Ben Frahm

Ben Frahm is an Assistant Professor in the Television, Radio, and Film program at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, joining in Fall 2023. He specializes in screenwriting and has held roles as an assistant teaching professor at Syracuse since 2017, with prior experience at Ithaca College, New York Film Academy, and UCLA. Frahm has significant industry ties, including script sales to Universal Studios and DreamWorks Animation, and a forthcoming book on short film structure with Save the Cat! Press (2024).

Education:

• B.S. in Human Development, Cornell University
• M.F.A. in Screenwriting, UCLA

Research & Initiatives: Focuses on screenwriting pedagogy, film narrative structure, and promoting diverse storytelling through initiatives like the BIPOC Filmmaking Award. Collaborates with industry leaders like Jeremy Garelick (American High) to develop student projects for Hulu. Also cultivated partnerships with the Oscar Micheaux Film Festival.

Professional Contributions: Served as a story consultant for DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon and adapted The Discreet Pleasures of Rejection for Warner Bros. International. His upcoming book, focusing on short film structure, builds on his role as founder of New York City writing workshops.

Affiliations: Member of the Writers Guild of America, East. Lives in Ithaca, New York with his family.