filmmaker Joe Smith interview (2026 Detroit Black Film Festival)

Hayward Crawford interview with Detroit, Michigan based Filmmaker Joe Smith, Born and raised in the rough, east side neighborhood of Detroit known as the North End, Joe escaped the negative environment that surrounded him through music. Beginning piano lessons at the age of 10 and writing his first song at the age of 15, Joe has gone on to play keyboards and/or serve as the music director for many major gospel music artist such as Fred Hammond, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra “Ki-Ki” Sheard, and the three (3) time Grammy Award winning gospel group, The Clark Sisters as well. He can be seen on their live DVD release entitled “Live- One Last Time”. Joe also served as music director for Grammy Award winning gospel legend, Dorinda Clark-Cole for 18 years, traveling the world doing concerts everywhere from churches like The Potter’s House in Dallas, TX, to arenas like Reliant Arena in Houston and Wembley Arena in London Joe has also lent his expertise to countless independent jazz, R&B, and gospel artists, groups, ensembles, and stage plays, either playing keyboards, producing, writing, or arranging for them. Joe moved into the world of film in 1999 by producing songs on the Warner Bros soundtrack for the hit film "Deep Blue Sea" starring LL Cool J and Samuel Jackson In addition to music, Joe has also written and produced several stage plays such as Diamond Girls, She's the Boss, and One Crazy Christmas. As a filmmaker, Joe released the film #Senseless, a very riveting documentary about parents who have lost children to gun violence and the first episode of his new docu-series entitled "Diamond Girls: Confessions" which chronicles the stories of women who date men in the drug game. Currently Joe has 5 feature film streaming on the streaming platform Tubi, which has over 97 million monthly viewers. The urban crime drama Diamond Girls, the thriller A Good Man, which is a Tubi Original film, Dance With the Devil, and A Good Man 2, also a Tubi Original film, and My Father’s Blood, an urban drama based on a true story. Joe also has a slate of new films currently in development to be shot in 2025-2026 Joe became a tech entrepreneur with the start of his own streaming platform called Mainstreem. Mainstreem will become the new home for film, TV, podcasts, music, and live streamed events and scheduled launched in 2025. Also, Joe has launched into the world of motivational speaking with the Fusion Podcast, where he inspires and motivates people to pursue their dreams and not let fear hinder them from their destiny. So keep your eyes and ears open for these and more Joe Smith projects in 2025 and beyond!