A man with light brown hair and blue eyes wearing a gray blazer and white shirt, standing with arms crossed in a busy office with multiple computer screens and employees working in the background.

Ben De Pear

Founder and Executive Producer

Ben de Pear set up Basement Films in 2022 to make revelatory, extraordinary and memorable television. He was executive producer of the Oscar Nominated "For Sama" and led the investigations into Sri Lanka's civil war which culminated in "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields". He spent 10 years as Editor of Channel 4 News during which time the programme won an unprecedented number of awards, including 4 BAFTAs, 5 International Emmys and scores of RTS and other awards for its coverage of the war in Syria and exposés like "Cambridge Analytica Undercover". It also provoked the ire of the government with investigations into election expenses, the Brexit campaign, and by replacing Prime Minister Boris Johnson with an Ice sculpture when he refused to appear in the country's first ever political leaders' climate debate.

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Rob Macqueen

Producer and Development Producer

Rob Macqueen joined Basement Films in 2022 to produce our second film Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings. He has developed and produced numerous films for UK and international broadcasters as well as global streamers. He now handles Basement’s development slate alongside producing

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Leah Gowns

Production Manager

Leah Gowns was Employee 001 at Basement Films when it was founded in 2022, having worked with Ben de Pear during his time at Channel 4 News for almost a decade. She has a wealth of experience managing productions and teams across the globe, from organising shoots in war zones to keeping edits in check in Soho.