Marianna’s Ben Hall Releases Third Feature Film on Amazon

By: Shelia Mader

When Ben Hall walked across the stage at Marianna High School in 2009, he likely never imagined just how far his dream of filmmaking would take him. Today, the Marianna native has released his third feature film as a director, a psychological thriller titled Remote, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Hall not only directed the film, but wrote it as well.

Remote follows a remote worker in the midst of an emotional crisis who is given the opportunity to continue working while attending company-sponsored “work therapy” overseas. What unfolds is a slow-burn psychological thriller that explores the pressures of modern society, with threads of artificial intelligence woven into the story.

Ben Hall

Part of the inspiration for the film is deeply personal. A central element of the plot involves sleepwalking, something Hall says he has struggled with for most of his life. He had long wanted to build a story around that experience. Over time, he layered in other themes, including current cultural tensions and the growing role of artificial intelligence, shaping what he describes as an old-fashioned, character-driven thriller.

Before stepping behind the camera for his own projects, Hall spent two years working in production on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Being part of one of the biggest shows in the world was, he said, both exciting and steady work in an industry where consistency can be rare.

Hall’s path to this point has been marked by persistence. After graduating from Marianna High, he attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, earning a degree in filmmaking in 2013. Though he knew at just 11 years old that he wanted to become a filmmaker, the road was not easy. He has previously shared that he struggled for several months after moving to Los Angeles before landing legitimate film work.

He interned at Sony Pictures for Lynda Obst Productions while picking up various production jobs. His first solid credit came on the FX television pilot You’re the Worst. From there, he continued building his resume, eventually directing his first feature film, The Man from Outer Space, released in 2018.

In 2020, Hall released his second feature film, Night to Day, also on Amazon. That film examined how ordinary people might respond if faced with a sudden global catastrophe, focusing less on large-scale action and more on the human instinct to survive and endure. Its release coincided with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the story an unexpected layer of relevance.

Now, with Remote, Hall marks his third time at the helm of a feature film.

REMOTE - A remote worker experiencing an emotional crisis is offered the opportunity to experience "work therapy" at a remote cabin overseen by her company. Upon arriving, her condition worsens and she begins to question her company's motives.

He encourages viewers to watch the movie on Amazon Prime Video and to leave a rating and review. For the Marianna native who once dreamed of filmmaking as a child, each new release is another step in a journey that began right here at home.

Hall is married to Jessica Hall and they have one daughter, Lara. He is the son of Steve and Melissa Hall of Marianna.