Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Lee.
Hi Josh, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Raised in South Korea, I moved to the U.S. for college to study business. After bouncing around different majors, picking up new hobbies, and meeting tons of people, I settled on a major that surprised even myself: advertising. Having done some photography and videography work, I thought studying advertising with an emphasis on commercial film directing would be a natural step into what I found I loved- film.
With countless mentors, guidance, and help, projects that I’ve worked on in the BYU Adlab have gone on to win dozens of national and international awards by giving voice to the unvoiced. I told stories of different cultures and experiences that aren’t commonly talked about, like a South Korean tradition honoring our ancestors, or the experiences of multi-racial and third culture people in America.
After a short stint in the advertising industry, I joined the Utah Jazz as a Brand Creative Filmmaker. Here, I’ve worked on a myriad of projects, including game-facing videos you see at Jazz games, mini-documentaries about some of the players, and commercials for some of our sponsors. The amazing creative team I’m on has just received several Emmy nominations.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to where I am has not been smooth, and I never expected it to be. Possibly my two biggest hurdles were mental health and dealing with expectations.
Switching majors in college several times was just a small indicator of how unhappy I was trying to find what was supposed to be my “life calling”. Battling deep anxiety and depression, I was able to find a community through which I could have an artistic outlet. Though the creative field offered me a place to spill my feelings and thoughts, it’s always been an uphill battle. Now, at least my legs are a bit stronger than before.
While I say “dealing with expectations”, I think that’s a euphemistic way to say battling (true AND false) stereotypes, handling unique disadvantages (and luckily advantages as well), and as cliche, as it sounds, overcoming the odds. My race, but more importantly, my culture, has been a huge topic of my life ever since I moved to the US and seemingly got my whole identity upended.
Focusing more on the relationship between my heritage and my career (ie. my network, my work, and my creativity), I saw problems unique to my race. I saw hurdles in overcoming expectations and biases held by my peers and my family. I saw a homogeneous industry in which my voice could easily be drowned. By a combination of miracles, immense support, and luck, I feel I’ve been able to navigate these issues fairly well.
From unexpected support from my family to others not only allowing me to speak but being interested in these stories of the unvoiced, to having a community that helped me raise that voice, I feel more confident than a few years ago in my ability to share stories and to connect with others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize as a narrative commercial film director, focusing on stories uncommonly told. Most of my work in that regard has been done as student spec work, and I’m currently laying the foundation to be able to tell these stories on a higher and broader level. I’m able to find pieces of life, whether in my own or in others’ that I empathize with, that aren’t well known, or commonplace, and share them in a touching story.
One of the projects I’m most proud of is my spec ad for The North Face, called “Return”. It tells a short story of a daughter honoring her recently passed mother by finding nature through a common South Korean tradition. Though a story from my own heart, it was a project that was brought to life by an insanely talented team, whose individuals put pieces of their own hearts into the final story.
This is a glimpse into what I am about, and what I mean by saying that I share voices of the unvoiced. I’ve learned a lot about myself from filming projects like the one about the multi-racial and multi-cultural experience with the primarily multi-racial and cultural teams and crew.
I’ve learned a lot about others’ experiences by being asked to help film a project about postpartum depression with an all-female team and crew. All that said, I think what sets me apart is being able to find these experiences and stories important to a minority and helping others empathize and understand them.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The film and creative industries look hard to break into. And they are! But the communities in this industry are incredibly supportive and friendly, and working hard to get into these communities is extremely gratifying. I’ve learned more about myself by writing and directing projects than I ever had before. I’ve met incredible people that have changed the way I think. In the end, we all want to share stories.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joshjlee.com
- Instagram: @Joshjoonlee
