ALS
United
ALS UNITED I PATIENT FILMS
This ongoing series, produced with BBDO NY, shares raw, first-person stories from people living with ALS. These films aren't just made for online viewing, they're made to be felt in live rooms with large audiences..The response is immediate: tears, ovations, people on their feet. It's those moments of connection that move people to action. The series has helped raise millions, shift perceptions, and build momentum toward a cure.
ALS doesn’t discriminate by age, race, gender, power or wealth. It can strike anyone, anytime. Each film is a candid portrait of a person, their character, their passions and the people who love them. Rooted in both vulnerability and strength, these stories offer an unflinching reflection of our shared humanity.
Hopefully the final film isn’t far off and will mark a future without ALS.
AGENCY BBDO NEW YORK
NO BS ABOUT HS I PATIENT STORIES
Created for Humira's NO BS ABOUT HS campaign, this series highlights the painful and often misunderstood condition Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). Told in their own voices, Tara, Sterling, and Kerry share powerful, unflinching testimony about the emotional and physical toll of living with HS. Each story pushes past stigma with honesty and clarity.
To bring the message into the physical world, the “HS BS” logo was 3D-printed as a physical object they could hold, confront, and throw. The act turned frustration into bold and visible moments of empowerment and defiance.
AGENCY | PUBLICIS NY & DIGITAS PHILLY
JUANITA'S STORY I LIVING WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
This is Juanita's story of courage and self-advocacy. Created for Enhertu, she shares her experience with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. From initial fear and the shock of a stage four diagnosis, she finds strength through education and connection.
As a mother determined to keep moving forward for her family, she offers practical strategies for navigating treatment and daily life. She encourages others to educate themselves about their condition, prepare questions for their doctors, plan strategically around treatments, and join supportive patient communities.
AGENCY | FCB HEALTH NEW YORK
BRAVING NEUROBLASTOMA | DEVON AND LEAH STILL
Devon Still built his reputation in the NFL with grit and power, yet nothing prepared him for the fight he and his daughter Leah would face when she was diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma.
Created with FCB Health, this film follows their journey from a 50/50 prognosis through experimental treatment and into survivorship. Devon and Leah share their story to offer strength, clarity, and compassion to families facing childhood cancer."
AGENCY | FCB HEALTH NEW YORK
OZARKA NESTLE WATER | YELLOWHAMMERS BAND
This short film for Ozarka Water celebrates the healthy connections, traditions, and hydration that keep a community strong. Set in Rotan, a small West Texas town where everybody does everything, this is a fast-moving heartfelt look at the Yellowhammer Marching Band. In a place where football is king, it’s the band that brings the town together, keeps tradition alive, and reminds us that greatness is about stepping up and showing up.
AGENCY | FCB NEW YORK
Foundation
AARP FOUNDATION I OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Created for AARP Foundation’s campaign supporting older adults facing poverty, hunger, and isolation, this awareness piece highlights the often unseen struggles of millions. It shows how support, dignity, and connection can change lives. Working with Maya Angelou as narrator was an honor. Her voice brought warmth, gravity, and moral clarity to the story. Through real testimony and her unmistakable presence, the film moves from quiet hardship to a powerful message of resilience and hope.
AGENCY GREY NEW YORK
Healthcare productions carry a different kind of weight. The stakes are high, the stories are personal and the emotions are real.
I work with agencies and brands to deliver soulful stories that are clear, grounded, visually rich, and true. Some have won awards. Some have helped raise millions in funding. But all are crafted to land their message in that quiet moment when the viewer sees a reflection of their own story and says, “That’s my patient,” “That’s someone I love,” or “That’s me.”
I love helping people express their passion and vulnerability on camera. Experience has only deepened the responsibility I feel when someone opens up and trusts me with their story. What we discover together isn’t always heavy. It can be funny, quiet, raw, or reflective. But when it’s real, it connects. That’s how we break through. With honesty. With a sense of what’s possible.
Every brief is unique. I love finding what makes a story connect beyond the typical and expected beats. Over time, I’ve learned that no matter the challenge, whether stylistic, regulatory, logistical, or emotional, the goal is always the same: cut through the noise, earn attention, and help the person who finds this work in a moment of need, curiosity or uncertainty, see themselves in the story and know they’re not the only one.
BEN STARKMAN
Director | DP
646-456-0312
benstarkman@gmail.com
Brands, corporations and Agencies include: Humira, Enhertu, Premarin, Unisom, Xyntha, Bystolic, Invega Sustenna, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, J&J, Wyeth, United Therapeutics, ALS United, Columbia Presbyterian, AARP, BBDO, FCB Health, Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Juice Pharma, Digitas Health, Grey, Publicis, St. Davids Foundation.