Are you someone that can’t get enough of psychological thrillers? Do you enjoy independent films as opposed to Blockbusters? Ben Stranahan is a producer you’ll want to keep in mind the next time you’re browsing your streaming services. His production company, Tip-Top Productions, is for film connoisseurs and only produces the most suspenseful content. The team at Tip-Top considers themes that might not be viewed as popular subject matter to the masses or that other production houses might not take an interest in. Thoughtful-provoking controversial content is just part of the culture at Top-Top Productions.
Ben Stranahan is a producer and partner to Rob McGillivray who is the founder and producer of Top Top Productions. Stranahan is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Stranahan has been highly successful in acting, producing, and as a musician. So far in his career, he has produced several feature films, including Mean Dream starring the famous Bill Paxton, Sophie Nélisse, Josh Wiggins, and Colm Feore, which premiered in 2016 in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes and as a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival. This film sold in over ten territories.
Stranahan also produced Population Zero, a genre-bending thriller that has been critically acclaimed around the world. “That was a magical experience,” says Stranahan. “It was a psychological thriller and really took the genre in a different direction. Critics around the world liked it. I also enjoyed producing Calibre, another thriller, which was released on Netflix in 2018. That ended up being nominated for four BAFTAs, and it won for one: Best Actor for Jack Lowden. The night we won was incredible.”
Stranahan also produced an anthology series, The Midnight Anthology starring Clancy Brown. The pilot premiered at the New York Television Festival in 2015 and won both the Artistic Achievement and Best Director awards at the festival. Directors have said that he is hard-working, willing to take creative risks, and makes choices that bring great dynamics to a character. It’s obvious that Stranahan is a natural artist and professional in his craft. He is able to understand the delicate nuances that acting roles require to provide depth and complexity to any character. HE has always had a desire to be in the spotlight and has always been attracted to the arts.
Tip-Top Productions are focused on creating first-class scripts. At the core of every film is a compelling story. The company exceeds when it comes to scripting thought-provoking subject matter. Castle in the Ground was another success that was a favorite among the Toronto Film Festival, starring Alex Wolf, Imogen Poots, and cinema royalty, Neve Cambell.
The team at Tip-Top works to create, develop, and produce interesting narratives in-house as well as coordinate with various other similar productions to help provide financial backing to turn their ideas into film. The Production’s films have premiered at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), South By Southwest (SXSW), and Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).
Stranahan appreciates every experience that has brought him to this point in his career. “ You learn not to take yourself too seriously in Hollywood, ” Stranahan states. “People in Hollywood don’t look back, they look to the future.” He continues, “It’s motivating to some extent. It pushes you to figure out what you’ll do next.” Hollywood is a place where you really have to go for it and learn how to chase your dreams, much like Ben Stranahan continues to do.
For more information on the production house, visit www.tip-topproductions.com.
