Basement Films was set up by Ben de Pear in 2022 to make extraordinary and memorable films with the worlds best filmmakers and storytellers. Drawing on decades of award winning journalism, we seek to make films that move and change the world. We have now produced 8 documentaries which have won numerous awards including EMMY, BAFTA, Peabody, Broadcast, Press Gazette British Journalism, One World Media, Amnesty Media, and Rory Peck Impact awards. We’re in production on 5 projects due to be released in 2026 including two feature documentaries and a 4 part series for a global streamer - Watch this space!
Our Team
Ben de Pear
Ben de Pear worked for over 3 decades at the top of broadcast news, working as the editor of Channel 4 News for over a decade 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. 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".
Founder and Executive Producer
Robert Macqueen
Rob joined Basement Films in 2022 to produce our second film Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings. He has produced a range of documentaries on global stories from investigative news and current affairs, archive driven history and sport, to feature length projects - including Basement’s two films on Gaza; Kill Zone: Inside Gaza (2024) and Gaza: Doctors Under Attack (2025). He handles Basement’s development slate alongside producing.
Producer and Development Producer
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.
Production ManagerLeah Gowns
Line Producer
Jenny Smith
Jenny is Basement Films’ newest hire bringing years of experience managing all kinds of productions; from broadcast television to feature documentaries to high-end series for major streamers.