Ben is an outgoing, friendly, energetic and extraordinarily talented student, who engages with industry on behalf of disabled students, pursuing opportunities for himself and other disabled creatives.
Within the classroom, he contributes to team assignments and helps to facilitate lively discussions with his peers, often taking on leadership roles within collaborative film projects. Beyond university, Ben’s ultimate goal is to increase inclusive hiring across the film and television sector. He is an active member of the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP), which currently helps disabled creatives enter the creative industries. Through the Royal Television Society, Ben has held discussions with producer Cameron Roach (former Drama Director for Sky TV, now Head of independent production company Rope Ladder Fiction) to begin envisaging further ways of increasing inclusivity and making the RTS an accessible place for disabled creatives. Together, with the support of the University, Ben has taken it upon himself to begin planning for Q&A panels with the RTS, featuring creative professionals who are disabled.
Ben’s tutors have hailed him as “a delight to teach” and believe he will work very hard and go far in forging a successful career in media production.
Ben says “Being considered to stand amongst our institution’s best is a great honour and one I am very grateful for. University life is a brief, but a vastly important time frame in one’s life. It is about discovery, identity and an ability to overcome challenges that life faces you. It is a time of great change and it is safe to say that great change has occurred whilst studying here. Both to me and to the world.”