Our first “office” was the front porch of a Los Angeles townhouse where the name and mission of the company became clear: go Beyond The Porch in pursuit of adventures, challenges, and a global community of creatives to bring stories to life on screens big and small. In the many years since BTP was formed, we can proudly say that that dream has been realized, and then some!
Founded in 2014 and now headquartered at LA River Studios in Glassell Park, BTP produces films and live broadcasts in partnership with brands, non-profits, and private investors.
The Team
Edd Benda | Co-Founder, Director, Producer
Edd produces and directs BTP originals and branded content. He wrote and directed BTP’s debut feature film Superior, which premiered at the Dances with Films Festival and earned Best Picture awards at the East Lansing and Orlando Film Festivals. Edd then starred-in and co-directed the brand-sponsored feature documentary The Kids Table exploring the world of competitive Bridge. The film premiered at the North American Bridge Championships in Las Vegas and was an official selection at the Heartland, Orlando, and Manhattan Film Festivals. Edd has directed an award-winning series of short documentaries in partnership with U.S.VETS and the FOX Forward initiative, and his brand work includes content for Adidas, Steelite International, and the LA County Dept. of Public Health that has been recognized with multiple Gold Telly Awards and MarCom Platinum Awards. Edd has volunteered as a big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater LA for over a decade, including two years as the co-chair of their Junior Board, and he is a regular fixture at the local ice rink where he loves to play hockey year-round.
Stephen Helstad | Co-Founder, Director, Producer
As BTP’s lead content Director, Stephen has crafted their company’s aesthetic on a range of long and short-form films. With a creative emphasis on telling personal, cinematic stories, Stephen has directed branded docs for Adidas, Carmelo Anthony, and most recently Steelite International. Stephen produced and directed scripted content for Omaze, working with A-list talent such as George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson. He co-produced the narrative feature Superior with Edd Benda, which premiered at the Dances with Films Festival and went on to win Best Picture awards at the East Lansing Film Festival and Orlando Film Festival. Growing up in a small, Midwestern town, Stephen discovered directing as an outlet to express the ideas and philosophies of an angsty teenager. Over a decade later, the only thing that’s really changed is he’s now an angsty adult. Stephen is passionate about telling character-driven stories that explore aspects of the human experience in an honest way. He prides himself in having professional proficiency in all stages of production (development, production, and post) in order to craft a narrative that has been thoughtfully imagined from start to finish.
Alex Bell | Co-Founder, Producer, and Head of Physical Production
Alex is the Head of Physical Production. He has produced documentaries, live streams, commercials, and all manner of branded content for companies like Riot Games (Arcane, Valorant), Yellow Shoes (Disney Parks), NordicTrack, Lineage Digital (AdidasLA, AT&T), and The Home Depot. He helped produce 9 global E-Sports tournaments with Riot Games, which garnered two Emmy nominations. In the live production world, Alex has worked on shows including RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Ellen Show, Sunday Best (with Kirk Franklin), and a wide gamut of comedy, animation, and gaming livestreams. A charity live stream he produced featured an appearance by Jack Black and raised over $10 Million for World Central Kitchen during the 12-hour broadcast. An aviation enthusiast and lover of travel, Alex has worked in over 25 countries with highlights including fitness content in the Serengeti, a music video in Iceland, a historical documentary in Czechia, and a disaster relief campaign in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. There isn’t a cat Alex won’t pet and a song Alex won’t sing with his current-world-champion Barbershop group, The Westminster Chorus.
Iggy
Iggy recently joined the Beyond the Porch team and is food-motivated.