IOSUA 
TAI TAEOALII
Film and Video Bio: 
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Iosua Tai Taeoalii (Josh), American/Samoan 
filmmaker and the founder of Weird Chief Pictures, has been a Producer, 
Director, Editor, and Cinematographer for feature films, television, commercial 
ads, corporate videos, music videos and indie DV productions for over a decade.
1995-1999 - Josh attended the University of Utah’s film program and soon 
after, began making films in the mid-1990s.
1998-2000 -
Josh shot his first two features on video, for what could be considered as 
used-car prices.  Luck & Rat Poisoning and Hustlin’ a Hustler. Both films 
premiered in Salt Lake City and both received critical acclaim from the Salt 
Lake Tribune, City Weekly, and The Event Magazine.  Luck & Rat Poisoning
also 
had a short run at Utah’s art-house theater, “The Tower”. 
2000-2001 - Josh's 3rd feature film, shot on 16mm, Twice Today was invited to the 
AngelCiti Film Festival in Los Angeles, 
California where it premiered at Paramount Studios. In July of 2002, Twice Today
was also invited to the Real to Reel Film Festival in Shelby, North Carolina, 
where it won the award for “Best Amateur Feature Film.” 
2001-2003 - produced and mentored several Truth about Tobacco ads, for 
students of Spy Hop Productions, which have appeared on television stations 
across the nation.
2003-2006 - between filmmaking, Josh produced and edited 52 episodes of the
Ultimate Combat Experience, a UPN Z24 weekly television series featuring 
tournaments of kickboxing and no holds barred fighting. His work with UCE led to 
the opportunity to produce and edit several commercials and promotional 
material for Randy Couture and Matt Lindland's MMA event, Sportfight.
2004-2005 - Josh created, in corroboration with early Spy Hop employees, the 
critically acclaimed weekly television series 3.2 Percent on UPN Z24 Television, 
displaying the nightlife, music, sports, culture and lifestyle in Utah. Josh 
wrote, produced, directed, and edited the majority of the 11 episode season, 
before finding his way back to his real passion, which is filmmaking.
2006 - Josh produced and directed Waiting a short film which was invited as an 
Official Selection at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival the 2006 Real to Reel 
Film Festival and the 2006 Arizona International Film Festival.
2007 - Josh produced and directed the feature film Darkroom starring David 
Stevens, Darren Dalton and Todd Bridges. Darkroom has screened at the 2008 
Big 
Muddy Film Festival (IL), Okanagan Film Festival (ON), Big Island Film Festival 
(HI), Bare Bones Film Festival (OK), and the Dances With Films Festival
(CA).
2010-2011 - Josh has been editing the commercials and promotional videos 
for Showdown Fights
2011 - Darkroom is picked up for VOD and DVD distribution by 
Vanguard Cinema.