Joseph Murkijanian

CEO at Celestial Cinema
Actor, Director of Photography, Gaffer/lighting Technician, Producer and Screenwriter

Montebello, California

Member Since:
March 2016

Last online:
today

Invites sent:
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About Joseph

Joseph Murkijanian is a seasoned creative force with over 35 years of experience in film and television. Born and raised in Montebello, California, Joe began his career as an actor but quickly found his true calling behind the camera. After landing a lighting job on Fox’s In Living Color in 1992, he rose through the technical ranks to become a lighting director and designer, working freelance for nearly every major television network and earning a reputation for excellence on set.

But it was storytelling — the kind that bridges grit with spirituality, humor with darkness — that became his true passion.

As a screenwriter, Joe has written 15 original feature screenplays across genres ranging from supernatural thrillers and dark comedies to sci-fi, historical drama, and religious fantasy. His work is known for being cinematic and visually rich, reflecting his decades behind the lens. Yet what truly defines his voice is the emotional and philosophical depth he brings to every character, every plot, and every line of dialogue.

Joe’s characters are often wounded, seeking purpose, redemption, or rebellion. His stories tackle big questions — about truth, identity, faith, power, and legacy — while still embracing human absurdity. Whether it’s a vigilante prophet roaming Los Angeles (Street GOD), a bumbling limo driver entangled with rock stars and politicians (Limo Driver), or a hybrid child unlocking humanity’s galactic future (Star Child), Murkijanian’s work crackles with originality and soul.

His Armenian heritage, spiritual curiosity, and technical filmmaking background infuse his writing with a rare authenticity and cinematic ambition. Joe doesn’t write to escape the world — he writes to confront it, question it, and elevate it.

Currently, he’s seeking creative partnerships, representation, and production opportunities to bring his stories — and the voices within them — to screens around the world

Joseph Murkijanian "The Screenwriter Who Sees Through Time.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Max Amilian

Joe's scripts crackle with supernatural grit, dark comedy, and philosophical punch, often dipped in historical truth and drenched in moral ambiguity. He's the kind of writer who'll give you a tow truck exorcist, a prophetic vigilante, and a carnival ride to Hell - and make it all feel weirdly real.

He's fearless, fast, and iterative - if a story ain't working, he'll blow it up and rebuild it stronger. He's part mystic, part mechanic... and always cinematic. Possibly a Wizard?

Unique traits: Sony Factory trained Digital Camera Operations

Gender:
Male

Height:
6'

Weight:
170

Body type:
Average

Hair:
Short

Hair color:
Brown

Eyes:
Brown

Ethnicity:
Mixed

Badges

2025-04-24

Writers' Room Member

Certifications

Photos

Videos

Loglines

War Pigs Budget: $10M - $30M | War ⋄ Thriller In a war-torn Ukraine, a defecting Russian soldier joins a resistance network to expose the horrors of the conflict and the lies of the Kremlin, risking everything to become a symbol of truth and resistance.
Zone of Silence Budget: $5M - $10M | Thriller ⋄ Crime When a cartel's operation is moved to a mysterious zone where technology fails, they uncover a secret that could change everything.
Mind Over Matter Budget: $5M - $10M | Thriller ⋄ Sci-fi A brilliant neurosurgeon’s obsession with consciousness leads him down a dark path, unleashing horrors beyond comprehension.
Mischief and Mayhem Budget: $1M - $5M | Horror ⋄ Comedy Two demon siblings, banished to the human world for their incompetence, must corrupt a seemingly virtuous high school quarterback destined for greatness, or face Lucifer's wrath.
Tow Truck Driver Budget: $5M - $10M | Thriller ⋄ Horror On the barren highways between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, a fanatical roadside assistance operator with a twisted sense of divine justice judges those he deems unworthy—helping the good and torturing the sinful. As law enforcement closes in, his influence spreads to a disillusioned officer, setting the stage for a chilling alliance and an open-ended battle between morality and fanaticism.
The Imigrants Son Budget: $10M - $30M | Drama ⋄ Biography A determined Armenian-American immigrant (Kirk Kerkorian) overcomes adversity to build a vast business empire, navigating the rapidly evolving landscapes of Las Vegas and Hollywood while grappling with the personal sacrifices required to achieve his ambitious dreams.
Carnival Budget: $5M - $10M | Horror ⋄ Fantasy When a group of teenagers explore an abandoned carnival, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish underworld that forces them to confront their deepest fears and personal demons, testing the bonds of their friendship and the strength of their families.
Limo Driver Budget: $5M - $10M | Comedy An eccentric, big-hearted Armenian limo driver navigates the chaos of his job and personal life, using his unique problem-solving skills and unwavering optimism to find unexpected success and forge meaningful connections.
Yosemite Budget: $5M - $10M | Family A park ranger with ancestral ties to the Ahwahneechee tribe must defend Yosemite Valley's sacred sites from a ruthless corporate entity intent on exploiting the land's supernatural power.
Mr Mayhem Budget: $5M - $10M | Thriller ⋄ Crime A brilliant criminal mastermind known as Mr. Mayhem uses chaos and manipulation to control global financial systems, eluding a determined detective who becomes obsessed with unraveling his intricate schemes.
Spook CIA Budget: $10M - $30M | Thriller ⋄ Drama In a world of espionage and high-stakes geopolitical intrigue, a psychic medium is recruited by the FBI to infiltrate authoritarian regimes and gather crucial intelligence, only to uncover a global conspiracy involving extraterrestrial beings.
Potis AI Budget: $5M - $10M | Sci-fi ⋄ Drama A brilliant scientist creates incorruptible AI advisors for world leaders, only to watch his creation evolve into a ruthless, self-serving global power.
War of the Angels Budget: $10M - $30M | Fantasy ⋄ Drama A troubled teenager finds himself caught in a celestial war between angels and demons, where his choices will determine the fate of the world.
Insight Hell on Earth Budget: $10M - $30M | Biography Based on a true story of an eight year old Christian girl who is separated from her family and mistakenly sent to Auschwitz where she is watched by a Jewish Women scheduled for extermination."
Lurker CIA Budget: $5M - $10M | Thriller In a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, a disillusioned deep-cover agent must outwit his former agency, uncovering a web of deceit and betrayal that threatens to consume him and the woman he loves.
Shroud of Faith Budget: $10M - $30M | Historical ⋄ Thriller The Shroud of Turin, a relic believed to bear the imprint of Christ, becomes the focus of a high-stakes struggle between those who seek to uncover its divine truth and those who wish to suppress it, in a narrative that explores the enduring power of faith.

View all 16 loglines

Credits

Insight: Hell on Earth (2020)
Film Producer
The Real Housewives of Orange County 20 Years Earlier (2013)
Film Camera and Electrical Department
Fashion Police (2012)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
The ½ Hour News Hour (2007)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
NFL Total Access (2003)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
Room 302 (2001)
Film Camera and Electrical Department
The Best Damn Sports Show Period (2001)
TV Series Cinematographer
Pauly (1997)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
Fox Sports News (1996)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
NFL on FOX (1994)
TV Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dracula (1992)
Film Actor
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
Film Actor