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Benstar is a creative music agency specializing in music supervision,
sync licensing and 360 degree digital music solutions for leading brands, film/TV production companies, advertising agencies, mobile providers & video games developers.
We assist with the strategic placement and delivery of music to serve both client and artist in a multimedia marketplace of global potential. We offer ready to license, cutting edge content from an exciting and diverse range of independent sources.
A unique range of services fusing vast experience in the music industry with specific backgrounds in a&r, music supervision, soundtracks, brand partnerships and strategic music led campaigns. More
Lol Hammond, Music Supervisor Vertigo Films
Tim Millington, MD Apace Music
Project: Apace Media Plc - Steadfast TV
Benstar is currently representing Apace Media Plc within their music and TV divisions. The brief includes expanding and developing the existing music catalogue through strategic placement and synchronization, specifically in the area's of film, TV and advertising.
The agency has recently been commissioned to develop a series of ready to license music reels and has developed the brand identity 'Journeys Into Sound' which will be serviced regularly to our creative media database. Apace Music's catalogue currently enjoys a very broad range of widespread media usage within the global arena.
Benstar has also been working alongside rapidly emerging UK production company Steadfast TV to music supervise and fulfill their soundtracking needs, whether it be music from within the existing Apace owned catalogue or through newly commissioned works from our roster of highly skilled producers and artists.
Recently supervised music requirements for a varied selection of programmes including Send In The Dogs(ITV 1), Virgin Cops (Virgin Media), Doctors At War and Salvage Code Red (Discovery/National Geographic).
Apace Media Plc
Hugh Welchman, MD BreakThru Films
Project: BreakThru Films (London)
Benstar acted as a music consultant to Oscar winning British independent film company BreakThru Films for a period of 15 months between 2006 and 2007. The brief included sourcing potential music for a sound and music orientated film project which is yet to be released. Benstar was also responsible for advising on all music related issues alongside developing branding, licensing & sponsorship opportunities for the multi platform release of all music content, including mobile, digital and physical.
BreakThru Films is a UK based production company with very eclectic credits, from animation to live action.
'Peter & the Wolf', a 2006 stop motion animation film has most recently been awarded the Oscar for 'Best Animated Short Film' at the 2008 ceremony in Los Angeles. It was premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in September 2006. Since then it has won 4 other prestigious awards including Rose d’Or, Annecy and Pulcinella plus a BAFTA nomination, it has sold out concert halls worldwide with its live orchestral screenings, and been released on television and DVD in selected territories across Europe and Asia.
Managing Director, Hugh Welchman was Associate Producer on 'Free Jimmy' which was the closing film in the Critics’ Fortnight at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and has won a Cristal Award for best animation at the Annecy Festival.
The company also recently produced the visual effects for the $18 million Oscar winning Edith Piaf biopic 'La Vie En Rose' and is currently producing several new live action features.
BreakThru Films
Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL
Project: Junkie XL - Sky Sports
Benstar worked as a consultant for the artist and his management company in Los Angeles, under the brief of finding strategic music placement opportunities for the introspective, rock-influenced album 'Today' which was released in 2006 by Roadrunner Records.
A synchronization opportunity was identified by Benstar with Sky Sports Television (UK) and their weekly live coverage of the 'Guinness' sponsored rugby union internationals. A two year 'main title' licensing deal was negotiated and put in place for the track 'Mushroom' which was taken from the above mentioned album and has subsequently been renewed for an additional period. (please see 'title sequence' clip in the player to your right)
Ben's relationship with the artist and his management goes back to 1998 when he was the A&R responsible for signing Junkie XL to Manifesto Records in the UK for the album 'Big Sounds Of The Drags' which included the critically acclaimed single 'Zerotonine'.
Junkie XL
Lol Hammond, Music Supervisor Vertigo Films
Project: IAGPT - Vertigo Films
During a very successful spell as A&R manager for Positiva Records (the dance music division of parent company EMI), Ben was responsible for signing and negotiating a music licensing deal between leading British independent company Vertigo Films and EMI Records. This deal included acquiring the worldwide soundtrack rights to the critically acclaimed cult movie 'It's All Gone Pete Tong' which starred Paul Kaye in the lead role as the legendary DJ Frankie Wilde.
The ‘mockumentary’ follows a period in Frankie Wilde’s exceptional life, as he deals with the highs and lows of his superstar DJ career which is unfortunately cut short by his profound deafness. The film shows Wilde’s rise and fall and rise again and we’re treated to plenty of well-known cameos from within the global DJ community, including Paul van Dyk, Tiesto, Pete Tong and Carl Cox plus many more. Not only does the film feature some of the biggest and brightest dance tracks to have hit the dancefloor in recent years but it also includes exclusive tracks and remixes from across the musical spectrum, that truly reflect this roller coaster ride of a film.
Ben was 'executive album producer' on the project and was responsible for conceptualizing the entire soundtrack release, from compiling, mixing and producing (with assistance from Canadian born production partner and recording artist James Doman) through to overseeing the design, promotion and 'route to market' of the album, working closely alongside Vertigo's 'music supervisor' Lol Hammond and the film's 'director' Michael Dowse, in order to fulfill the on screen musical requirements.
The album compiled by Ben, brings together the film’s musical highlights across 2 CDs. The first disc 'DAY', highlights the more melancholic moments from the film, and opens with an exclusive Graham Massey remix of the seminal ‘Pacific State’ by 808 State (commissioned by Ben), it then takes you on a serene journey through tracks such as the classic 1930’s love song ‘Parlez Moi D’Amour’ by Lucienne Boyer, The Beta Band’s ‘Troubles’, and Goldfrapp’s awesome remake of Depeche Mode’s ‘Halo’ before finishing up with The Beach Boys’ classic ‘Good Vibrations’ and Barefoot’s unique new version of ‘White Lines’.
Disc 2 'NIGHT', moves things up a gear with an outstanding selection of Frankie Wilde’s clubbing highlights that includes anthems such as Deep Dish’s ‘Flashdance’, Shapeshifters ‘Back To Basics’, Ferry Corsten ‘Rock Your Body Rock’ and the exclusive Doublefunk feat. Frankie Wilde ‘Can You Hear Me Now’ (featuring Kaye on vocals), plus the sublime ‘Need To Feel Loved’ by Reflekt feat Delline Bass (watch the promo clip using the player to your right) and finally Orbital’s big festival favourite ‘Frenetic’.
All in all a classic soundtrack album was delivered to support this
cult British film. Please feel free to take a look at the trailer and Reflekt video clips above and also check out Vertigo's latest releases via the link below.
Vertigo Films
Jason Ellis, MD Positiva Records
Project: Positiva Records - EMI
Ben spent 5 years working as A&R Manager within this highly regarded major label music imprint between 2001 and 2006. He was responsible for signing and developing a commercial roster of artists and negotiating worldwide licensing deals, alongside managing financial budgets and having creative control over each project from signature through to release. Ben also implemented worldwide & pan European release packages and negotiated international licensing deals through a vast network of personal industry contacts.
One of his key successes included the signature and development of UK NO.1 single ‘Make Luv’ by the artist Room 5 feat Oliver Cheatham which achieved UK sales in excess of 350,000 copies and stayed at NO.1 simultaneously in sales, radio and TV airplay charts for 4 consecutive weeks. Ben was responsible for overseeing the synchronization of ‘Make Luv’ into the now legendary strategic worldwide TV ad campaign for ‘Lynx/Pulse’. He worked closely alongside BBH (London) and Unilever in order to maximize CD sales and the 'Pulse' product launch.
‘Make Luv’ was subsequently voted the inaugural winner of the ‘Best Music Exploitation’ award at the industry's prestigious Music Week Awards ceremony in 2004. (Please take a look at the promo clip in the player to your right)
During his time at the label Ben also signed and developed many other UK hit singles with combined sales of over 750,000 copies. Including Top 10 singles from Bhangra Knights vs Husan ‘Husan’ (licensed from Lowered Recordings and featured in the Peugeot 206 pan European TV ad campaign, watch the promo clip using the player to your right), Lovefreekz ‘Shine’ plus the 'Road To Perdition' sampling ‘Need To Feel Loved’ by Reflekt feat Delline Bass (see artist section) and Motorcycle’s ‘As The Rush Comes’.
Positiva Records was also voted Music Week's 'Best Dance Label' at their awards ceremony during Ben's time at the label.
Other credits include being the 'executive album producer' for the soundtrack to British independent film ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’. He signed and negotiated a licensing deal for the worldwide soundtrack rights between EMI Records and leading UK independent company Vertigo Films.
EMI subsequently went onto also release the classic 80's inspired soundtrack to the hit Vertigo film 'The Business'.
Positiva Records
Luke Neville, former Head of A&R Manifesto Records
Project: Manifesto Records - Universal
Ben was A&R Manager within this highly successful major label dance music imprint between 1998 and 2001. He was responsible for signing and developing a roster of commercial artists and producers during a 4 year period.
During his time at the label he worked alongside long-time friend and Head of A&R, Luke Neville where most notably they co-compiled and developed the globally renowned album brand ‘Café Del Mar’ which to date has sold well over 5 million copies worldwide and is still to this day considered to be the 'original and best' chill out compilation series, started in Ibiza by the legend that is Jose Padilla. Ben was an 'executive album producer' alongside Luke on Volumes 6,7 and 8.
Ben was responsible for many other major successes on the label which included seven UK Top 10 singles with combined sales in excess of 1 million copies, including York ‘On The Beach’ (Top 5), plus Yomanda ‘Synth & Strings’, David Morales ‘Needin’ U’ (twice), Rank 1 ‘Airwave’ and Progress presents The Boy Wunda ‘Everybody’ amongst others.
Ben also signed the album artist Junkie XL to the label, this was prior to JXL having the worldwide No.1 smash hit with his now classic remix of Elvis Presley's 'A Little Less Conversation'. Other Manifesto album artists worked with included Todd Terry, Byron Stingly and Karen Ramirez.
Whilst at Manifesto, Ben also implemented many worldwide and pan european release packages and has negotiated international licensing deals in order to gain the signature of some key artists and producers using a vast network of personal industry contacts. He was also jointly responsible for maximizing brand awareness for the label within the UK music market via a series of strategic 'branded' artist led events. Clients worked with include BBC R1, San Miguel and Chivas Regal.
Manifesto Records was voted ‘Dance Label Of The Year’ at the prestigious Music Week Awards ceremony in both 1998 and 2000.
Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim
Project: Polydor Records - Universal
Ben was A&R Manager for the Hi-Life music imprint within the highly successful major music label Polydor Records between 1996 and 1998.
During his time at the label he signed, developed and promoted a varied roster of artists and his major success was commissioning Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim to remix the now legendary ‘Renegade Master’ by the late great British house producer Wildchild. The result was a massive Top 3 hit single in the UK which achieved sales in excess of 350,000 copies. The record also went on to be a club and radio hit in many other territories around the world.
Ben was part of the Polydor A&R team which won the prestigious ‘Best A&R Award’ at the Music Week Awards ceremony in 1997. He was also responsible for commissioning remix packages for a diverse roster of major artists on the label including Ian Brown, Cast, Howie B, Monaco, Samantha Mumba, Boyzone and The Lighthouse Family to name just a few.
Other Hi-Life artists worked with directly whilst at the label included Kim English, Mitch Moses, DJ Angel, Lucky Monkeys (Fluke), Sian, Revival 3000 (Matthew Roberts) and BBG.