Dark Reel Productions, LLC

Josh Eisenstadt [director]

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 no-budget video production, SPECTER’S ROCK. Two years later Josh expanded what had originally been planned as a short film into a second no-budget feature titled RED LIGHTING. Josh looks at these two bare bones moviemaking experiments as his film school. In addition to screenwriting and directing, Josh has learned first hand every aspect of filmmaking 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 (Numbers, 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 2007 Academy Award winning Best Film nominee “Juno”) was the cinematographer. Josh is currently in development on this feature. He plans to film next year on location in either New Mexico or Arizona. 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 (2006), Taphephobia (2006), The Boston Strangler (2006), Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders (2006), Air Marshal (2003) Speck (2002) And Vampire Clan (2002). The two of them meshed instantly and two months later, the script for DARK REEL was complete. In July 2006, Josh met producer, DAVID FORLINE. By late August they had financial backing for their joint venture with pre-production in full swing by late summer of 2006. DARK REEL, was shot in Los Angeles in the fall-winter of 2006-2007. Less than a year later, in November of 2007, the first screening for cast and crew took place. In addition to film, Josh is a history buff with a special interest in the JFK assassination. He has a complete library of related material including the entire 26 volumes of the Warren Commission Report along with an actual piece of the "picket fence" from the fabled "Grassy Knoll. Josh resides in Los Angeles. DIRECTOR FILMOGRAPHY: Specter’s Rock 2002 Red Lightning 2004 Inner Balance 2006 Dark Reel 2007