Josh Hughes

He is the filmmaker of Strawberry Spring Dollar Baby film.
SKSM: Could you start by telling me a little about yourself? Who is Josh Hughes and what do you do?
Josh Hughes: My name is Josh Hughes and I live in Waukesha, Wisconsin with my wife and daughter. I’m currently a video producer for Carroll University which is Wisconsin’s oldest university, founded in 1846. In addition to my video work I’m also a paranormal investigator where I primarily conduct research and investigations on haunted locations across Waukesha. In the summer month’s I’m a tour guide for Waukesha Ghost Walks which focuses on the haunted and bizarre history of the area.
SKSM: How would you decide that shoot movies was your mission?
Josh Hughes: Since I was a child I’ve always enjoyed storytelling. My teachers and parents often said I was a chronic liar but I always just thought of it as telling unique little stories that I made up. When I was in high school I would make short films with my friends and edit them using Windows movie maker. When I got to UW-Oshkosh I was a marketing major my first year but quickly realized I didn’t enjoy any part of that. I found out that the university has a radio/tv/film major and I quickly switched career paths. At the time I was really into music, having been in a garage band with my high school friends, so I enjoyed being a DJ on the campus radio station. Then my focus shifted to TV and Film where I really leaned into screenwriting and editing.


SKSM: When did you make Strawberry Spring? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?
Josh Hughes: Strawberry Spring was part of my senior capstone course called motion picture workshop. Basically you pitched a film idea and then the rest of the students could sign up to be various roles on your production. The goal of the class was to complete a film during the semester. How fun you get to make movies for credit. The budget was very low… probably almost $0. Pre production took about a month and then we filmed over the course of a weekend. I remember starting Thursday night and by the time the Packers play football on Sunday afternoon I was completely wiped. It was an aggressive shooting timeline but we were college kids with a quick timeline. I started to take on the editing alone but had our producer jump in and do a much better job than I could have at the time. I believe once I graduated we had someone score the movie but it didn’t end up being what we wanted so we used stock music. We ended up having a showing of the film at the end of the semester in May that I was able to attend post graduation.
SKSM: Did you use the Dollar Baby program as a school project?
Josh Hughes: Yes this was for a school project.
SKSM: Were the locations filmed at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh?
Josh Hughes: We primarily filmed on campus using exteriors of buildings. I worked at the alumni house on campus for a few years and used a room in there for the main character’s office. I was a big fan of taking walks around Menominee Park which is right on Lake Winnebago so we used that location for a number of the opening scenes. The parking garage on campus was also used for the disgusting car covered in blood scene. Ultimately having the campus as a majority of the backdrop for your film made it free and easy to film.


SKSM: How come you picked Strawberry Spring to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?
Josh Hughes: I’ll never forget where I was the first time I read the short story. It’s part of the Night Shift collection. I was in a history of the civil war class and reading a bit before the professor got there. The Strawberry Spring story just really clicked with me, especially since it’s on a college campus. The dreamer in me thought this would be perfect to make as a short film, having no prior knowledge of the dollar baby program. I went online and did research on how to obtain rights to King’s stories and low and behold this program exists. It felt like a match made in heaven.
I really like the story because of the ominous scenery it presents due to the strawberry spring weather phenomenon. A clouded atmosphere much like the main character is going through trying to figure out what happened with these murders. I was also very fond of the ending and the big reveal. It all just felt like a perfect match and a great opportunity to also make it my own. I included a lot of dialogue from other King novels that I clicked with. Much of it will only make sense to King fans.
SKSM: You wear a lot of hats in the film. In addition to being the filmmaker, you are also an actor and scriptwriter, what were your greatest satisfactions and challenges in these roles?
Josh Hughes: I loved writing and directing the most. I think I had to act because one of our extras wasn’t able to show up that day but I quickly learned through a few other productions that acting isn’t my thing. I also thought directing was going to be my calling but in this production and a number of other productions over the years, I’ve realized being on set isn’t my favorite thing. I like writing and editing because I can be at home and do it whenever I want.


SKSM: Can you tell us about your experience on this Dollar Baby film? Was everything planned ahead or did some things change during filming?
Josh Hughes: The experience was eye opening for my early career as a filmmaker. I had worked on a number of other short films on campus but finally being in control of my own was surreal. For the most part the entire production was smooth because we had such a large team helping out. A couple of hiccups here and there but nothing that is out of the ordinary. One of the most challenging things was to figure out how to make realistic fake blood and I believe the right mixture was corn syrup, hershey’s chocolate sauce, and bbq sauce.
SKSM: Were there unexpected moments or difficulties during the making of the film?
Josh Hughes: This was one of my first short films so I think the biggest shock was how long everything took. Setting up lights, rehearsing with the actors, making sure the camera is all set and has the proper settings… all of it was just so time consuming and I didn’t fully realize how long these things take.
SKSM: Was there any funny things that happened while filming (Bloopers, etc)?
Josh Hughes: I was really into skateboarding in college and while I wasn’t any good at it, I think it might have been more of an image thing. You just look cool on a skateboard. I brought it along and the DP thought it would be fun to include a clip of me trying to kickflip. Not only was I not able to do any tricks on a skateboard, I often hurt myself trying to do them. There’s a BTS photo of me attempting that kick flip and it was actually the first ever one that I landed. I know this has nothing to do with filmmaking but in the blur of that weekend that’s one thing that I find memorable.
SKSM: Were any movie fragments cut out that you now miss?
Josh Hughes: We had a tight filming schedule which didn’t really allow to overshoot. All of the scenes were shot how I wrote them and we were methodic with the shot list and direction. That’s one thing I find myself sticking to these days. I like to really plan things out ahead of time so when we get on set, we know exactly what we’re doing. Occasionally that spontaneous idea or improv will happen but I’m a “stick to the books” kinda guy.
SKSM: Where was premiered?
Josh Hughes: We had a premiere in may 2012 on campus at the auditorium where all the short films from the motion picture workshop were played. I came up for the day and invited the cast/crew to attend.
SKSM: Did Strawberry Spring win any awards or nominations?
Josh Hughes: We did not enter into many short films just because I didn’t know of many back then. If I made the film in the last few years I would have entered it but also the film would have been very different had I made it today.


SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?
Josh Hughes: I know I had some contact with his assistant and I did send a copy of the film and script to her address. To my knowledge I don’t know if he saw it or read the script. Its always been a dream of mine to get Stephen to sign my screenplay because this was the first film I ever wrote and has led me on a long and interesting career as a hopeful screenwriter.
SKSM: Tell us about your other films. What project are you most proud of with the final result?
Josh Hughes: I’ve produced a number of short films these last few years in addition to documentaries, proof of concept TV pilots, and various interview style and social media videos for my main career as a video producer. I’m most excited about a collaboration I’ve had with a director out of Alabama, Andrew Madison. We met in 2019 on a screenwriters facebook group and instantly clicked with our working styles and taste in film. In 2021 we wrote, filmed, and edited two short films in a matter of 6 months. We’re currently going into production on our third short film that we hope to use as a proof of concept to get funding for the feature film idea.
SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?
Josh Hughes: Wild guess!

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?
Josh Hughes: I read my first Stephen King book, Pet Sematary, when I was in 6th grade. Looking back on it, that was probably a bit too soon but I’ve always been an advanced reader. When most kids in my class were reading Where the Red Ferns Grow I was looking forward to IT and Cujo. Which I do recall IT was a bit of a struggle the few times I tried reading it at that younger age but as an adult I’ve enjoyed it a few times. My favorite book has to be Insomnia which I know some people aren’t a big fan of. I also really enjoyed Revelation, Duma Key, Sleeping Beauties, and The Outsider. As a writer myself, On Writing, has to be one of the most interesting journey’s into the writers mind. Everytime I’m feeling stuck or not creative, I read a chapter or two of that book and things just seem to click.
SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?
Josh Hughes: In January 2025 I’ll be filming the short film Mimic about a couple’s failing relationship that reaches a breaking point when they encounter a violent creature on their remote farm. Hoping to get that done ASAP and get additional funding for the feature. I’m also working on a feature screenplay titled The Wran. It’s about a photographer.
SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Josh Hughes: I’m afraid of deep water but I’m a great swimmer. It all started when I saw Titanic for the first time. Seeing the ship underwater just makes my skin crawl. I found out a number of years later that it’s actually a legit phobia. The proper name is megalohydrothalassophobia.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Josh Hughes: Thank you!