Joel had always wanted to be an architect, but while making short films as a teenager he discovered the impact his creations could have on an audience and he fell in love with filmmaking. He relocated to Los Angeles on his 21st birthday and is a 2002 graduate of the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.  

​

Joel still often dreams of Wisconsin winters and the fall colors that precede them, but he still calls Los Angeles home even in this drought.  He's happily married for more years than you'd guess, with two kids and a lazy greyhound.  His feature film debut, a documentary on the comic strip Calvin & Hobbes, was released in theaters and on VOD in late 2013 and is currently available on iTunes, Hulu, Google Play, Amazon Instant Video, Starz, and other platforms.