedy, he used to head over to the set of Phat Beach (1996) to watch his first attempt at a screenplay come to life.
Ben optioned his urban fairy tale, "The Last Princess." He completed a page-one rewrite of a CG animation comedy/adventure ("Carter's Place")that has the story structure of "The Princess Bride" and the adventurous elements of "Finding Nemo" which is also in development. Soon after, Ben was hired to punch-up an animation feature based on a internationally known children's book before being hired to re-work the story of another CG animation comedy/adventure for a European based animation company.
Ben is featured in the book (and on the front cover), Q&A: The Working Screenwriter- An In the Trenches Perspective of Writing Movies in Today's Film Industry by Jim Vines. Published in 2006.
Most recent commissions to write have been original dramatic family multi-media live theatrical musicals for IFGF in the San Gabriel Valley that have opened at the Aratani Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to "Hero Inc." which was Sold Out at the Alex Theatre in Glendale to "Inside Out" at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. "Upon A Star" opened at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse March 2013. And in 2014, Ben wrote a modern twist of the prodigal son story called "Coming Home" in which all 6 shows were Sold Out.
In 2016, Ben was appointed as an authorized producer of Financial Guarantee Insurance Bonds from a major international insurance syndicate, that guarantees principal investment and even a modest return. He is using that platform to build his own finance entity. The Way Capital will provide P&A and Film Finance Investments for quality family, faith based and story franchises with built-in audiences.
After a twelve hour day as a Set P.A. on the family comedy, he used to head over to the set of Phat Beach (1996) to watch his first attempt at a screenplay come to life.
Ben optioned his urban fairy tale, "The Last Princess." He completed a page-one rewrite of a CG animation comedy/adventure ("Carter's Place")that has the story structure of "The Princess Bride" and the adventurous elements of "Finding Nemo" which is also in development. Soon after, Ben was hired to punch-up an animation feature based on a internationally known children's book before being hired to re-work the story of another CG animation comedy/adventure for a European based animation company.
Ben is featured in the book (and on the front cover), Q&A: The Working Screenwriter- An In the Trenches Perspective of Writing Movies in Today's Film Industry by Jim Vines. Published in 2006.
Most recent commissions to write have been original dramatic family multi-media live theatrical musicals for IFGF in the San Gabriel Valley that have opened at the Aratani Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to "Hero Inc." which was Sold Out at the Alex Theatre in Glendale to "Inside Out" at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse. "Upon A Star" opened at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse March 2013. And in 2014, Ben wrote a modern twist of the prodigal son story called "Coming Home" in which all 6 shows were Sold Out.
In 2016, Ben was appointed as an authorized producer of Financial Guarantee Insurance Bonds from a major international insurance syndicate, that guarantees principal investment and even a modest return. He is using that platform to build his own finance entity. The Way Capital will provide P&A and Film Finance Investments for quality family, faith based and story franchises with built-in audiences.