Project Creator's Name & Bio

Joe Boi is an eclectic, nostalgic Writer/Director specializing in Horror, Comedy, Action, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi films. Joe is currently engaged in writing and producing his own films, having previously worked as a P.A. in the film industry for over a decade. Joe thrives in telling stories that everyone loves to read and spices them up with original twists and turns. He does so with novelty and creativity that keeps his audiences on the tip of their toes and leaves them yearning for more. The intricately crafted plots sprinkled with unique twists that are a perfect blend of well-thought-out dialogues intertwined with deep and intrinsic characters, their emotions, and interesting situations they find themselves in are what makes Joe's stories so captivating and unique. Through his work, fueled by his drive and determination aimed at creating a masterpiece, Joe wants to present audiences with something they'll enjoy, not just for the time being, but for all the time that's going to come.

Project Name & Bio

G.I.A. A young gamer has his life fall apart, but then a mysterious app leads him to the Programmer, a man who’s waging a war against the DarkWeb, a sinister corporation hellbent on replacing mankind with machines.

Who are the people who have influenced your filmmaking?

Steven Spielberg, James, Cameron, and John Carpenter are my bigger influences for both writing and directing.

Could you share any amusing stories or incidents that happened during your process of making the project?

Since G.I.A. is a sci-fi parody screenplay, I had a marathon with all of my favorite sci-fi films. In a way that was my “research” for the script. I mashed a bunch of storylines together to see what would work and then thought about some funny scenarios that I can put characters through.

Can you describe a challenges you faced while working on this project, and how you overcame it?

It was the first genre parody I’ve written, but I have such a love of parodies like Spaceballs and Dracula: Dead and Loving it—pretty much any Mel Brooks film—so I wanted to stick it out. I think the challenge I had was making it original even as a parody because it has a stand on its own. So when I parodied certain storylines from movies I love such as “The Matrix” and “Star Wars” I kind of just said what if I did this or what if I did that and let my mind wander from there so it could be its own thing.

How can you collaborate effectively with an editor to shape the final version of your project?

G.I.A. is a feature screenplay, but if it was filmed, I’d have the editor cut the movie based on the script, using their intuition to add to, or take away as they see fit, and then we would cut it together to fine-tune it for the final product.

What was your actual budget for making this project? If you were given more resources, how would you like to proceed?

$0 because it’s a script, but if given the proper resources, I’d go all out and try to make one of the wildest comedies of our time with some hilarious life lessons sprinkles throughout the movie.

Could you please tell us what projects you are planning to work on next?

Im excited to have my newest short film “They’re Not Welcome” make the festival rounds and see where it goes. Besides that, I’m about to finish up one screenplay and dive into a new one.

Could you share with us a proud accomplishment from your creative journey?

I think that you should be proud of yourself if you’ve finished any script because that alone is a massive feet with a lot of hard work. So I’m always astonished and appreciative if anything I’ve made gets selected, let alone wins.

What are the biggest challenges of making a film today and how can the festival circuit help achieve your dream?

The biggest challenge in making a film today is you. 100% you. You have to put yourself out there. Write the story that’s in your head—all you have to do is put it down on paper and film it. When you put it in the film festival circuit, there’s a lot you can learn—what works, what doesn’t work, and what gets selected or doesn’t get selected. From there you’ll write better, film better, and direct better because of what you’ve learned along the way of putting your projects in the festival circuit

What advice do you have for individuals who aspire to become filmmakers/writers?

Embrace your passion and let it guide you. It's important to truly love what you do and stay committed to honing your craft. Take the time to learn about the art of filmmaking/writing. Study the filmmakers who’ve made your favorite films and understand the techniques they employ. If you’re able to, consider going to film school or take a creative writing courses to gain a structured understanding of the craft.

Share your experiences and suggestions for improving the Stingray International Film Festival.

First, I love the Stingray International Film Festival—it’s always an epic experience. Maybe add an emerging filmmakers spotlight— dedicate an Instagram post showcasing and promoting the works of emerging filmmakers. Provide judges’ feedback to the filmmakers for their projects.