Jozef K. Richards | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 9, 1989 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, children's author, illustrator |
| Years active | 2002–present |
Jozef K. Richards (born July 9, 1989) is an Americanfilm director,screenwriter,producer,actor,children's author, andillustrator. He founded Kintou Media Company, which controls numerous otherentertainment-based companies, including King's Tower Productions, and has distributedmedia throughYouTube,Amazon,Barnes & Noble, and other international retailers.
Jozef K. Richards is the founder and owner of King's Tower Productions and the writer and director of the 2011 film,The Amateur Monster Movie;[1][2] the 2013 film,The Wayward Sun;[3] and the 2014 short film, "Un Jardín Adentro de La Violencia".[4]
From 2015-2017, Richards produced and starred in the satirical web series, "Holy Shit",[5][6] which took aim at religious dogma, its lack of credibility, and pokes fun at the lesser-known absurdities ofThe Bible and similar religious texts, including many of those taken literally by some sects of theChristian faith. The show often features skits withatheist scholars and celebrity guests, which have included comedianPaul Provenza, theologianRobert M. Price, historianRichard Carrier, actressHeather Henderson, author David Fitzgerald, and American rapper andWu-Tang Clan affiliateKillah Priest.[7]
In 2016, the teaser trailer for Richards' third feature film,Batman & Jesus,[8][9] was unveiled and used as the lead-in video by members of the Wu-Tang Clan (GZA,Method Man,Raekwon,Cappadonna, Killah Priest, andDJ Mathematics) during their first ever performance at theLincoln Memorial inWashington, D.C. where they appeared as the headlining act forReason Rally, one of the world's largest secular and religious skeptic gatherings. Richards'Batman & Jesus is anatheist-leaning documentary on the historicity of aJesus of Nazareth[10] that stars Provenza[11] and features interviews with many who Richards worked with previously on "Holy Shit", including Price, Carrier, Fitzgerald, and Killah Priest, as well as activist and podcasterAron Ra. The film premiered atMilwaukee'sPabst Theater on September 30, 2017 following Mythinformation Conference IV which featured a live debate on "The Future of Islam in the Age of Trump" betweenAsra Nomani andFaisal Saeed Al-Mutar, who appears as an interviewee in Richards' film as well.[12]
Beyond religious examination, Richards has also released several broader projects and series within the comedy genre, including the web-series "Friday Night Weekly"[13] that ran for two seasons, traveling toColombia,Egypt, and theUAE in that time. Richards starred as himself in "Friday Night Weekly" and was joined by co-hosts Matt Henry, a Milwaukee area comedian, and futureWYMS Radio Milwaukeedeejay Makenzie Boettcher. Satirist Reuben Glaser was featured as the special reporter, and Aaron Fronk, Vince DeGaetano, and Cooper Johnson ofFND Films guest starred in one of the series' most viewed episodes, "FND for Vendetta". Richards also worked with fellowWisconsin filmmakerMark Borchardt ofAmerican Movie on his first film,The Amateur Monster Movie,[14] which premiered at theOriental Theatre on January 1, 2011 and was featured in the 2012Wisconsin Film Festival with a double screening on 4/20 and 4/21.[15]
Richards would later go on with Reuben Glaser, creator of 2012's"Little Face Mitt" meme,[16] to create a widely covered segment at apolitical rally inAppleton, Wisconsin for then-candidateDonald Trump during his 2016 Presidential Campaign where they managed to get into the press box alongside reporters fromCNN,NBC,MSNBC, and others, despite the Trump campaign's rigid entrance requirements and Richards and Glaser's blatant lack of adequate credentials.[17][18]
In 2018, Richards' fifth short film "Nicolas Cage Mother Mary" premiered at theMilwaukee Short Film Festival on September 8[19] where it won an Audience Favorite award. Richards was also featured on a filmmaker panel at the event discussing film in Wisconsin, hosted by Michael Viers of "The Shamelist Picture Show".
In 2019, Richards announced on the official site of King's Tower Productions that control of its assets would be assumed by a new company, Kintou Media. Kintou Media Company was officially formed in 2020. In 2021, Richards completed and released his first children's picture book as author and illustrator,The Tocks on the Clock, which became available in hardcover and ebook formats on December 1, 2021.[20][21]
In 2023, Richards began releasing his first new series with Kintou Media, "Japan by Foot."
Since 2006, Jozef K. Richards has independently produced, directed, and released 3 feature films, 5 short films, and 4 web series.
| Year(s) | Title | Format | Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Editor | D.P. | Soundtrack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Three Suits" | Short | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ||
| 2008 | "Seffy D" | Short | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2010 | "Rodents" | Short | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2011 | The Amateur Monster Movie | Feature | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2013 | The Wayward Sun | Feature | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2013–15 | "Friday Night Weekly" | Series | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| 2014 | "Un Jardín Adentro de La Violencia" | Short | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2015 | "Poké Men & Women" | Short Series | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2015–17 | "Holy Shit" | Series | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2016 | "King's Tower Quarterly" | Series | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |||
| 2017 | Batman & Jesus | Feature | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| 2018 | "Nicolas Cage Mother Mary" | Short | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | |
| 2023– | "Japan by Foot" | Series | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
| Year(s) | Title | Style | Author | Illustrator | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Tocks on the Clock | Picture Book | ✔︎ | ✔︎ | ✔︎ |
