Ross Ashcroft

Ross Ashcroft
Born (1977-10-03) 3 October 1977 Liverpool, United Kingdom
Residence London, United Kingdom
Nationality British
Education St David's College, Llandudno, Royal Agricultural University
Occupation Businessman, Filmmaker, Broadcaster
Known for Writer & Director of Four Horsemen (film), Co-Author of 'Four Horsemen: The Survival Guide', Host of the 'Renegade Economist Show'

Ross Ashcroft is a British filmmaker, broadcaster and businessman. He is the host of the Renegade Economist show.[1]

Early life and education

Ashcroft was born in Liverpool and grew up in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. He attended St David's College, Llandudno and graduated from Royal Agricultural University with a Bachelor of Science in Land Management.[2]

Career

Early work

Ashcroft worked briefly with the BBC and then went on to work at Everyman and Playhouse Youth Theatre in Liverpool as an Assistant Director. In 2002 he was Assistant Director for the The New Shakespeare Company's 2002 season at Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park working on Romeo & Juliet/ As You Like It/ Oh What a Lovely War with Benedict Cumberbatch. Working with ACT Productions in London's West End his final Assistant Director role was on August Strindberg's play 'Dance of Death' in 2003 with Ian McKellen, Frances de la Tour and Owen Teale.[3]

As a stand-up comedian he gained acclaim as a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year 2009. He won the Comedy Café New Act Award 2007 and was semi-finalist of So You Think You're Funny 2007.[4]

Motherlode

In 2007 he co-founded the London-based production and strategy house Motherlode.[5] In 2009 Motherlode established an in-house brand 'Renegade Economist', as a response to mainstream economics and economist's failure to adequately explain the 2008 financial crisis.

In 2012 his directorial debut film Four Horsemen (film) premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

Four Horsemen

Main article: Four Horsemen (film)

As a director/writer, Ashcroft's documentary feature Four Horsemen[6] premiered at IDFA in Amsterdam in the competition category 'First Appearance'. It was also nominated for the Oxfam Global Justice Award. The film won 'Best International Documentary' at the Galway Film Fleadh and 'Best International Film' at the Tehran Film Festival.

For film features 23 international thinkers including Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, Prof Noam Chomsky, Gillian Tett, Ha-Joon Chang, Prof. Michael Hudson, Lawrence Wilkerson, Satish Kumar, Prof. Herman Daly and John Perkins.

The film fundamentally attacks neoclassical economics and asks why the neoclassical ideology, after such systemic failure, is still taught in almost all universities today.

Reception

Cinesthesiac says that Ashcroft "…may be the first documentarist working in this field to elicit viable solutions from his interviewees, rather than baleful shrugs: you can't fail to emerge better informed, and better prepared to make the kinds of changes and perception shifts we need to make if we are to move forward from here."[7]

Screen International says "The refreshing thing about this film is that Ross Ashcroft also takes the viewer on a broader journey, linking in terrorism, global warming and poverty along with world finances to present a troubling picture of the world today."[8]

Renegade Inc

Renegade Inc is a digital platform to make complex economic, business and educational questions understandable to a broader audience.

Renegade Inc contributors outline new business thinking, effective management and creative leadership.

Meet the Renegades highlights entrepreneurs, leaders, educators and businesses who are successful on their own terms and are re-writing the rules.

Books

In 2012 the book 'Four Horsemen: The Survival Manual' was published which Ashcroft co-wrote with Mark Braund. It was the accompanying book to the documentary 'Four Horsemen'.[9]

Personal life

Ashcroft is married and lives in London. He is a keen cricketer.

References

  1. ↑ "Renegade Economist". Renegade Economist. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  2. ↑ "About". Ross Ashcroft. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  3. ↑ "Dance of Death". Ian McKellen. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  4. ↑ "Ross Ashcroft". Comedy CV. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  5. ↑ "Motherlode". Motherlode. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  6. ↑ "Four Horsemen". IMDB. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  7. ↑ "Apocalypse now?: "Four Horsemen"". Cinésthesia. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  8. ↑ "Four Horsemen". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  9. ↑ "Four Horsemen: The Survival Guide". Amazon. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
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