Ben Makinen is an American filmmaker, music producer, composer, and drummer best known for the award-winning films JazzTown (2021) and Who Killed Jazz (2022).

[3] Living in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1982, he was cast as an extra in Francis Ford Coppola’s movie The Outsiders.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 90s Makinen performed and recorded with other up-and-coming jazz musicians including Javon Jackson, Brad Leali, Pat Bianchi, and Greg Gisbert.

In addition to his work in film, Makinen is also a voting member of the Recording Academy Producers and Engineers Wing.

"[5] Makinen founded the International Modern Film Alliance (IMFA) in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak to provide resources and instruction to amateur filmmakers.