UK native Joshua Powell finds the American film industry quite agreeable. This writer/producer/director was inspired years ago when his first professional job on a Marvel film exposed him to the joys of creating behind the scenes. Dropping his early aspirations of acting for his new enthusiasm as a behind-the-scenes professional, Powell unlocked a creative well-spring that has led to him working with industry professionals from the films of his youth.
While still a young filmmaker, Joshua has already weathered the once in a lifetime experience of a complete shutdown for the film industry due to Covid and through the process found new avenues for himself and his collaborators. The artists who persevere in this industry are not only those who are talented but those whom also possess the ability to reinvent when the situation demands it (please see “silent films” and MTV for reference). A discussion with Joshua Powell is a revelation into what the modern filmmaker understands and aspires towards.
What was it about that first big budget Marvel film (Powell’s first film industry job was on Thor: Ragnarok) you worked on that inspired this path as a filmmaker?
JP: That experience, the sense of excitement and energy and being part of such a large collaborative effort, is what set me on my current path, and every creative and professional opportunity I’ve had has been a result of that first PA job. It really opened my eyes to the “behind the scenes” nature of movies and filmmaking. It was honestly quite overwhelming. The first I saw of how an artist worked behind the scenes was watching the Director of that feature film go to work.
He was so very animated in his conversations with people, and you could feel his passion for the story from across the room. Seeing that passion, and more importantly, how everyone else responded to it, and then worked together to translate it into the filmmaking process, gave me my first indication of how artists worked behind the scenes. I remember the feeling of wanting to share in that same passion, and I look for it on every project I get involved with. And on every set I’ve worked on to this day, I have seen that same passion.
Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story, a film which you served on as writer, is still in production but soon to be released. You worked with some very notable names on this film like Linda Hamilton who we all remember famously as Sarah Connor of the Terminator films and Oscar-nominated Writer/Producer John Watson. They obviously believed in you as a writer but what did you believe in so intensely concerning the characters of Chicago’s mobster days?
JP: Writing the Jack and Lou screenplay, both as an audio series (Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story is also available as a six-episode podcast starring Primetime Emmy Award Winner Lisa Kudrow as Lou Rolfe) and as a feature film, was the most memorable and rewarding work experience of my career so far. As a storyteller, writing offers the greatest sense of clarity and understating, and I feel I can clearly express myself though words on the page. It’s the one position where I feel most confident that I can hold someone (the reader’s) attention, and that confidence allows for a greater freedom of creativity.
The films and tv shows that captured my attention the most were the ones that brought history to life. Films that have gripped me with their historical interpretation include Gladiator and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and television shows like Peaky Blinders, Boardwalk Empire, and Vikings. These films and shows are connected by great storytelling, compelling characters, and detail which all came together to make their respective histories (the wild west, ancient Rome, Prohibition, Inter-war England) come alive in my imagination. They were all such tangible examples of immersive storytelling.
You have spent a fair amount of your life in different parts of Europe including England, Germany, and France. Do you think that being someone who is placed in situations where you see different perspectives from those around you has led to your ability to be such a great producer? You’ve been a producer on a number of films with a powerful message from a female perspective; films like Backlog, Phantom, and even the animated Balam. What do you feel is your strength in that context?
JP: As a producer, communication and collaboration are my greatest strengths, as they allow me to work closely with writers, directors, and other key figures to ensure that each project meets its goals and objectives. I have a deep understanding of the creative process and am able to balance the artistic vision of a project with the practical considerations of time, budget, and resources. I hope to be true renaissance man of entertainment.
Also I hope I am skilled and fortunate enough be involved in the creating and development of both TV shows and Films that bring history to life, and through that lens, explore characters and cultures that haven’t yet been portrayed on the screen. There are countless stories in through the world and history that shape who and what we are today, and I hope to one day be in a position where I can help tell them.
Your list of credits is so diverse. Do you have a favorite genre of film?
JP: Of all the genres I’ve worked in, I’ve had the most exposure to Horror. The genre is all about suspense and tension, creating an atmosphere of fear and unease for the audience, which is in all honesty, a lot of fun to work with. I enjoy using techniques like sound design, lighting, and pacing to build tension and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. But it is not the only genre I prefer to work in.
I have also worked in Crime, Drama and Action, and hope to do more of the all. Crime allows for exploration of complex moral and ethical issues, as well as the darker side of human nature, Drama offers endless possibilities for exploring the complexities of the human experience, and Action is all about excitement and spectacle, with intense, high-energy sequences that keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
Writer: Basil Thomson