Benjamin F. Barnett

Benjamin is the founder (1997) of the Media Bureau Network (MBN), one of the first original content networks on the internet, where they produce original content and digital strategy for film, media, and politics. MBN has produced and programmed more than 1,000 events as a Producer, Creative Director, Director, Editor, DP, Technologist, and have played other business and creative roles on many independent films, music videos, and digital strategy campaigns since its founding.

In 2008, Benjamin founded the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival (#PIFF #PIFFfilms) to enable the crossroads of storytelling and technology and has been the Festival Director since its inception. The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival is a curated annual film and tech discussion (underground film forum) during Philadelphia Tech Week. The festival discovers independent cinema and discusses/innovates at the crossroads of art and filmmaking. The festival is located at piffFilms.tv and is celebrating its 17th anniversary in 2024.

Among other achievements, Benjamin produced Philadelphia, PA's (USA) first Live political webcasts (1999); Produced bilingual original internet programming, LIVE and on-demand, during the 2000 RNC and DNC conventions; co-created a film soundtrack with Schoolly D, JayD Clark, and Chuck Treece (Order of the Quest); produced live streaming and in-studio events in the MBN studios including Walter Schreifels, Orquesta Lucena, Transonic Band (WHYY), Chuck Treece, Rich Medina, Karl Denson, Curt Chambers, The Kosherican, DJ Cozmic Cat, DJ Lorne, DJ Spooky, Philly Fringe Festival, Galactic, Milk Toast, PRSguitars, and many others. Benjamin Directed the DVD/Short (15min) RealTime Documentary film, Searching for Sister Gertrude Morgan, which screened in Museums in the United States and all over the world as part of the live performance and band, King Britt Presents Sister Gertrude Morgan.