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Ben Watkins moved 14 times by the time he graduated high school. As a kid, his experiences ran the gamut from living in a fancy, gated community, to being homeless and sleeping in a 1976 Ford Monarch. He was married and had a family by the time he graduated college.
Before he turned to writing, Ben had worked more than 30 jobs ranging from plastics salesman to paralegal to soap opera stud. With such an eclectic background, it’s no wonder he has emerged as one of the most original storytellers in television.
Ben Watkins began the transition to writing with the award-winning Sundance short film Quest to Ref, which he wrote, co-directed and starred in. Soon after adapting that project into a feature screenplay for Universal, Watkins joined USA Network’s Burn Notice. He rose from staff writer to executive producer, before moving on to create the provocative Amazon Originals series, Hand of God. Watkins recently completed production on season one of Hand of God, which premiered in September.
Ben resides in El Segundo, California, with his wife and four sons.
Follow Ben on Twitter: @_benipedia_
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First published September 30, 2015.
057 – Horror Icon, Holliston Creator/Showrunner Adam Green (mp3)
056 – Bristol Boys Writer Brandon David Cole (mp3)
055 – Dark Oracle, Being Erica Creator/Showrunner Jana Sinyor (mp3)
054 – Hollywood Game Plan Author, Showrunner Training Program Director Carole Kirschner (mp3)
053 – Beyond Screenwriting Author, The Unit Writer Sterling Anderson (mp3)
052 – Carnivale, Bxx: Haunted Creator Daniel Knauf (mp3)
051 – Dancing With the Stars Producer, Reality TV Author Troy Devolld (mp3)
050 – Awake, Lone Star Creator Kyle Killen (mp3)
049 – Writing the Pilot Author William Rabkin (mp3)
048 – Manager Brandy Rivers of Gersh Agency (mp3)
047 – The Cosby Show Writer, Byte-Sized Television Author Ross Brown (mp3)
046 – Comic Toolbox Author, Married… with Children Writer John Vorhaus (mp3)
045 – Drop Dead Diva, That 70’s Show Writer & TV Script Doctor Sarah McLaughlin (mp3)
044 – Coronation Street Writer, A Family At War & Sam Creator John Finch (mp3)
043 – Writing the TV Drama Series Author, USC Professor Pamela Douglas (mp3)
042 – Weird Science, Dawson’s Creek Writer Alan Cross (mp3)
041 – The Coffee Break Screenwriter Author, On The Page instructor Pilar Alessandra (mp3)
040 – Veronica Mars, Chuck Writer Phil Klemmer (mp3)
039 – Kojak, Rockford Files Writer Eric Kaldor (mp3)
038 – Chuck, That 70’s Show Comedy Kristin Newman (mp3)
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