Joseph Strickland, a multifaceted creative force, was born on November 9, 1962, in the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois.
As a member of the Writer's Guild of America West Coast, Strickland's career began in the 1980s, working on music videos, industrial videos, and television programs for cable TV, as well as live productions.
With a strong interest in art and writing, Strickland enrolled in Columbia College of Chicago during the 1980s, where he collaborated on various student film projects with fellow alumni, including Tim O'Neill, with whom he co-produced and co-directed the short feature Daily Mass in 1989.
Daily Mass would later receive a spotlight in the 24th Chicago International Film Festival.
In 1985, Strickland wrote an original screenplay titled The Epidemic, followed by another script in 1992, inspired by the Jeffrey Dahmer trial. He titled his new treatment Dual Mania, a psychological thriller centered around an African American psychiatrist who takes on a White male patient deeply disturbed by childhood issues.
As an emerging filmmaker, Strickland was invited to participate as a judge on the feature film panel in the 32nd Chicago International Film Festival in 1996, where notable films like Twilight of the Golds, Sling Blade, and The Fugitive were showcased.
Strickland was also personally invited to serve as a judge on the adult jury panel in the 14th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival in 1997.
In 1998, Strickland returned to the 15th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival to perform as Chair of the Features Jury on the adult jury panel, where he praised films like The Island on Bird Street, Hands Up, and Bavel's Book.
Joseph Strickland is the co-author of The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style, a collaborative effort with author and theater critic B.J. Patterson and author Cat Ellington, to whom Strickland is married.
