Entertainment Expert-in-Residence Ben Forkner '01, TV & Film Producer
Get an insider’s perspective from producer Ben Forkner ’01 about working in the entertainment industry.
Bio: Ben Forkner is an Emmy Award-winning producer and the founder of Pendleton Media Group. He was chosen both as one of Variety’s “New Leaders of Hollywood” as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s “Next Generation.”
Since founding PMG, Ben produced the Netflix series Ripley, based on The Talented Mr. Ripley books by Patricia Highsmith, with Academy Award winner Steven Zaillian writing & directing all episodes. The series was nominated for 13 Emmys, including Best Limited Series. He produced the documentary The Flagmakers for Disney & NatGeo, which won an Emmy, was nominated for a Critics Choice Award, and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. And he produced Deep Water for New Regency, directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, and Jacob Elordi.
Ben spent fifteen years at Management 360 where he was the President of Motion Picture Production of Entertainment 360 (HBO’s Game of Thrones). He worked with clients and their respective studio deals and companies on all matters relating to intellectual property, development, financing, and production; working closely with clients including Margot Robbie, Reese Witherspoon, Channing Tatum, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Garner, Jimmy Fallon, Jessica Biel, Daniel Kaluuya, Anne Hathaway, Chadwick Boseman, and Michelle Pfeiffer, as well as augmented reality companies like Magic Leap.
Ben also produced The Gallows, ranked among “The Top 10 Highest Grossing Movies of All Time Based on ROI,” taking in over $42 million at the worldwide box office off of a $100K budget (the least expensive movie in history to go straight to global theatrical release).
Ben is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy. He is a Director of The Palace Head Foundation, a charitable non-profit. He graduated from Harvard College, magna cum laude.
If you have accessibility needs or questions related to this event, please contact mcs@fas.harvard.edu.
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