During the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, Benjamin Williams, a lifelong film fan, watched 800 films. Plus, it was Covid - I was bored," said the now 28-year-old, looking back. He started out with dreams of becoming an animator, inspired by films like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Pokemon, before going on to study film at Hereford Sixth Form College, which "opened a whole world" for him.
Williams, from Malvern, has now directed his own film and worked with the likes of Marvel and, most recently, was an assistant director on Apple TV's hit series, Slow Horses, starring award-winners Sir Gary Oldman and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas. "I have signed many NDAs [non-disclosure agreements] over the years, and obviously, Slow Horses has been one of them. "I can't say anything about it - obviously the cast and crew are amazing - it's a very wonderful show to work on.
"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 said. The spy thriller series is based on the best-selling novel Slow Horses by Mick Herron and premiered in 2022, with a seventh season set for release in 2027. Oldman stars as the crude boss of a team of failed or disgraced MI5 agents who have been banished to a building called Slough House.
"I worked in the production department, which is logistics, all sorts of paperwork and call sheets, and you manage all of the schedules - that's a very heavy admin-based role," said Williams. "I actually have worked on the floor for a couple of days because I'm also an AD [assistant director] as well... which I love doing." He describes Oldman as the biggest star he has worked with. "That is a pinch-me moment every time you see him," he said.
He's a pretty cool dude." He also worked on Marvel's VisionQuest, which releases later this year. "I did a lovely film, only a week on it just for additional photography, called The Christophers, with Sir Ian McKellen, who I was very fortunate just to briefly meet," he said. "There's such an incredible aura around him of just, 'Oh god, it's Ian McKellen'." He has also worked on Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan with John Krasinski, the Squid Games reality show and the Peaky Blinders film, Immortal Man.
"I did get to meet Cillian, but again, very similar to Ian, I was just like, 'Hi, cool, move on, great', which was really fun." His own short film, Keys, premiered at the Worcester Film Festival in September and has been nominated for "best local film" at the Birmingham Film Festival. Williams said making a good impression in the industry and working hard had helped his journey. "As long as you do a good job, you show up, and you're likeable enough, people want to continue working with you, which is how I landed Slow Horses while I was working on a Marvel show," he said.
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