Biography
A native of Los Angeles, Josh Eisenstadt is a UCLA graduate. While maintaining high grades in his university studies, he began work on a screenplay and raising start-up capital. The result was his first feature film, the super low budget production, Specter's Rock. Two years later Josh expanded what had originally been planned as a short film into a second low budget feature, Red Lightning.
In addition to screenwriting and directing, Josh has learned first hand every aspect of film making from lighting, color correction, editing and sound design. His talents were an integral part of DVD extras for both Season One and the Season Two of the David Lynch groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks as well as the DVD extras on the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. By 2005, Josh was eager to shoot on 35mm film.
He had written a screenplay for a psychological thriller -- Untitled Desert Project -- and set out to film the opening scene to serve as a part of his fund-raising package. With the help and encouragement of ASC cinematographer Ron Garcia (Numb3rs, Twin Peaks), he put together a cast and crew for a seven-minute short film - the opening scene --entitled Inner Balance The film stars Dana Ashbrook (Twin Peaks, Deadwood, Dawson's Creek) and David Schroeder (Mulholland Drive, Simon & Simon, Falconcrest) and was shot on a sound stage in Los Angeles in the fall of 2005. Eric Steelberg (DP - 2006 Sundance Grand Jury Winner Quinceañera and Academy Award nominees Juno, the new Baywatch movie and Up In The Air) was the cinematographer. While working on Inner Balance, an opportunity arose to put together a horror film. Josh met Aaron Pope, a screenwriter with a host of produced films under his belt including Raven, The Boston Strangler, Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders, Speck and Vampire Clan. The two of them meshed instantly and two months later, the script for Dark Reel was complete. In July 2006, Josh had financial backing for his feature with pre-production in full swing by the late summer of 2006. Dark Reel was shot in Los Angeles in the winter of 2006-2007 starring Edward Furlong, Emmy nominated Lance Henriksen, Tony Todd of Candyman fame, Tiffany Shepis. Mercedes McNab with a cameo by seven time Oscar winner Rick Baker. The film screened at variety of film festivals in the US and abroad throughout 2008 and 2009 garnering several awards along the way. The film screened for international buyers at the 2008 Cannes Marché du Film. Dark Reel was released domestically March 10, 2009 to Hollywood Video, Blockbuster, Redbox. On Demand, Netflix among other venues. Dark Reel was also released internationally, selling to almost every territory in the world, including a limited theatrical run in Germany. It also recently received a 10 anniversary screening at the Laemmle theater in North Hollywood.
After a stint producing some films, Josh next completed his latest 35MM feature, Spreading Darkness which he directed starring Oscar nominated Eric Roberts, John Savage, James Duval, Dominique Swain, Irene Bedard, Musetta Vander, Louis Mandylor and Robert Davi. The film was shot by cinematographer Will Barratt of Hatchet fame and edited by Duwayne Dunham, the editor of Return of The Jedi, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks The Return and Wild At Heart. The film had it's premiere as part of the prestigious USC film school program and was distributed to stores every where such as all the Wal-Marts, Family Videos, among other stores plus VOD and online streaming sites. It's being sold in several other countries by a top sales agency.
