[ JOSHUA AKIN ]

BIOGRAPHY

[ JOSHUA AKIN ]

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FILMMAKER

WRITER / DIRECTOR / EDITOR

Joshua Akin is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker currently earning his MFA in Film & TV Production at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

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Recently, Joshua directed the rock and roll dark comedy JURASSIC PUNK, one of a select group of shorts funded by USC's graduate film program, and he co-directed the 2020 Portland Film Festival selection SIGNS + WONDERS with AFI DWW alum Em Weinstein. In addition to writing and directing, he is a seasoned editor, having cut the 2020 BAFTA Student Award Shortlist-honoree DRIVEN, the Caucus Foundation TV Award-recipient SIDE EFFECTS and CLARINS X FEED, a short documentary produced by Keely Shaye Brosnan.

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Originally from rural Georgia, Joshua received a BFA in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After a brief career in acting, he discovered his true passion when venturing behind the camera to write and direct experimental shorts. Expanding to more narrative-based projects, he has sought to mine his arthouse interests to tell dynamic genre-bending stories, often combining elements of dark comedy and psychological drama.

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As a precursor to directing JURASSIC PUNK, Joshua has played guitar in rock bands since he was thirteen. As an actor, he had the honor of starring in an NYU production of HAMLET and shared the Stonestreet Studios Outstanding Film Actor award with Miles Teller.

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Joshua is the founder of Animal Brain Productions and a frequent collaborator at Peace Love Dope Films, a diverse filmmaking collective spotlighting underrepresented voices.