Biography

Joel Michalak (he/him) is a Canadian/American, queer writer and filmmaker who spent his childhood in the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, and Florida (where belts are optional). He studied acting and video production in high school, and then film production in college. After moving to Los Angeles to work on set on films and TV, he continued his education at UCB theatre, studying sketch writing and improv, took TV writing courses with Brent Forrester (The Office/The Simpsons), and has been mentored through the CineStory fellowship.

Joel has written, directed, and produced dozens of short films, a web series, and an award-winning TV pilot. He's also landed five scripts on Coverfly's top 20 lists and racked up a long list of finalist placements in writing competitions, including in 2025, being a finalist in The Page Awards for a TV comedy pilot, and the horror genre winner of the Shore Scripts feature contest. He's most comfortable writing high-concept, socially poignant, genre-bending stories about underdogs and outsiders with elements of comedy, adventure, horror, and science fiction.
- IMDb mini biography by: Joel Michalak

Writes, sings, plays guitar, bass guitar, drums and piano for the band Therapy Session.

Member of MENSA.

Studied sketch writing and improv at Upright Citizens Brigade.