OC Screenwriters Association

 

Let me start by saying that the man who wrote this funny, tender, touching, insightful piece of cinema called “Conception” is also responsible (with writing partner Pete Goldfinger) for “Piranha 3D” and the incredible “Sorority Row” where scantily-clad co-eds are laid and slayed (couldn’t resist.)

Josh Stolberg is a wonderfully articulate, funny, generous interviewee and a tremendously talented writer who has a deep appreciation and a unique understanding of his place in this business as a writer and an up-and-coming director.  His movie, "Conception” is showing at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 29th and May 5th at Triangle Square.

I had a chance to talk about his background, his sordid past as a low- budget, slasher-writer whore, and his bright future as the next, great indie writer/director.

OCSWA:  Josh , thanks for talking to us.  Tell me about your background.

JOSH:  I did a lot of theater in Vermont, especially in college as an undergrad, then came to Hollywood to direct and discovered that no one was going to give me thirty million dollars - or even thirty dollars - to make that happen.  This was before digital when making your own feature film was almost impossible.  So I became a P.A. (production assistant) and washed a lot of laundry and cars while learning the business from an incredible mentor, Clyde Phillips (“Parker Lewis Can’t Lose,” “Dexter.”) 

OCSWA:  But how did you become a writer?

JOSH: Sitting in on writer’s meetings and working various jobs in television, where the writer is king, really got me hooked on writing.  Of course, my first three scripts sucked (I’m laughing at this point because we all know that feeling) and it took a while to find my voice , but I slowly got better and kept writing until I sold something.  Before that, I was working in childrens' television, on shows like the animated "Sabrina", and “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” which were great learning experiences but I eventually wanted to write in features so I went out and wrote a spec that sold and that was what got me here.

OCSWA:  And now you’re directing your own work and writing studio projects like the remake of “To Catch A Thief.”

JOSH:  Exactly - it’s that simple.  (we’re both laughing at this point)

OCSWA:  Tell me about “Conception.”  Where/how did the writer of “Piranha 3D” come up with this idea?  I assume no one gets their legs chewed off in this film.

JOSH:  (laughing) Only metaphorically.  My wife and I were fighting.  And at the time we were trying to get pregnant with our second child.  Despite that we were fighting, she was ovulating and we *had* to have sex.  (laughing my ass off at this.)  That was the impetus for the concept; I thought it would fun to explore the roles of love and sexuality in all our relationships and how we process that as couples.

OCSWA:  You said you shot this in ten days, with a micro-mini budget, doing up to fourteen pages a day with a dozen-plus actors.  How did you manage all that?

JOSH:  It starts with great partners.  My wife, Leila Charles Leigh, and co-producer Stephanie Sherrin helped tremendously in the uh, well, conception of the script and storylines.  Then I had great actors who nailed their parts without rehearsals or even enough shooting time to make mistakes.  They had to come in and just do it and they did.

Editor’s note:  The cast is impressive and includes actors Pamela Adlon (“King of the Hill”,) David Arquette (”Scream”,) Aaron Ashmore (“Veronica Mars”,) Julie Bowen (“Modern Family,”) Connie Britton (“Friday Night Lights”,) Jonathan Silverman (“Brighton Beach Memoirs”,) Jennifer Finnigan (“The Bold and The Beautiful”,) Leila Charles Leigh ("Dexter",) Sarah Hyland (“Modern Family”,) Gregory Smith (“The Patriot”,) and Alan Tudyk (“Firefly”)

JOSH (cont):  I had also done a low-budget film a couple of years called “Kids In America” and that taught me a lot about not what to do when you’re shooting something on a budget.  That experience allowed me to shoot this one in only ten days.

OCSWA: You mentioned that you took some grief for the overt sexuality in “Good Luck, Chuck.”

JOSH:  Which is why it was so important to me to have female perspectives to shape this one.  I also had a tremendous editor, Naomi Sunrise Filoramo, who helped make the scenes really work.

OCSWA:  “Conception” is screening twice at the Newport Beach Film Festival?

JOSH:  That’s right - April 29th and May 5th - and maybe more.

OCSWA:  Will you be there?

JOSH:  Of course.  At both screenings.  And we’re bringing some of the actors from the film like Jonathan, Jennifer Jostyn, Leah Pipes (who was also amazing in "Sorority Row) and others

OCSWA:  It was really great to talk to you.  Thank you so much! 

JOSH:  You too.  Hope to see you at Newport.  We can share some slasher film war stories.

I'm laughing again (I did a lot of that during this interview) because Josh knows too well how true that phrase "war stories" is.

I really enjoyed talking to Josh and would would like to thank him for his graciousness and generosity.  Also thanks to the Newport Beach Film Festival, and Jonah  Blechman at InclusivePR for helping us arrange the interview.

CONCEPTION:
NBFF Screenings
   Friday April 29th - 8:00pm - Triangle Square #3
   Thursday May 5th - 7:30pm - Triangle Square #4

Starring: Pamela Adlon, David Arquette, Aaron Ashmore, Moon Bloodgood, Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Jennifer Finnigan, Tim Griffin, Steve Howey, Sarah Hyland, Jennifer Jostyn, Leila Charles Leigh, Jason Mantzoukas, America Olivo, Leah Pipes, Matt Prokop, Jonathan Silverman, Gregory Smith and Alan Tudyk
Written/Directed: Josh Stolberg
Produced: Stephanie Sherrin & Leila Charles Leigh
Director of Photography:  Noah Rosenthal
Edited: Naomi Sunrise Filoramo