An Introduction
My trip to Antarctica (aka: the set of Good Luck Chuck in Vancouver)
Welcome. You've stumbled upon my blog pages. There are really only three reasons for this happening:
- You know me personally and for some unexplained and/or generous reason, you just need to hear a little bit more about me.
- You're interested in Hollywood and are hoping that I might impart a little of my limited knowledge about working in the television and film business.
- Something went drastically wrong with your Google search for pictures of Lindsay Lohan's vagina.
In the coming posts, I plan to pass on some stories about my experiences in the Hollywood trenches.
I'm sure you're asking yourself, "Why should I care about what you have to say?" I know this because my own wife asked me the same question. The difference is, she HAS to listen to me… you don't. And the honest answer is, "for no special reason."
There are a bunch of really amazing screenwriting sites out there, and I encourage you to visit all of them. Craig Mazin and John August have an excellent podcast called Script Notes that is "must listening" for all up-and-coming screenwriters.
In my own defense, I can tell you this… I have a relatively unique perspective on the movie business. I've been working professionally, carving out a healthy living, for over ten years. For a while before getting Good Luck Chuck made, I had the dubious distinction of being the "highest paid unproduced screenwriter" in Hollywood (when our Passion of the Ark spec sold). After Good Luck Chuck, I had dubious distinctions for other reasons. I've written for both television and features, live-action and animation, children's and adult programming. I have been hired as a writer of originals, rewrites, adaptations, remakes, and reality. I've sold specs and pitches. I've written for small independent projects as well as huge tent-pole event movies. I've sold multi-million dollar projects to Academy Award winning directors, and have also written New Media projects for the price of a ham sandwich. I have worked for nearly every studio and network in Hollywood. I've directed a half dozen movies (some I've written, some not), and I've had scripts on the Black List (The Spellman Files) and the Hit List (Genius). I have worked as an actor, a cinematographer, a clapper-loader (when they had clapper-loaders), a production assistant, and a producer.
You still may be asking yourself, "Why should I care about what you have to say?" If that is indeed still your question, I don't have an answer for you. Feel free to resume your search for Lindsay Lohan's vagina.
For everyone else, I'll do my best to keep things interesting.
And I'll still be here after you're done with your search.
Josh
Feel free to send questions, comments or anything else you'd like me to rant about to the email on the "Contact" page.