Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Cliatt.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Born in Atlanta and raised in Stockbridge. I always wanted to be in the entertainment industry at first, being a singer; however, when I was 12 or so, I was recommended to get special training at John Robert Powers (which is sort of like a boot camp for anyone inspired to be in the entertainment industry) that allowed me to expand my horizons and eventually, I wanted to not only sing but act and model. Once I completed the training I and my manager, who was my mom at the time, went to this expo called iPOP that could help you get “discovered.” I didn’t get discovered, but that didn’t stop, over the next couple of years, I continued training at another boot camp called John Casablancas, went to more industry entertainment expos, and partook in community and school theater. I got to the point where I figured my dreams weren’t possible and quit, by that time I was beginning my college life at Savannah State University in Savannah, GA, where I sought to become a publicist.
However, I wasn’t happy with that life and as the streets call for some people, performing arts still called out to me. I ended up switching majors to Performing Arts with a concentration in Theatre. I go the best training and experiences that have helped in my career as well as got many opportunities where I went on tour for the first time with a play called “The Marie Plays” where I was the Stage Manager and the main antagonist Doctor John. I also was an extra in “Dirty Grandpa” and “The Birth of a Nation.” When working on “The Birth of a Nation” I got close to the Extras Casting Director and suggested that I could help them out and learn more about the job and industry if they needed extra assistants. They obliged and I ended up working as her assistant for the rest of the shoot. It was my first taste of working behind the camera on a union project and I liked it–a lot! After that experience, I kept working with them on projects over the span of 3-4 years on projects remotely here and there, as well as graduating with a B.F.A from SSU, act in several SCAD film projects and work as a reenactor for a trolley touring company. By the beginning of 2017, I made the decision to move out of Savannah and back to Atlanta, but first I wanted to write, direct, and produce my first short film, just to say I did it. And that I did but not without catching the film and television bug, I wanted to keep making films. By the end of Summer 2017, I readjusted living back in Atlanta at my parent’s house and got a call from that same casting director asking if I could come on as her physical assistant to work on this feature film called “Night School.” I learned a lot working on that film and figured extra’s casting wasn’t my thing so by the beginning of October 2017, I parted ways with that casting director and began figuring out a plan for what I wanted to do in this industry, life, and the future.
Fast forward two years, and now 26, I enrolled and was accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design at the Atlanta campus, went through a healthy breakup with my ex, hated my job, and wasn’t fulfilled, but was hungry. I set out to be one of the best writers and producers in the graduate program. Which I did become, I ended up producing over 15 projects at SCAD and in the Atlanta-Area, directed and wrote 6 of my own projects, and graduated with my M.F.A in Film and Television in June 2022, despite the craziness of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic in my eyes was a blessing post-2020, but it allowed me to take advantage of the online classes and begin working professionally again on union productions in 2021 while also attending school. But before graduating I created my best piece of work which is my graduate thesis film, “Because, I Love You” which focuses on the relationship dynamics of a black mother and child when roles have been reversed due to a terminal illness. “Because, I Love You” is currently on in film festival circuit and has won the 27th Annual Webby’s People Voice Award for Student Work, and has been featured in the 2023 Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival, and will be screened at the Regal LA Live as an official selection for The Micheaux Film Festival.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My life to others may seem as smooth as butter, but for me living it is not what it seems. Perception is funny like that. I’ve struggled most with my physical appearance and always doubted my abilities and talents, never believing I’m good enough. I have always had it harder, I just made it look easy, but inside I was dealing with depression, anxiety, and comparing myself and my abilities to others, not mention being judged by adults about my body from 12-16. But I made sure to always keep a smile on my face, therapy, and push through because I had a dream and goal, which I wanted to see through. When I was in production with “Because, I Love You,” there was almost a moment we were about to be shut down by the homeowners, the encounter taught me what racism looked like up close and how to calmly diffuse the situation, but also the extent black people have to go through in order to survive in America. Nevertheless, I made sure “Because, I Love You” was adequately made because the story needed to be told.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Honestly, I do it all. I’m a writer, director, and producer, not in that order, because it’s all interchangeable and changes in whatever season I’m in. They all serve a distinct purpose in filmmaking. But I will say this, when I write, the majority of the time I’m directing because I believe I’m the only person that can accurately breathe the life needed into my writing. No shade to the other directors that’s just my belief. As a storyteller, my biggest ambition is to create something tangible and relatable about the black experience through my experience. Now, I’m a queer filmmaker, but I don’t just subjugate myself to only making queer black content, I write it all and for all genres, however, I do subscribe more to dramas, comedies, and romance. I’m funny, compassionate, and eccentric and I make sure my writings convey that in the appropriate genres. I specialize in development to post-production, and most of the time I’m working on everything alone until pre-production where I’m crewing up, location scouting, getting equipment, and so forth. It’s a lot of work but I know it will get done under my lone supervision. I don’t know if I’m known for anything yet, but as of now, I’m known for winning a Webby’s People Voice Award for Student work and a Southeast Emmy nomination for my graduate thesis film, “Because, I Love You.”
I’d say I’m most proud of my film “Because, I Love You.” You see the story literally came out of desperation. I was creating my graduate thesis defense material and I had my feature film in mind to do. But was told, more than likely I wouldn’t be greenlit to do the feature, and my thesis defense was due in less than a week. I had to start all over, and over 3 days I wrote a full new script and a presentation for it. The rest is history. I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to observe, understand, and make sense of my emotions and that of others, which allows me to use that in my writing. Not to mention I am a trained actor so I am a performance-based director. Being that this life we all have is a journey filled with nuances, personal quirks, and characteristics that make us all uniquely different, but still connected to each other being alive together simultaneously, I make sure that I instill that in my works. I’m always experiencing life directly and indirectly, I could be having an argument with a friend, but in mind I’m also thinking of how this experience is making me feel, recording what’s being said, how it’s being said, the inflections of the conversation, the body movements, etc. I am downloading everything. Similarly, with my indirect experiences, I could be watching a couple showing their love for one another, I’m looking at the way they kiss, the way they hold hands, the way laugh, etc, again, I’m downloading it all. I take everything of this journey and connect to it, which then I put into my writing and style of directing so that it can be authentic and always relatable.
What were you like growing up?
Honestly, I was more reserved and shy growing up. I stuck with the same friends from elementary to high school. I was incredibly friendly to everyone, and it didn’t matter where you came from, sex, ethnicity, gender, or whatever, if you were cool you were cool. I also was quite nerdy and an over-achiever, I always was studying, and reading for pleasure, in the church choir, in the band in middle school, and a part of tons of clubs like 4-H Club, Student Council, French Club, D.A.R.E. and many more, I also was in Honors or AP classes, and held down a part-time job. I was your typical good kid and student, but I also was bullied, taken advantage of, in the closet, and overweight up until I was 16, so I didn’t want the smoke from anybody. I did what I had to do to survive and continue to do so. But I changed once I lost over 60lbs, I became bold, attentive, social, popular, and charming. It was my teenage glow-up. What a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.empathicxproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuabrookscliatt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.cliatt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacliatt/
Image Credits
(1) Photographer: Essence Ransome (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022) (2) Photographer: Essence Ransome (Because, I Love You Poser, Decatur, GA 2022) (3) Photographer: Erik Medina (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022), (4) Photographer: Essence Ransome (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022), (5) Photographer: Essence Ransome (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022) (6) Photographer: Nika Tabidze (Because I Love You Photoshoot, Atlanta, GA 2022), (7) Photographer: Erik Medina (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022), (8) Photographer: Essence Ransome (Because, I Love You BTS, Decatur, GA 2022)
