Meet Ben Floss | Writer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Floss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always had a lot of fun expressing myself creatively. When it became an option for a long term career choice at a young age, I gravitated directly to film making and the arts. I saw, and still see, a future in making a living in what I was already finding so much joy doing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Its hard to say.

There are a lot of elements that go in to what I do, but they aren’t the singular -“what”- I do. I think I’m getting caught up on the “Art” part of artist.

To tell you the truth I don’t see myself as an artist, and I don’t see where I am now as where I’ll be permanently.

My thesis in saying this is that there are two themes that I greatly admire and fear in equal measure. Being lost, and being stuck.

I got my start as a freelancer in the northeast. I was frequently traveling between cities, spending weeks in new places, getting work where I could, and taking jobs that I knew I was inexperienced in but taking it as a challenge to learn more and do better.

During then, and whenever I could, I would try to make something of my own. A few shorts here and there or a strung together series- anything to apply what I was learning to storytelling.

I was afraid of being stuck, and excited about being lost in something new.

Eventually I moved out to Los Angeles. I figured that, if nothing else, I’d be able to find more reliable work. The unintended consequence was finding some of the closest collaborators I could hope to find.

The work itself was consistent, and I found it easily, but was often demanding and leaving little time for my own creative work.

I was lost in work, and wound up feeling stuck. Multiple times. Continuously. Creating is one of the most important things to me, so finding the time to create for myself became an ever-present itch to scratch.

It’s a very difficult balance to walk, especially when trying to make my own projects, balancing being a freelancer and being a creative. The job and the art blur together, often making it hard to distinguish or even separate the two.

My film-making has been called “utilitarian” before. I love this. For me, telling a story is the singular goal of anything creative I do, and in as few words as possible.

It’s being utilitarian that has gotten me this far. That has kept me from reaching dangerously outside of my capabilities and being able to create recklessly, on my own terms, and with limited resources.

Its also given me two themes that I’m very much drawn to. Being lost, and being stuck.

I make a lot of horror related content, so these two themes often get expressed in my own related anxieties and worries. Being utilitarian means I’m able to craft a paired down story that focuses on how these themes affect a person or people in a horrific situation.

I think that’s why it’s hard for me to say I’m an “artist”. It feels too grand and nebulous. I feel more like a carpenter. Or a mechanic. There is a goal that I have set- a story I want to tell- and tools that I know are best for the job.

I have enough experience not to feel lost, and the drive and motivation to not feel stuck.

I’m going down into the basement alone with a flashlight, just as the audience begged me not to do.

-except I’m excited for what I might find.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Restaurants: Dirt Dog
Pinks
Original Pantry
Philippe’s
Chico’s (in highland park off Figueroa)
and Triple Beam Pizza (also highland park on Figueroa)

Visit:
Drive up the PCH towards Big Sur
Hike along the Monrovia Canyon Park
Drive up route 39 towards the Angeles Natl. Forest

See:
Ontario Reign Game at the Toyota Arena
Kings game if we can afford the tickets

Hangout:
At my house, we had a busy day

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a couple thanks to give out-

First, is to my older brother, whom I made my first movies with and who first showed me video editing.

Second, is my mother Ginny and my father Dennis, whose endless support has always made me feel loved.

Third, is Anthony Del Monte and Bill Schell, two of the most creative, erratic, and inflammatory humans I know.

Fourth, to the Badlands Scuba Squad group- Brian Nolte, Michael Lipton, and Zach Heintz. I couldn’t ask for a better group of amazingly talented and creative people to make movies with.

Website: http://www.benfloss.com/

Instagram: @that_awful_floss_boy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-floss-6328b278/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaEYhMZsrgQLSIaJurmX5Lg

Other: BADLANDS SCUBA SQUAD: https://www.badlandsscubasquad.com/ VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/thatawfulflossboy

Image Credits
Michael Lipton, Ben Floss, Lane McFaddin, Brian Nolte, Highland Park Film Festival