SAMUELL BENTA
Biography
Samuell Benta is a creative pioneer, specialising in producing, writing, directing and acting for Film and TV. He started off as an actor and has appeared in numerous high profile dramas such as: BBC's Eastenders E20, BBC's Silent Witness, BBC's The Cut, BBC's Hotel Babylon, Power Rangers Operation Overdrive just to name a few. After realising the repetitive stereotype roles on British TV for young black actors, he sought to change this by creating his own show 'All About The McKenzies' a black family sitcom for the web. Never having attended film or drama school he learned to pave his own path into the industry, learning to write, direct and produce. Over many doors shut, rejections and hardships and being told his show was ‘too black’ for British Television, he discovered that online was the way to get his content out to the public. Utilising YouTube he created one of the first webseries in Britain in 2011, totally changing the game unconsciously giving filmmakers permission and inspiration to do the same. In 2012 he won the Best Webseries Award at the BEFFTAS and Great ensemble cast in a Comedy Award at the LAWEBFEST 2012.
Success didn’t stop there, In 2013 he was awarded Youth media of the month by the Youth Media Agency and was noticed by TV Broadcaster London Live before they launched in 2014, resulting in All About The McKenzies being their first acquisition. As time went by, Mckenzies and other YouTube greats were dropped by London Live as they rebranded to more factual content, leaving Samuell in a financial situation where he had to leave his new flat and return to his family home. Fed up of the UK and it’s industry of how things work, he set for the US in 2015 and stayed there for 7 months to see what was different and what the deal was with the trend of black Brits moving over there. He screened his show at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and was accepted at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in NYC for a screening also. Being in America he learned a lot and returned to the UK to continue his endeavours.
In 2016 he had the opportunity to make a pilot for All About The McKenzies for ITV as part of their fresh season. Despite great audience feedback, no series was taken on due to a new network controller being employed, resulting in Samuell saying enough was enough. Throughout his journey producing independently gave him an unshaken confidence that he could do what his heart desires, regardless of the limitations that TV and film set, and what people say. He created his company BENTAVISION with a 10 year plan incorporating the creation of a different system than how TV currently operates with the slogan ‘Smarter-Faster-Better’.
Benta has always said to the up and coming that personal development changed his life. Samuell has and still remains a student of what he calls ‘life studies’. Having grown up surrounded by lies about life, myths of how things should be and non-ambitious people, he knew there was more to life than settling for a normal job and status quo. He had a deep zeal for knowledge and truth about his existence. The question “What’s my purpose?” led him to his journey of self-discovery revealing his talents and skills and now he wants to share it with the world letting them know that they too can do the same if they choose. He says “everyone has a story... who has the courage to tell it unapologetically?”
For more information check out his book ‘Why it’s Not Enough to ‘just’ be an Actor in the 21st Century’. Available in Paperback, ebook, and audio.
