Malvern Director Benjamin Williams on Slow Horses, Marvel and His Festival-Nominated Short Keys
During the lockdown due to the coronavirus in 2020, Benjamin Williams, who is now 28 years old, viewed a total of 800 films. He initially aimed to become an animator and pursued film studies at Hereford Sixth Form College. Hailing from Malvern, he has directed his own film and collaborated with Marvel, recently serving as an assistant director on Apple TV's Slow Horses, featuring Sir Gary Oldman and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas. This spy thriller, adapted from Mick Herron's novel, debuted in 2022, with a seventh season anticipated in 2027. Williams was responsible for logistics and scheduling and briefly worked on set. He also contributed to Marvel's VisionQuest and met Sir Ian McKellen during The Christophers. His short film, Keys, was showcased at the Worcester Film Festival in September.
Key facts
- Benjamin Williams, 28, from Malvern, watched 800 films during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown
- He studied film at Hereford Sixth Form College after early ambitions to be an animator
- He was an assistant director on Apple TV's Slow Horses, starring Sir Gary Oldman and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas
- Slow Horses is based on Mick Herron's best-selling novel, premiered in 2022, and a seventh season is set for 2027
- Oldman plays the crude boss of disgraced MI5 agents banished to Slough House
- Williams worked in the production department on logistics, paperwork, call sheets and schedules
- He also worked on Marvel's VisionQuest, releasing later this year, and on The Christophers with Sir Ian McKellen
- His short film Keys premiered at the Worcester Film Festival in September and is nominated for best local film at the Birmingham Film Festival
Entities
Artists
- Benjamin Williams
- Sir Gary Oldman
- Dame Kristin Scott Thomas
- Mick Herron
- Sir Ian McKellen
- John Krasinski
- Cillian Murphy
- Michael B Jordan
Institutions
- Marvel
- Apple TV
- Hereford Sixth Form College
- MI5
- Slough House
- BBC Hereford & Worcester
- BBC Sounds
- Worcester Film Festival
- Birmingham Film Festival
Locations
- Malvern
- United Kingdom
- Hereford
- Worcester
- Birmingham
- Slough