Ben Eagle
Film Festival Co-ordinator at the National Media
Museum, talented actor and founder member of
Paper Zoo Theatre Company, Ben Eagle studied
Theatre Studies, English Literature and Performing
Arts at Bradford College in 2003 and 2005.
“During 6th Form I spent 3 months working
every Saturday at Tesco’s stacking flour. I went
home very white and very depressed! I absolutely
hated it and realised that I had to do something
I enjoyed. On one of my many visits to the
Alhambra I envied the staff being paid to watch
the show so I applied to work front of house at
Bradford Theatres. It was the best job I could have
imagined and I still try to fit it in 9 years later. My
other love was film so I found another part-time
job at the National Museum of Photography Film & Television, now the National Media Museum. In
my spare time I came to College to study for AS
Levels in English Literature and Theatre Studies.
I always showed an interest in film so I was asked
by the Film Department if I wanted to help out
on the film festivals. In 2005 I started as Festival
Administration Assistant and gradually took more
responsibility so that by 2006 I was co-ordinating
all the festivals: the Bradford International Film
Festival; the Fantastic Films Weekend; Bite the
Mango and the Animation Festival.”
Ben had done some performing at school
and later with the Catholic Players and Actors
Community Theatre, but was keen to learn more,
so in September 2005 he enrolled on an evening
class to do the National Award in Acting, which
was to change his life. “Damien O’Keeffe was and
still is an inspiration. His teaching was second to
none and at the end of the year Dave Peel, Martin
Knowles and I had bonded and didn’t want to
stop working with each other. Together with
Damien and some of the other staff and students
we formed Paper Zoo Theatre Company. In less
than 3 years we have put on 10 productions and
we are taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival this summer. We have received fantastic
critique and built a real following.”
As Film Festival Co-ordinator at the National Media
Museum Ben has a job that film buffs everywhere
would dream of. He has recently attended the
Cannes Film Festival and the Animation Festival in
Annecy; he gets to meet top film stars and movie
producers and was recently discussing his acting
ambitions with Kenneth Branagh.
“I have progressed purely on enthusiasm, passion
and commitment. Stage and film share a similar
sort of knowledge and culture. Becoming a
professional actor is now my dream but in the
meantime I have a job that I love.”
Photograph by Shelagh Ward