Josh Litman

Last updated
Josh Litman
Litman at HollyShorts 2023 (closeup).jpg
Litman at HollyShorts 2023
Born (1989-01-05) January 5, 1989 (age 35)
London, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian, American
Occupation(s)Writer, Director

Josh Litman (born January 5, 1989) is a Canadian/American writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. His films regularly blend dark comedy with heartfelt drama, often incorporating psychological themes. [1] [2]

Contents

Life and career

Born in London, Ontario, Canada, Litman has a diverse educational background with an MFA in Film and Television Production from USC's School of Cinematic Arts and a BA in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience from Western University. [3] [4] He is the founder of Action Potential Productions, under which he has produced an extensive portfolio of over 40 films, plays, music videos, and two seasons of a web-based TV series. [5] He also co-hosts the long-running podcast Adulthood Friends alongside Aya Ishai. [6]

In 2017, Litman co-wrote Actors Anonymous, the feature film adaptation of James Franco's novel of the same name (Actors Anonymous), starring James Franco, Eric Roberts, Emma Rigby, Scott Haze, Carmen Argenziano, and Horatio Sanz. [7] The film, which was produced by Rabbit Bandini Productions in conjunction with USC, [8] screened at Cinequest [9] and the Newport Beach Film Festival. [10]

Active Shooter , a 2017 dramatic short film co-produced and co-written by Litman alongside Jacob J. Tanenbaum, garnered widespread attention after going viral on YouTube with over 12 million views. [11] The film, about a father who suspects his son is the shooter on the day of a school shooting, made its premiere at the 2018 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea [12] [13] and won the Social Awareness Award at the 2018 Silver State Film Festival.

Litman also wrote and produced 2017’s Point and Dream about a little girl who believes she has the power to solve homelessness. [14] Directed by Lost in the Stars filmmaker Rui Cui and produced in partnership with Alibaba Pictures, the Pasadena Community Foundation, and the nonprofit Union Station Homeless Services, the film sought to cast a spotlight on the homelessness crisis, winning the Silver Prize at the Big Heart Small Film competition. [15]

In 2018, Litman's USC thesis film, Last Dance, a darkly comedic neo-noir revenge thriller, screened at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. [16]

In 2020, Litman directed the official music video for Grammy-nominated pianist/singer-songwriter Nomi Abadi's single, Animals. [17]

The following year, Litman's feature anthology film, The Cluster B Quadrilogy, screened at the Forest City Film Festival. [18] [19] [20] It subsequently released on Tubi, [21] Plex, [22] Amazon Prime Video [23] , and other streaming platforms. [24]

In 2023, Litman's Super 16mm short film, Therapists, screened at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, [25] HollyShorts Film Festival, [26] and Forest City Film Festival. [27]

Screenplay selections and awards

Litman's screenwriting has been acknowledged in several prestigious script competitions. His feature script, Impaled: A Love Story, was a semi-finalist at the 2021 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, [28] 2021 Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest, [29] and a finalist at the 2021 Script Pipeline Screenwriting Competition. [30] [31]

His feature script, The Triangular Theory of Love, was a semi-finalist at the 2022 Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest. [32] His feature scripts, Active Shooter (co-written with Jacob J. Tanenbaum) and Blink, were both second-rounders at the 2023 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. [33] Active Shooter was also a quarter-finalist at the 2021 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. [28]

Other media

In 2019, Litman published his first book of poetry , Exploding Glass Staircase. [34]

Exploding Glass Staircase (2019) Exploding Glass Staircase - cover art (FINAL).jpg
Exploding Glass Staircase (2019)

Litman maintains an active YouTube channel under the banner of Action Potential Productions with over 85,000 subscribers and millions of views, engaging a wide audience with his creative content. [35]

Filmography

Feature films

YearTitleWriterDirectorProducerNoteRef.
2017 Actors Anonymous YesNoNoco-written; directed by Juel Taylor and 11 others
2021 The Cluster B Quadrilogy YesYesYes4-film anthology (Psychopath for a Day, Borderline Bill, Attention Whore, & Nick the Narcissist)

Short films

YearTitleWriterDirectorProducerNoteRef.
2011Death by Hot WingsYesYesYes [36] [37] [38]
ElevatorYesYesYes
2012Balls DeepYesYesYes
Isaac's ShoesYesYesYes
Sweet GirlsYesYesYes
Red LightYesYesYes
The Life of Coco ChanelNoYesYes
GenoveseNoNoYes
All Alone_TogetherNoNoYes
2013The Cookie MonsterYesYesNo
Psychopath for a DayYesYesYes3+ million views on YouTube
Three Point ConvergenceYesYesYesco-written/co-directed
EdgarNoNoYes
2014Breaking Up With CeliaYesYesYes
The SuitYesYesYes
A Case of PyrophiliaYesYesYes
The Birthday GirlYesYesYes
After RachelYesYesYes
2015Milk and AmmoniaYesNoNodirected by Randolph Zaini
Beijing BluesYesYesYesco-written/co-directed with Rui Cui
Father Knows BestYesNoNodirected by Rui Cui
The Socratic IronyNoYesYesco-directed
OutNoNoYes
2016Beef JellyYesYesYesco-written/co-directed
2017Active ShooterYes (Story)NoYesco-written (story); 12+ million views on YouTube
The Priest, the Whore, and the Man at the DoorYesYesYes100,000+ views on YouTube
Last DanceYesYesNoUSC thesis film
Free ChoiceYesNoNodirected by Rui Cui
Point and DreamYesNoYesdirected by Rui Cui
2018Nick the NarcissistYesYesYes400,000+ views on YouTube
Borderline BillYesYesYes
2019Attention WhoreYesYesYes
Andy AspergerNoYesYes
2020The Sound of a PaintingYesYesYesco-written/co-directed
2022TherapistsYesYesYes
TBDF MinorYesYesYes

Music videos

YearTitleArtistRef.
2015Swing of Your KissTam Duong [36] [37] [39]
2020Animals Nomi Abadi

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