Joe Smith
From producing unscripted television and digital entertainment to developing feature films, The Los Angeles Film School alumnus Joe Smith has built a multifaceted career spanning more than a decade in the entertainment industry where he’s become a go-to producer who knows how to get things done.
Currently embarking on an exciting new chapter as founder of Los Angeles-based Thirteenth Studios where he’s bringing his own exciting projects to life, Joe has worked alongside some of the industry’s most recognizable names, including Mark Wahlberg, Michael Bay, Peter Berg, and MrBeast.
His production experience includes projects such as Wahlburgers, Southern Charm, The Bricklayer, and Red Sonja, reflecting a career built on creative versatility, hands-on production experience, and a passion for bringing stories to the screen.
The East Coast native’s interest in filmmaking began long before he arrived in Hollywood.
Growing up in Massachusetts, he entertained himself by creating his own versions of classic Westerns starring his action figures, including G.I. Joe, whom he jokingly considers one of the most professional actors he’s ever worked with.
Years later, during a visit to Los Angeles, Joe serendipitously spotted The Los Angeles Film School across the street from the iconic Cinerama Dome. The school made a lasting impression, and when he eventually decided to pursue his filmmaking ambitions in Hollywood, he enrolled at LAFS.
Following graduation in 2011, Joe began building his career from the ground up, gaining experience in television development and working as an executive assistant before transitioning into associate producing roles. Those early opportunities gave him firsthand exposure to the creative, logistical, and business sides of production, laying the foundation for a career that would eventually span multiple genres, formats, and platforms.
“As a producer you definitely need to know something about all of the departments and understand at least from a top-level how they work, so that you can anticipate what they’re going to need. I suppose it’s similar for directors, but definitely for producer roles.“
His early producing credits include Online Dating Rituals of the American Male and Chrisley Knows Best, where he developed experience working across the many moving parts of unscripted television production.
Joe later joined the production team behind A&E’s Wahlburgers, working as a producer and field producer across multiple seasons of the reality series. During his time on the show, he helped develop storylines, coordinate production logistics, work with talent, and collaborate with post-production teams. The experience expanded his producing responsibilities and strengthened his ability to bring creative concepts to life in a fast-paced production environment.
He continued building his unscripted television career with projects including Bravo’s Southern Charm, before taking his production expertise into the rapidly evolving world of digital entertainment.
In 2022, Joe joined MrBeast as a Senior Producer, helping produce ambitious digital content for one of YouTube’s most recognizable creators. The role represented another evolution in his career, applying years of television production experience to a different kind of storytelling and an increasingly influential entertainment platform.
Alongside his work in television and digital entertainment, Joe expanded into feature film development and production at Eclectic Pictures, progressing from Creative Executive to Vice President of Production. His work has included projects such as Red Sonja and The Bricklayer, reflecting his growing involvement in bringing feature-length stories from development toward the screen.
In 2026, Joe founded Thirteenth Studios, a Los Angeles-based film and television production company focused on developing, packaging, and producing commercially driven entertainment for audiences around the world.
Reflecting on his career, Joe recognizes that his instincts as a producer were developing long before he ever stepped onto a professional set. As a kid making films with friends, he naturally took responsibility for everything from scripts and casting to equipment, directing, editing, and music.
“When you put all that together and look at it from a 30,000-foot view, this is just what a producer does. It’s putting together everything in every department in whatever way they need to.”
For Joe, that realization brought his career full circle: “I’d already been doing that all my life. By default, I always seemed to take over all of the producerial duties, so it felt like the natural career or role to go into.”
When asked what advice he has for anyone aspiring a career in the film industry,
“One thing I’d say to people is if you want to work in the industry, pick a department you’re really passionate about.
A lot of people say they want to write or direct, or whatever. I’m probably the only one that genuinely doesn’t in Los Angeles, but if you do, that’s totally great. We need writers, we need directors, but don’t get discouraged if you don’t start off in those roles. The important thing is to learn.In general, get into a department that you really like and work your way up to learn as much as you can. Remain open to opportunities and possibilities and put in the work.”
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