Today, we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Tran.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Hey! My name is Joshua Tran, and I am a freelance film writer, director, and producer in the greater New Orleans area. I grew up in Marrero, Louisiana, for the first 13 years of my life until I flew halfway across the country to attend an all-boys Catholic boarding school in Wisconsin known as St. Lawrence Seminary High School. It was here that I found my love for visual arts, thanks to my uncle, who gave me my first camera and is also a Houston native. I began my creative journey by exploring photography which then led to my discovery of filmmaking. From here, I was hooked.
I would make countless short films, vlogs, and fun videos with my friends throughout high school that fueled a creative fire and planted a seed of ambition to make Hollywood movies one day. Well, that seed has sprouted and given me six years of experience in producing short films, commercial work, music videos, and online content as well as opportunities to work as a crew member and background actor on Disney, AMC, and Netflix productions. The best part about it is that there’s still so much more room for that seed to grow!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When it comes to my journey as a creative and human being, it’s been far from a smooth road. The younger me never would have thought that simply chasing a life that I want would require so much physical, mental, and spiritual growth. But, of course, life will always be bluntly and unbiasedly honest about its reality. You see, in the beginning, I made films and took photos for personal enjoyment and fulfillment. But, over time, I began to make things solely for validation from others, and the quality of the things I created quickly started to diminish.
Consequently, the symptoms of imposter syndrome, along with years of crippling self-doubt, morphed into an overwhelming demon that I was too afraid to face. To make matters worse, this was only one of the many bags that needed to be unpacked. Soon, I found myself further from the thing I loved with each passing day, and this affected my self-esteem in ways that I couldn’t comprehend at the time. Eventually, I stopped being creative altogether and lost touch with what made me happy for a long time.
Thankfully, however, I finally decided to confront this reality, which led to a period of self-development and reflection that has molded me into a better, more honest artist and human being. Since graduating from LSU in 2022, I’ve embraced my deep-rooted fears and taken leaps of faith in myself and others. This has led me to connect and collaborate with amazing filmmakers, artists, writers, actors, and models. It’s allowed me to write, direct, and produce my first-ever short film (The Burger), which became an official selection for the 2023 COTB Film Festival.
All being said, although I am extremely proud of myself for getting to this point, there is still much work to be done as my journey is just beginning.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I feel like what sets me apart from others, and I feel as if this is true for anyone, is my perspective. I believe that our experiences shape us more than anything in our lives, more than any social group or school of thought. And this could not be more true for me.
Although I grew up in a relatively small town in the Westbank of New Orleans, my worldview was broadened through my time at St Lawrence and learning from our diverse student body. I got to know students and families from various states, cultures, backgrounds, and corners of the globe, such as Milwaukee, Chicago, Haiti, Nigeria, Mexico, South Korea, and Abu Dhabi. I also had the opportunity to travel overseas to learn from our sister school in Germany for a few weeks, which also gave me much insight and perspective as well.
What also sets me apart is my strong belief in family, personal faith, and community. I grew up part of a large, extended, and close-knit family. With well over a hundred extended relatives on both sides of my family, I am one of 5 children with both my mom and dad being the first child in their families. I also have an Autistic younger brother, Conner (19) who is unquestionably the glue and backbone of my family.
Despite growing up Catholic, it wasn’t until I attended St. Lawrence that I fully embraced my faith and began working on my relationship with God. Over the years, I’ve attained much peace and fulfillment through gratitude for the things I’ve experienced and accomplished so far. Embracing my faith has also allowed me to make leaps in my personal development journey, one that I continue to be grateful for.
I believe that all of these aspects of myself are responsible for what sets me apart from most people.
What were you like growing up?
In my early days, my mother would say that I was extremely energetic, outgoing, and a shameless flirt. However, what I remember the most about myself as a child was that I was a bit awkward and did anything to fit in and make friends. I mostly went with the crowd and did whatever other people liked to do to have the most friends. I was a people pleaser with no sense of individuality due to fear of overwhelming judgment. Embarrassingly, when it came to girls, I was far from the description that my mother would gleefully give anyone inquiring about my youth. Of course, I no longer am that person, but it took me a while to find my way as I was lost for some time.
However, my guiding compass throughout my youth was my love for sports. I played baseball for most of my childhood, with spurts of football here and there. Although not the best athlete or most skilled on the team, I learned the most about myself and life through sports. However, the sport that I love the most and credit the bulk of my growth to is basketball. Picking it up late my freshman year of high school, basketball taught me valuable lessons of hard work, persistence, teamwork, and communication that I continue to apply to this day. I believe these are vital and fundamental pillars of life that anyone can benefit from.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatranfilms/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuatran
- Other: https://youtu.be/z8mEkgxVr2Q
Image Credits
Scott Julian Visuals
