With a portfolio as far-reaching as his, you’d count on the Ghanaian inventive to relaxation on his laurels. Slightly, he’s crafting the following concept, as if chasing another reason to show himself.
Zed Benson may appear to be a show-off, however in actuality, he simply doesn’t draw back from what he’s able to. He’s the embodiment of the phrase “been there, finished that,” and but, in some way, he retains elevating the bar. Earlier than turning 34, the Ghanaian has worn practically each inventive hat–graphic designer, photographer, marketer, content material producer, actor, filmmaker, distributor, and artistic director. You title it. His affect has touched each nook of his area of interest and fellow creatives, revealing a thoughts that refuses to be idle. And in contrast to most, he’s doing it fully on his personal phrases.
A graduate of High quality Arts from the distinguished Beijing Movie Academy, Zed Benson was desperate to make his mark. “Life in China was fairly intimidating at first,” he remembers. “I arrived in 2009. That was my first time overseas, so you possibly can think about. There was a lot to regulate to–the language, the tradition, the climate. However I stayed headstrong, and my dream of turning into a filmmaker and entrepreneur saved me going.”
Certainly, Beijing’s piercing winters and cultural hurdles proved worthwhile. Quickly, the celebs aligned. He landed his first job at Highway Footage simply three days after graduating–a possibility that offered the right testing floor for his inventive capability. “I initially joined as a graphic designer,” he says, “however I ended up doing every little thing they threw at me: images, video modifying, vlogging, and ultimately labored my technique to Artistic Director.” Even then, slowing down wasn’t an choice; each job was a dash towards one thing larger.
Zed’s time on the leisure firm was marked by collaborations with the most important within the enterprise: Alibaba Footage, Warner Bros., Sony, and Twentieth Century Fox. In consequence, he labored alongside groups to ship back-to-back campaigns for Hollywood blockbusters like Avengers, Tomb Raider, Justice League, Alita: Battle Angel, and lots of extra. These “good instances,” as he calls them, opened doorways to new connections throughout movie, vogue, tech, and commerce, ushering him into the fast-paced world of inventive advertising and marketing.
With that publicity got here the urge to discover. Zed went on to work with Uniway Communications and ME Manufacturing Company, the place he crammed the roles of Assistant Leisure Director and Director of Images, respectively. By then, it was clear the Ghanaian was able to tackle larger dangers. In any case, ambition had introduced him this far. Zed, along with three companions launched their very own leisure firm, the Dream Crew, facilitating exhibits just like the Soulja Boy China Tour, the Iyanya Membership Tour, and the Wild Wasted Moist summer time events that turned instantaneous favorites.
Nicely, not less than till COVID-19 hit and ruined it for everybody. After nearly a decade of dwelling in China, Zed made the choice to maneuver again to Ghana and proceed his inventive journey the place it had all begun. Life, it appeared, had come full circle. His grand return to “actual life,” as he playfully calls it, was met with its fair proportion of struggles and classes, however his rhythm by no means slowed. “I noticed what was lacking and what might be finished higher,” he says. From serving to manufacturers deliver their concepts to life by means of ZEDSTUDIO, to supporting filmmakers with reducing‑edge gear at Cinetek, Zed rapidly discovered his voice amongst native companies, musicians, artists, and fellow creatives.
At this time, Zed continues to share his imaginative and prescient by means of images and movie, consistently shifting between continents to collaborate with music artists and different creatives throughout the globe. His versatility and expertise have made him a grasp of his craft, weaving cultural nuance into each body. Regardless of working a number of companies, he nonetheless finds time for private tasks. “Being inventive is on the core of my existence,” he says. “I knew that at the start else. I’ve discovered to see the world by means of two lenses, and collectively they maintain me going.” Ask him if he’s ever considered slowing down although, and he laughs: “The grind continues! I’ll maintain telling good tales, serving to others deliver their imaginative and prescient to life, and having fun with each step of the journey.”
