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Benjamin Cowley

About

Ben started in TV more than 14 years ago where he was involved in both live and pre-recorded programs at Namibia’s one and only national broadcaster: NBC.

Fast-forward several years, he found himself in the fantastical world of TV Commercials hoping this industry to be full of excitement, glitz and glamour. Needless to say, this pre-conceived notion couldn’t be further from the truth!

The Legacy Initiative (Retro Afrika Bioscope) is Ben’s baby and it’s his responsibility to nurture it and allow it to grow to its full potential. He works closely with the original film makers, film owners and national film, video and sound archives in sourcing/locating all the old films and getting them to Cape Town to restore them and ultimately get them onto a platform where the public can view them.

I Am Driven By | Passion in what I do. Being faced with a new challenge every day and knowing that what I am doing will live on beyond me and impact the world in some way… however small it may be.

The Difference Between good And Great | In my experience, people who are good at what they do tend to be content with just that, whereas people who are great, aspire for more and strive to make a bigger impact.

A Key Talent | I believe it is to see opportunity where few people would, and to drive it to be a success – even when everyone else is saying “you’re nuts”. Don’t take no for an answer and believe in your instinct – even if it takes years, the more you are able to turn opportunities into successes, the easier it will be to convince those around you to support you when you have a “crazy” idea.

Principles I Live By | Humility, Integrity and Honesty. Don’t be afraid to dream big.

Dealing With Doubt | That is a constant in life, and I am constantly learning new ways to deal with it. There will always be those moments, but I brush them off, and just push on.

Performing At My Peak | Healthy body, healthy mind is something I live by. Finding a good balance between the two as well as family life. I surround myself with people who challenge me in every way, which keeps me on my toes so to speak. Whilst I don’t always agree, it does give me the opportunity to reflect and hone I am doing

Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | Definitely people, movies (as this is what I do) and then creative working environments.

My Future Dreams And Ambitions | I want to grow my business, using this as a vehicle to change and challenge the paradigm of what has been the status-quo in the South African film industry.

I Am Inspired By | My grandfather, a World War 2 hero – a man who did everything to help change the course of history because it was the right thing to do. Steven Spielberg as a film maker, a producer and phenomenal story teller.

The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | I’ll quote Chuck Palahnuik “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will”

Interview Questions

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The Legacy Project

Andrew Barsa is the creator of the financial wealth mindset program ‘The Inner Millionaire’. Over the years, he has associated with some of the richest and the most challenged people in the world. His biggest question was, “Why do some people become wealthy, and others do not?”. Andrew quickly eliminated the usual reasons that most […]

The Legacy Project

Valarie Kaur is a national interfaith leader, documentary filmmaker, and lawyer who centers her work around the power of storytelling. She is the founder of Groundswell at Auburn Seminary, a non-profit initiative with 100,000 members that equips people of faith in social movements. Working with students and communities, she has made award-winning films and led […]

The Legacy Project

Holmes is a co-founder of Fight for the Future. He also co-founded Miro, Open Congress, and Amara, and ran online campaigns for the Free Software Foundation. Fight for the Future is known for powerful and viral organizing campaigns that changed Internet history both nationally and globally. Faced with the passage of the Stop Online Piracy […]

The Legacy Project

It is with thanks to this dedicated author and meticulous researcher that the indigenous South African Nguni cattle, their widely patterned and multi-coloured hides and the poetry surrounding their Zulu naming, have been recorded for posterity in a beautifully crafted coffee table book following a doctoral thesis. Dr Marguerite Poland is revered for, inter alia, […]

The Legacy Project

Alex graduated from Hampshire College in 2006 with a BA in Development Economics, shortly after founding Working Villages International in 2005. Having traveled throughout sub-Saharan Africa, he decided to help farmers in the Ruzizi Valley region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has been working on development in that region ever since. He has […]

The Legacy Project

Jon Mooallem is a a contributing writer at New York Times Magazine and writer at large for Pop-Up Magazine. Jon is also the author of American Hippopotamus and Wild Ones. Jon Mooallem Definition Of Success | I used to conflate success with impressing people and accumulating little tokens of prestige. Now, I see success in […]

The Legacy Project

Gayathri Ramprasad is the Founder and President of ASHA International a non-profit organization promoting personal, organizational, and community wellness. And, the author of Shadows in the Sun: Healing from Depression and Finding the Light Within. Her successful battle in overcoming life-threatening mental illness and her amazing recovery taught her the power of hope and holistic […]

The Legacy Project

Mike Ruiz is a world renowned celebrity and fashion photographer, director, television personality, former model, spokesperson, creative director, and actor working with an impressive list of clients including beauty and fashion brands like L’Oreal, Schick, Dark and Lovely and Garnier along with a host of A-list celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Betty White, Katy Perry, and […]

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