Meet Josh Seven

We recently connected with Josh Seven and have shared our conversation below.

Josh, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

As a filmmaker, I am partial to horror – fantasy, science fiction and animation. However, one of the challenges I faced was convincing potential collaborators of the viability of presenting these genres in front of an audience and their potential to stand out amongst the crowd on their own merits.

So I chose to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. If per chance I had to convince potential investors of my capabilities and talents as a filmmaker, I had to have a project which would be attractive to interested distributors to make them want to pick it up quickly.

I looked at the experiences of other filmmakers who had to pursue such a choice before being renowned as the established names and reputations they are widely known for in the present. Studying their earliest entries, I realized a core thread and fabric they chose to weave into their narrative tapestries.

This convinced me to use some of my concepts and pivot them into high concept thrillers thematically and allegorically, thus making them more budget friendly for those who wanted to put their faith and conviction in me monetarily.

By giving myself that latitude, I have been able to write contained stories which can be developed and produced easily while engaging the audience with its taut pacing and chronic respect. This has given me far greater space to expand my skills and abilities into different genres and domains.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an Indian filmmaker who is deeply inspired by Hollywood films. My focus is to marry Eastern Sensibilities and Styles with Western Storytelling Methodologies. I write and develop stories which are personal in their execution and universal in their reach.



My goal is to engage the audience and create a space whereby shared viewing results in shared experiences thus expanding the space for empathy and dialogue across different cultures. I look forward to the day I welcome you all, with anticipation and excitement, to present my movies in front of you.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Tenacity, Perseverance and Luck. While a solid training and foundation is exceptionally important, utilizing them and applying them in the real world requires a whole different approach and thinking. Learning from experience is gaining from experience.

I once had a conversation with my directing teacher where we discussed an allegory. Suppose I was taught how to sculpt a sculpture at a premium school, at best all I will internalize is the ability to use a hammer and a chisel with the correct techniques and methodologies.



However, it’ll be my experiences and understandings of life which will inform and inspire me to create the sculpture which I envision and make that dream into a reality. This is where being tenacious and having perseverance are incredibly handy.



After I finished film school, a lot of the work I got on sets was simply by showing up. I met someone who invited me to work on their set where I connected with other collaborators who invited me to their sets where I met even more collaborators who invited me to even more and so on and so forth.


I also read an interesting quote about the need to increase the surface area for generating luck as luck is a talent which also needs to be cultivated. What this means, is that in our industry like every other, networking is exceptionally important.

By knowing more people to collaborate with, I increase the probability for opportunities to arrive at my end as more people will either end up engaging my services or refer me to others for their projects. This will improve the chances for me to get hired.



So all of the experience and profile I have gained and established over the years will make me ready, for when the right opportunities come along. This way, I am able to adhere to the old saying that luck is preparation meets opportunity. Hence tenacity, perseverance and luck.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Ideal collaborators would be those who are able to balance the artistic merits with the economic potential of the filmmaking venture. Visionaries who are willing to embrace, ideate, innovate and reinvent the medium while opening new areas and opportunities for engaging dialogue and generating conversations will be welcome on this path alongside me.

So if you are influenced by the possibility and motivation of binding independent sensibilities with high concept and stylistic storytelling, I am interested in getting to know you. The easiest manner to contact me is through my linkedin profile.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vimeo.com/joshseven
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshseven1/