Ben Caldwell (filmmaker)
| Ben Caldwell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 (age 71–72) |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | UCLA |
| Occupation | Filmmaker, Educator |
| Years active | 1973 - present |
| Organization | KAOS Network |
| Known for | "Madea" |
| Notable work | I & I: An African Allegory |
| Style | Experimental, Documentary |
| Home town | New Mexico |
Ben Caldwell (1945) is a Los Angeles-based arts educator and independent filmmaker.
A native of New Mexico, Ben Caldwell was first introduced to the visual arts at an early age. As a youth, Caldwell would help his grandfather project movies at a small theater in New Mexico. Working with his grandfather allowed Caldwell to develop an affinity for filmmaking. His early exposure to film inspired him to pursue an education and a career in filmmaking.
A native of New Mexico, Ben Caldwell was first introduced to the visual arts at an early age. As a youth, Caldwell would help his grandfather project movies at a small theater in New Mexico. The Projection room was a volatile place to work. Caldwell and his grandfather projected on 35mm film and worked arc lamps which could prove to be hazardous. Working with his grandfather allowed Caldwell to develop an affinity for filmmaking.
Working with his grandfather was not the inspiration that pushed Caldwell into filmmaking. During his childhood, war movies were very popular and they peaked young Caldwell’s fascination. While enrolled in a two-year animation course under the Disney company, Caldwell was drafted and sent to Vietnam. Caldwell decided to buy a camera while in Japan so that he could photograph his counterparts in the military and document what soldiers faced in the Vietnam War. He has hundreds of pictures which he may or may not incorporate into a future project about war and the soldiers that suffer from combat. Taking pictures while in the military not only allowed Caldwell to document one aspect of the war, but it also gave him the opportunity to familiarize himself with the camera.
After serving his time in the military, Caldwell then enrolled in courses at Phoenix College in Arizona studying photography and other forms of media. After collaborating with other students and professors, Caldwell was encouraged to pursue an M.F.A in film. Professors at Phoenix noticed that Caldwell was attempting to tell stories with his still photography and suggested that he look into studying film. Caldwell then applied and was accepted into many different Masters programs, and decided to attend UCLA. Caldwell studied filmmaking at UCLA, receiving his M.F.A in 1976. He studied film alongside Charles Burnett, Julie Dash and Billy Woodberry, as part of a group of young artists who were to change African American independent filmmaking — a cultural phenomenon sometimes called "The L.A. Rebellion." Caldwell contributed largely to the L.A. Rebellion Movement creating films that focused on Black culture in Los Angeles, California.
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