By: The Don
Tiffany McDonald Bentman is the Producer and the CEO of her film company B22 Films. She is the person behind the scenes that cannot be credited enough for the substantial amount of work she has to do. From getting up early and going to bed late. Tiffany is the go-to person who deals with all the issues that arise on set. From finances to actors to film locations to working from Pre-Production to Post Production, Tiffany is on her feet all day making sure everything goes to plan and on schedule. She is not from Philly, but our rival town of Dallas. And yes, she is what we feared most in Philadelphia… A Cowboys fan! Besides that, she is devoted and with the help of her husband, she is committed to growing B22 Films and producing more films!
Read her story below and check out her films on Amazon and Vimeo. Check out their social media at the below and see teases and other awesome content!
Facebook: B22 Films
Instagram: @b22_films
Twitter: @B22Films
Interview
What is your name?
Tiffany McDonald Bentman. I go by Tiffany McDonald.
How long have you been in the entertainment industry?
22 years, up until 2016, I stopped acting. I made a decent living doing commercials and print and occasionally tv or film. My husband writes and directs so if he needs an actress for a small role, he invites me to do it.
Why did you stop acting?
There came a point where I just didn’t enjoy it and I would get nervous for some reason? I had a lot going on in my life and decided to pull the plug and focus on me instead of pleasing what the client wanted. I had to look a certain way and always be so “fake.”
And I am assuming that’s where you fell into producing?
It is. I enjoy everything pertaining to making a film. From hiring to casting, to all aspects of the production process. It’s an everyday job and I enjoy it very much.
What exactly is a Producer?
A person who is closely involved in all aspects of making a movie. I think I go beyond what I’m supposed to do but we need everything to run as smoothly as possible. And be on top of everything.
What’s a day in the life of Producer? Like what time does your day ends? I’m assuming late at night.
You are correct and it varies depending on if you’re currently in pre, post or in production. Pre is most of the day. I love pre-production and being involved in all casting and hiring. I love working with locations, hiring and just getting everything solid before the first actual production day. In production, it’s alllllllll day and night. I’m up early putting out fires, usually on the phone with issues and one of the first to leave, yet still on the phone putting out fires and dealing with issues. Post-Production is my favorite because I hand that over to Brett. I’m still involved, but I trust him with the final outcome of the film. We usually have the same thought on the final product.
What adversities have you encountered on set?
Weather issues, Actors/ Actresses issues, Location issues, Union issues, Crew members issues. For instance on 90 Feet we were scheduled to shoot a flashback of a baseball tryout on a field in pristine conditions in daylight. We showed up to a destroyed, wet field and had to postpone to a night shoot. I had to pull strings to get the city manager out there to prep the field. We actually have photos of him in slacks and dress shoes drawing lines on the field. But we got it done!
How many films/shorts/etc have you produced so far?
Three features and one short. We currently have two features in the early stages of pre-production.
What are they about?
So my first little feature I helped produce is called “The Night Before”, which is about a mom and daughter taken captive in a strange home around Halloween. We wanted to see if we could shoot a feature in less than ten days and in one location, and we did. I say “helped” because I was hired to do wardrobe and then our Art Director got sick and I took over the Art Department as well and it was crazy, but the film was bought by Redbox and is currently available on Amazon Prime.
Our short film, A Place of Madness, was another experimental film. The first for my production company, B22 films. It’s long and drawn out so we don’t show it much, although it would make a great TV series and could focus more on the development of the characters involved.
90 Feet From Home is about a troubled MLB player who returns home to confront his abusive stepfather. This movie is also based on true events and I absolutely loved working on this feature. It is available on Amazon and Vimeo and doing extremely well for a ULB feature.
Copper Bill is about two thieves who attempt to steal 80 million dollars of hidden Texas drug money from a famed ranch belonging to a dead member of the cowboy mafia. This too is a story that is kinda true but we took the main fact of the story and created a fictional story around it. This film is also available on Amazon.
I also would like to include that we love working with wrestlers. 90 Feet stars Shawn Michaels and Copper Bill stars Dustin Rhodes. No one in this area has ever cast wrestlers for major roles that involve “real acting”.
Any spoilers for your upcoming film?
Yeah, anyone interested in giving us the funds to make it?! Hahaha. But seriously, Thunderclap includes more wrestlers and Duke City includes a few Breaking Bad cast. Rewrites are still in the works for both features.And these two films will need more of a “low budget” budget in order to make movie magic.
That must be the hard part of being a Producer huh, the finance part?
It is. This is also a business of relationships.
I am assuming you fund your films out of pocket, or do you have backers?
Copper Bill and A Place of Madness were funded by B22. 90 Feet and The Night Before were funded by investors.
Tell us about B22 Films. Are you the owner?
B22 was formed in 2016 and I am the owner. B22 does not have a website, we are on FB, Instagram, and Twitter. We do everything from social media marketing to movie making.
Why did you decide to create your own studio?
I just decided to do it and I’m happy I did because if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to employ people who have this same love for this business as I do.
Wow. So do you have a steady crew that’s with you?
Yes we do. I like to bring on a new crew for certain positions, but we mostly use the same main crew.
Is there a particular genre B22 sticks to?
We seem to be on this role of Texas Landscapes and based on true events type of genres. We are open to anything if the story is good.
So I am going to guess you are based out of Texas?
Yes, In the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Oh boy, you are Philly rivals haha.
Right? Haha.
So just for fun, are you a Cowboys fan?
I am a Cowboys fan, I grew up on the Cowboys and even though they aren’t any good right now, they’re still my football team!
Have you ever been to Philly?
I haven’t but it’s on my places to visit.
Is Philly on your list of places to film in?
Will I ever film in Philly? Never say never! If the opportunity should arise, I would definitely film there.
Do you look up to someone within the film industry?
I always like to see what other filmmakers are doing. If they’re profiting, what they’re putting out there and what’s popular with the fan base. I love what BlumHouse puts out.
What originally got you into the film industry?
Living in a commercial market, my daughter, Ashlyn McEvers, signed with the same agency I did upon accident at 14. She’s now 24 but she didn’t want to do commercials she wanted to get into film and tv. When she graduated high school, she signed with my other agency in Louisiana and I moved her out to New Orleans. We both had an awesome acting coach out there as well as a good friend in the TV business. He got us into TV and that’s kinda how it started. My biggest moment was a callback for Spike Lee in the movie Oldboy. I didn’t get the role but it was a great opportunity. I guess you could say I was close!
Wow, that’s awesome! Is your daughter also trying to go into producing as well or is she sticking to acting?
She is not trying to produce but did well out in L.A. then came back and now just doing the acting stuff on the side.
Have you ever worked in the film hub of Los Angeles?
If you consider auditioning working then yes.
What other burdens have you encountered so far?
Doing this line of work is not a full-time job that anyone can rely on unless you’re union or live in a thriving market. Texas isn’t a thriving market in my opinion so having a “real” job to pay the bills is important. I wish I could do this full time but I have bills to pay.
Who is your favorite actor/actress?
I don’t really have a favorite but I like Connie Britton and Robert Downey Jr.
Do you have a favorite movie?
I have quite a few! Fifth Element, What Lies Beneath, The Help, Green Book, Silver Bullet to name a few.
What genre do you mainly like to do?
A little action, a little gore.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I see myself living in NY or a large city. Working behind the camera.
What advice do you have for other people who want to enter the entertainment industry?
I love giving advice to people who truly want to act or get into the business on any level. If you want to act, take a class with a reputable person. Move to where it’s happening, sign with a reputable SAG agency and make sure you have social media. I’ve had to learn the hard way but, my company won’t hire you for a role unless you have social media. Period.
