September came and I was invited to join a crew of award winning filmmakers on what has proven to be a serious adventure. And I’ve had a few. Now as 2011 looms hours away that adventure continues and I am preparing for what may be one of the biggest challenges yet in this life. And I just feel incredibly fortunate and blessed. At the start of the year I am faced with the level of opportunity and responsibility I have been seeking for years. This is a strange juxtaposition from the disappointment of last January.

Here are few of the creative highlights from 2010.

LET ME IN – I actually shot this in late 09 for Mathew Schutt but it was released in 2010 so I am including it here. This video went on to screen in almost 40 Film Festivals around the world, it won a few awards and my cinematography was even nominated. Best of all it was an excellent experience to shoot. I’m proud of this little video and the vision that Matt realized as a director.

RUNNING AWAY – I am also proud of this video which I directed and edited, even if the experience couldn’t have been more different. We shot this in late 09 but it was finished in 2010 after what seemed like a herculean effort that I don’t care to ever repeat. A lot of people worked very hard to help me make this and many of them didn’t get thanked or paid by the people they should have. But we got it done and I think it’s memorable and unique.

MCBRIDE ON STRAIGHTEDGE – Marks been my friend for a decade. He wrote this and I directed and edited it, again with lots of help from people who didn’t get paid but had lots of fun. I LOVE Bo Blount’s music. I very proud of this little piece.

In a week I’m gonna be back in remote Alaska bobbing around on the Bering sea for a few months. This blog will be programmed to spit out a daily dose of my photography from 2010 and I’m sure when I return I’ll have a few thoughts to share. Until then, be safe and be kind, to yourself and everyone else. Happy New Year.

- Staley Out

My friend Justice Howard took the cover photo. I really like it a lot. She’s crazy talented.  Krista Knott wrote the bio. She’s been a good friend of mine for many years now. She’s crazy talented too. The words arrived this morning right as I got out of bed. I just sat and stared at them for a long time. Humbled is the best word I can find to describe how I felt. And still feel.

Thank you Krista and Justice for sharing your crazy talent and friendship with me.

I guess this website is a mission statement. A declaration. A line in the sand. A brand new jumping off point.  I’m dusting off the all the ambitions I put on a shelf because I told myself I had to do other things first. There is nothing else now. This is who I am and why I am here and what I am doing. Period.

BenStaley.com

Completed
And coming soon…

I am also working on a new website and I was going through a bunch of production photos (there are many) and found this one. I’m always smiling biggest when I’m directing. I like making movies and I’ve done a lot of different jobs but directing is the best. What I enjoy most. Most satisfying, fulfilling and challenging in the right way. It’s where I feel most at home.