Benzo Theodore
ABOUT benzo
With a life-long passion for photography, and while obtaining a degree in fine art (photography) from UC Santa Cruz, Ben’s career started off rather fortuitously with a summer internship for Director Spike Jonze. The following year after graduating, Ben landed a spot in the camera crew for Jonze’s feature debut Being John Malkovich. He followed up that success with work as the on-set photographer on Jonze’s Adaptation and high-risk, run-and-gun videographer and photographer duties for MTV’s infamous Jackass (over a twenty-five year duration that encompassed three TV seasons and four feature films).
Ben soon branched out into directing music videos, helming works for acts like Pharcyde’s Fatlip and Princess Superstar. Under the pseudonym Benzo Theodore, he made his advertising debut with the viral video Sunglasses Catch for Ray Ban, which he wrote, directed, and acted in. It was a runaway success with over 15 million hits, and revealed the potential of a viral video as a legitimate marketing tool. Benzo garnered nods at Cannes (taking home the bronze Cyber Lion Award), the D&AD Awards and Communication Arts Annual, inclusion in the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase in 2008 and a First Boards Award in 2009, earning him industry-wide attention. He has since created other viral hits, including Levis Jumping Into Jeans, and Rocksmith Guitar Baby, which earned millions of hits on YouTube, and mentions on Good Morning America and CNN all work that incorporated Benzo’s love of irreverent fun, practical effects, magic tricks, and in-camera illusions- and blurred the line of what is real or possible according to the laws of physics and the natural world. Benzo has also directed successful broadcast commercials for Verizon, Mountain Dew, Hawaiian Punch, Hyundai, Lexus, BMW, Honda, and Crayola.
Benzo is currently writing and directing new projects as well as shooting photography on various commercials and shows. He more recently worked as the props photographer for HBO's Winning Time where his duties were to capture the photos that were seen onscreen in the episodes, as well as shooting behind the scenes for Netflix’s AKA Charlie Sheen documentary. Benzo currently lives in Ventura, CA with his two children Milo and Luna- whom he photographs constantly to their dismay. When he’s not behind his camera, you will most likely find him surfing on a point break somewhere close by.