Joel has always had a passion for film, starting when he was very
young. Driven by the desire to work in Hollywood movies, Joel finished
high school and started college at age 16. While most of his friends
were taking their high school exams, Joel was walking across the stage
at 18 with his Associates of Science. Two years later, after attending
East Tennessee State University, Joel received his Bachelors of Science
in Digital Media with an emphasis in visual effects. Four short weeks
later, Joel had moved from Tennessee to Los Angeles, California, to
work in the film industry, starting work for Luma Pictures at age 20.
At age 22, Joel left Luma to start his own VFX house, Studio229, where
he hopes to empower the next generation of filmmakers with stunning
visual effects.
Joel plays many instruments, having a natural ability to pick up new things quickly. His favorite instrument to play is his 8-string acoustic/electric ukulele.
Los Angeles, California
While Joel works in film, his first and greatest love is photography.