Ben Sainsbury
Encyclopedia
Ben Sainsbury is a Canadian
filmmaker, actor, and freelance journalist. whose film Jail Bait starred dwarf
actor Peter Dinklage
.
after a family move. In returning to Canada, he lived with his family in Seguin, Ontario
and attended high school in Rosseau. After high school, he lived in California
and Arizona
for 16 years, and studied acting, earning earned a bachelors degree in film making at College of Marin
. In 2005, he received a masters degree
in professional writing at the University of Southern California
film school, while working as an actor in commercials to help pay for his film projects and schooling.
Sainsbury holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, and did a three-year enlistment term in the U.S. Army in a Psychological Operations. While with his unit, her was trained in the staging of mock battlefield productions and the dealing with of enemies through use of loud music, gathering of intelligence, distribution of surrender propaganda leaflets, and the broadcasting of fake tank noises. His animated film Private Snuffy was inspired by the torture and prisoner abuse committed by military interrogators at Abu Ghraib
, and based upon an article he wrote about the incidents for Now Magazine in Toronto. He he obtained a grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
to complete the project, and sells computer software in Toronto to make a living.
While in Switzerland
working on a PhD on media studies, he became a freelance reporter for PeaceReporter (Milan, Italy), writing articles on his military service for that online Italian magazine. The article he wrote for Now Magazine in Toronto, which inspired his film Private Snuffy, was translated into Italian for PeaceReporter. Private Snuffy premeired on April 12, 2011, at the Tiburon International Film Festival in Tiburon, California
, and late won the 'Best Animation Award' at the 2011 Cinefest
in Sudbury, Ontario.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
filmmaker, actor, and freelance journalist. whose film Jail Bait starred dwarf
Dwarf
In Germanic mythology, a dwarf is a being that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting...
actor Peter Dinklage
Peter Dinklage
Peter Dinklage is an American film, television and theater actor. Since his breakout role in the 2003 film The Station Agent, he has acted in Elf, Underdog, Find Me Guilty, the 2007 film Death at a Funeral and its 2010 remake, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian...
.
Background
Sainsbury was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was raised for eight years in Mayaguez, Puerto RicoMayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
after a family move. In returning to Canada, he lived with his family in Seguin, Ontario
Seguin, Ontario
Seguin is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in the District of Parry Sound. The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998, by amalgamating the former townships of Humphrey, Foley, Christie, and the western half of Monteith with the village of Rosseau....
and attended high school in Rosseau. After high school, he lived in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
for 16 years, and studied acting, earning earned a bachelors degree in film making at College of Marin
College of Marin
The College of Marin is a community college in Marin County, California, U.S., with two campuses, one in Kentfield, and the second in Novato. It is the only institution operated by the Marin Community College District. Its chief executive officer is currently Superintendent/President David Wain...
. In 2005, he received a masters degree
Master of Professional Writing Program
The Master of Professional Writing Program is a graduate creative writing program which offers a variety of courses at the University of Southern California's College of Letters, Arts & Sciences....
in professional writing at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
film school, while working as an actor in commercials to help pay for his film projects and schooling.
Sainsbury holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, and did a three-year enlistment term in the U.S. Army in a Psychological Operations. While with his unit, her was trained in the staging of mock battlefield productions and the dealing with of enemies through use of loud music, gathering of intelligence, distribution of surrender propaganda leaflets, and the broadcasting of fake tank noises. His animated film Private Snuffy was inspired by the torture and prisoner abuse committed by military interrogators at Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
The city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
, and based upon an article he wrote about the incidents for Now Magazine in Toronto. He he obtained a grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region.The NOHF...
to complete the project, and sells computer software in Toronto to make a living.
While in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
working on a PhD on media studies, he became a freelance reporter for PeaceReporter (Milan, Italy), writing articles on his military service for that online Italian magazine. The article he wrote for Now Magazine in Toronto, which inspired his film Private Snuffy, was translated into Italian for PeaceReporter. Private Snuffy premeired on April 12, 2011, at the Tiburon International Film Festival in Tiburon, California
Tiburon, California
Tiburon is an incorporated town in Marin County, California. It occupies most of the Tiburon Peninsula, which reaches south into the San Francisco Bay. The smaller city of Belvedere occupies the south-east part of the peninsula and is contiguous with Tiburon...
, and late won the 'Best Animation Award' at the 2011 Cinefest
Cinéfest
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, also known as Cinéfest is an annual film festival in Sudbury, Ontario. It is the fourth largest film festival in Canada....
in Sudbury, Ontario.
Filmography
- Jail Bait (2004)
- PharmaPharmaPharma may be an abbreviation for:* Pharmaceutical industry* Pharmaceutical drug* Pharmacology* Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America -Other uses:* Pharma, a 2006 film written by Ben Sainsbury and directed by Mark Thoburn...
(2008) - Into DarknessInto DarknessInto Darkness is the third album by the Dutch death metal band Polluted Inheritance. The album was released in 2001 on the Belgian label RokaRola Records.-Track listing:# "Broken" # "Free to Be" # "Growing Distance"...
(2010) - Private Snuffy (2011)