Watch the announcement video for Create Together here

Hello, dear Redditors. Hope you’re all safe and doing alright.

I just announced that I’m making a short form mini-series about people coping with this strange and trying time of pandemic and isolation by staying creative together.

As I’ve done before, I’m opening up the creative process for anybody to collaborate on it. So if you’re an artist of any kind, writer, actor, musician, filmmaker, expert, beginner, whatever, I’d love for you to come jump in. We’ll be doing it on HITRECORD, so if you’re interested, you can come to our site or download our app: ios / android

If you haven’t heard me talk about HITRECORD before (then you’ve never paid an iota of attention to what I’ve been putting out online with relentless consistency for years on end), it’s a community for creative collaboration that I started a long time ago with my brother, dan. People don’t just post things they’ve made on their own, amass followers, and get addicted to likes. We make things together—short films, short documentaries, music videos, etc.

Whenever we launch stuff like this, my hope is always that it'll start a conversation. So let’s talk—about the show, the pandemic, art, life, artful life, lifeless art, golden rabbits, horse-sized ducks, etc.

Ask me anything... And, proof that I’m actually sitting here typing this, not paying other people to write this shit for me, because I’m not, I’m really really not, at least not with my own money, that’s what the YouTube budget is for: proof


Okay, signing off for now. Thanks for the conversation everyone, good talk :) Stay safe, as much as you can, stay creative, and say thanks a lot. thanks again <3 J

Comments: 957 • Responses: 45  • Date: 

kalel19801171 karma

If your girlfriend and mom swapped bodies and the only way to get them back to normal is to fuck one of them, which one would you fuck?

hitrecordjoe_1868 karma

hahahahahaha I have to at least acknowledge, that is a clever way to ask the most awkward question you possibly could

jdogamerica781 karma

Do you still talk to your 3rd Rock co-workers?

hitrecordjoe_1421 karma

Yes. They are like extended family. We don't see each other that often, but when we do, there's a familiarity unlike relationships I have with really anyone else. I was on that show for every single one of my teenage years. 13-19. I learned so much from John, Jane, Kristen, French, Simbi, Elmarie, Wayne, not to mention all the writers, directors, etc. I have so much love for all of those people.

a_unique_username88756 karma

Why are you so handsome??

hitrecordjoe_2761 karma

Just to make other guys angry, because fuck them.

Tiauna21604 karma

50/50 was an amazing movie that really touched close to home for me. What was your inspiration for that movie?

hitrecordjoe_958 karma

The screenwriter, Will Reiser, wrote it about his own life. He lived something quite similar to what my character goes through in that movie. He was friends with Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, and he wrote a great script, so they made his movie.

I also lost a good friend to cancer when I was in high school. Adam Visser. We were in a band together. We all still miss him. In fact, there's a dedication to him in the credits of 50/50.

ToiletRollTubeGuy578 karma

Do you ever fear that if anything ever happens to you, it'll happen to Bruce Willis, too?

hitrecordjoe_624 karma

Poor Brucie

malestorm19544 karma

what's the most unexpected thing you've learned about yourself during quarantine?

hitrecordjoe_1340 karma

I miss sitting in traffic.

4FoxSayke496 karma

Is it hit record, like "Hit that record button?" Or is it " I have a hit record!" This is a serious question I need answered. Or is it?

4FoxSayke205 karma

I feel like it's the first one, but would like some reassurance.

hitrecordjoe_872 karma

It's an action, not an object. To hit the round red REC button, for me, has long been a symbol of taking responsibility for my own creativity and just fucking doing it. No more excuses, no more sitting around, I know I want to make something, so do it, don't wait for someone else to start rolling the camera, do it, push the button.

But like you deftly point out, it's a play on an old way of thinking about media, selling records, and trying to become popular enough to consider yourself a hit.

tplayer121456 karma

Given that you directed, wrote and stared in Don Jon, I have to ask, how often do you watch porn ? And more seriously, what do you think of pornography and its effect (positive or negative) ?

hitrecordjoe_2015 karma

Often enough to say the following... I think we're only barely beginning to understand the massive impact of increased access to unlimited pornography. I don't think porn is necessarily bad, if you're very proactive about how you use it. Like with anything that's powerful and addictive, social media, television, video games, drugs, etc. The problem is, it's easier not to be proactive. Whether it's porn or a lot of other things, new technology is going to make it easier and easier for us to just follow the path of least resistance. And that can be dangerous. In the specific example of porn, studies show a massive jump in impotence amongst young men of this generation as compared to previous generations. I absolutely think that's because of online porn. But it's not just porn. New technology offers us the path of least resistance for consuming our news, staying in touch with our "friends", interfacing in almost every way with the world. One way to think about it is, just don't take stuff for free. If it's valuable to you, pay for it. And if it's not valuable to you, don't spend your time on it. That way you know that you, as the consumer, are being served by whatever product or service you're using. If you're enjoying a product/service for free (whether it's porn or news or friends or anything else), then you're probably not serving your best interests, you're serving the best interests of a hidden third party who is paying to manipulate you.

redcthulhu424 karma

I've always thought Looper is a very underrated movie. Is there a lesser known piece of media that you were involved in that you're proud of?

hitrecordjoe_633 karma

Hesher is an indie movie that came out in, I think, 2010.

Band Together with Logic was a music documentary we made and put out last year.

Two of my favorite things I've ever been a part of.

rs-freakin-41382 karma

Hey JGL! I love watching you act, Why aren't you acting in new movies?

hitrecordjoe_1533 karma

Thanks dude! (dude has no gender) I took a couple years off acting when I had kids. But I'm actually gonna be in a few new movies coming out this year. One very heavy artsy movie called 7500 on Amazon, one very fun action movie with Jamie Fox that doesn't have a title yet on Netflix, and one courtroom drama written/directed by Aaron Sorkin called Trial of the Chicago Seven that's coming out in theaters. (If anything's coming out in theaters anymore :((( )

rs-freakin-41423 karma

Best news of 2020 so far! I am glad that you'll be back!!

hitrecordjoe_587 karma

you're a doll

IamDa5id380 karma

Do you remember the guy from one of your old AMA’s whose Filipino mother refers to you as “Joseph Golden Rabbit?”

Hope you still love your moniker because, at least in our house, you will forever be known as Joseph Golden Rabbit.

hitrecordjoe_436 karma

look at the proof photo in OP. Wait, can you say OP to refer to the original post, or is it only referring to the original poster?

VanillaGorilla611275 karma

So that Robin ending..Were there any plans to do anything with that?

hitrecordjoe_565 karma

As far as I know, that was always going to be the conclusion of Nolan's Batman movies. It actually makes a really good ending to his trilogy. The theme recurs throughout that Batman is more than a man, it's a symbol, it makes sense to end the story with a person other than Bruce Wayne donning the mask.

uninorth248 karma

Could you tell us your favorite dad joke? I think we could all use a laugh right now.

hitrecordjoe_637 karma

I have some kind of problem that whenever I'm asked to tell "a joke" I cannot think of absolutely anything. Sorry.

GneissCleavage88208 karma

Hey Joe! I grew up watching 3rd rock from the sun with my dad and sister, We loved your whole alien family. What was one of your favourite episodes or scenes you ever filmed on that series whether it was just one you specifically enjoyed or hilarious things were happening behind the scenes that made it so awesome for you?

hitrecordjoe_652 karma

Each week, right before we'd go out on stage and shoot the show in front of the audience, John would have a "speed-through" in his dressing room. Meaning, we'd speed through script, saying our lines as fast as we could. It was only actors allowed in there, plus the script supervisor to prompt us if we ever forgot a line, not even the director was allowed in. But still we were packed in, because it's not like it was a huge room, and it'd be anywhere from 10-20 actors, sitting on the floor, on the desk, anywhere we could. The camaraderie in that room was palpable. John was (still is) a knight in shining armor.

AlliterativeAhole197 karma

Hey Joe!

I love your site. It helps me get into the mood of doing poetry, drawing, writing and other artsy stuff. Really, one prompt got me to draw a picture and start painting after pretty much giving up.

Do you think using prompts is as good as "real art?" My feeling is that I need some kind of trick to get started.

Do you use this in acting? Besides working off other actors and the script are there acting equivalents to writing prompts ?

hitrecordjoe_332 karma

There are definitely acting equivalents to prompts. I mean, first of all, a script. But even in improvisation, you'll often see improv actors start a scene with a prompt.

Personally, I don't think anything is purely original. It all comes from somewhere. Whatever it takes to get your own unique self to start putting out what's inside.

malestorm19194 karma

what's the first thing you're gonna do when your quarantine is over?

hitrecordjoe_559 karma

panic and wash my hands

gingerbeard303183 karma

Would you rather fight one horse-sized John Lithgow or one hundred John Lithgow-sized ducks?

hitrecordjoe_326 karma

I think you fucked that up...

hitrecordjoe_292 karma

The thing is, Lithgow isn't that much smaller than a horse.

hitrecordjoe_182 karma

Wait, did you edit your post? At first you had it backwards. You said one duck-sized Lithgow. Or was I the one who fucked it up?

gingerbeard303123 karma

I originally had one duck-sized Lithgow, realized i fucked up and changed it before I saw a reply. Yeah, I fucked it up originally.

hitrecordjoe_183 karma

Ah good, glad to know I'm not seeing things. Thanks for being honest! :)

tellMyBossHesWrong167 karma

Does anyone call you “Joe”?

hitrecordjoe_323 karma

Yeah mostly. I used to go as Joey, then that stopped when I was around 17, and my first girlfriend started calling me Joe. But people often assume I'm gonna be touchy about it, like I'll get offended if people call anything other than Joe. I actually don't care.

tootadsalty157 karma

Hi Golden Rabbit! :D 5 advices from you to keep a good mood during isolation?

hitrecordjoe_535 karma

1) Put a limit on news and social media. 2) Put in the extra effort to stay in touch with the people close to you. 3) Think of people you wish you were in better touch with, and get in touch, even if it's been a while. 4) Do something creative. Especially do something creative in collaboration with other people. (i know i'm repetitive) 5) Focus on gratitude. A lot of people aren't lucky enough to be able to isolate. If you're not sick, and/or none of your loved ones are sick, then you (we) got it great right now. Keep thanks front and center.

pianovaz136 karma

how are you enjoying quarantine?

hitrecordjoe_465 karma

I feel incredibly lucky. Not everybody is able to stay home. I have a comfortable place to be, I can work from home. Before this pandemic, I would try to remember to be grateful, but nowadays it's really at the forefront of my mind. I hope and I will strive to keep it that way.

KingEuronIIIGreyjoy135 karma

Hi Joseph, how was your Passover?

hitrecordjoe_322 karma

It was on Zoom. Kinda momentous actually. There were a whole bunch of us, and a lot of people who wouldn't have been able to join if we'd all gathered in person, just by virtue of us all not being in the same town. Got charoset delivered from Canter's, sprayed the shit out of it before we opened it, as per our protocol. You know. Pesach.

LuisPortilloG121 karma

How was your experience working with Cristopher Nolan on The Dark Knight Rises?

Luis.

hitrecordjoe_271 karma

Getting to work for Chris taught me an enormous amount, not just about art and cinema but about leadership and basically being a grownup. He strikes an incredible balance between being profoundly dedicated and immersed in the pure art of it, while also being laser focused on a million little practicalities. The truth is, whether we want to admit it or not, the practicalities have an enormous impact on the "art", so much so in fact, that they're one and the same. I think he really taught me that.

CYVZ95 karma

Do you manage your own twitter account?

hitrecordjoe_373 karma

I can't really handle having too much personal contact with social media. It gives me anxiety. I'm very involved in what goes on my social media accounts, and I go on sometimes, but I work with Matt and Emily at the HITRECORD office, and we do it together. To be honest, I want to use social media to get as many people as possible off social media.

SilverSurferbrah87 karma

How often do you change your socks during quarantine?

hitrecordjoe_142 karma

not wearing shoes very much, so less often than normal

PolishGuacamole84 karma

Having you considered bringing back HITRECORD on TV? I loved it so much.

hitrecordjoe_111 karma

Thank you :) We had an incredible time making that show. It was also incredibly hard and impractical for a lot of reasons. But we're still making stuff all the time on HITRECORD, and in fact, this new mini-series will be somewhat like HITRECORD on TV, in that it'll have a wide variety of things that were all made collaboratively, and I'll be hosting it.

PaulTheBarbarian83 karma

Hi mr. Gordon, my question is: what do you miss the most about the time you were not famous?

hitrecordjoe_274 karma

The right to be outlandishly weird on the subway.

Mandrooo67 karma

Since many people are playing tabletop role-playing games online to continue telling stories during this time, do you play any or have been interested to dive into them?

hitrecordjoe_153 karma

I played D&D a lot when I was younger. Haven't played in recent years. Would absolutely love to do it again some time. Only so many hours in the day, of course, and playing with my kids uses a lot of the same imagination :) Got to play M:TG for the first time in a long time recently. It was on a show actually, gotta find a link...

(Edit) Found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkHkgN2BBLc

PandyPain66 karma

Curious about your daily routine before and after lockdown. What do you miss most of the before? what have you learned to appreciate more during this time?

hitrecordjoe_202 karma

I was in the middle of shooting a new show that I'm writing/directing called MR. CORMAN for Apple. I'm incredibly excited about it. And when we first had to pause production, I was deeply frustrated. Then, I realized how fucking lucky I am, and how narrow-minded it was to be frustrated about that in a time like this.

PersephoneRules65 karma

When I write, I struggle with the constant urge to edit, re-edit, repeat. A project rarely feels complete. Do you have similar experiences and, if so, what guidance can you give to quiet the urges to continue to tinker?

hitrecordjoe_186 karma

I have this too. One of my favorite answers to this question came from Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live. He said, "We don't put on the show because it's ready. We put on the show because it's Saturday night at 11:30." Deadlines can help. Also...you might know what I'm gonna say...collaborators. Either time or other people. Without some kind of external element imposing a finish line, it's kinda impossible to resist perfectionism.

Sancho_Ponchez56 karma

Content creators are often left out of the loop when it comes to the monetization of their product. How does the cooperative effort you promote protect an individual who makes significant, if not comprehensive contributions, from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous parties looking to poach?

hitrecordjoe_88 karma

Watch this video about how HITRECORD pays contributors in our community. Unscrupulous parties aren't able to poach, because every payment is looked after by human beings, and presented in an open forum for feedback from the community with transparent discussion about what's fair. By having the conversation out in the open, we've found things are able to reach a resolution that makes sense for everybody. We've been doing it this way for ten years, we've paid the community millions of dollars, and we've never had any bad situations that didn't reach good resolutions.

BarneyRubble2250 karma

curious how you would recommend getting started contributing to this show? what should i do first?

would love to be involved. i've seen the ig videos, but didn't participate.

now i want to.

thanks for doing what you're all doing

hitrecordjoe_81 karma

Probably start by downloading the HITRECORD app. The website's great for some things, but I use the app more often, it's easier and more fun to use, I find.

When you open the app, you'll start at the Projects page. Find a project that inspires you. Contribute to it. Start with something easy. Work your way up to more ambitious things.

And for the show, there's a project on the site (pinned to the top of the feed on the app) where you can get on camera and talk about your creative process and how it fits into your life right now during this pandemic. The show will be using a lot of those personal testimonials.

mashakashina43 karma

Ok, 10 things you hate doing on quarantine, but you loved to do it before?

justaphilange43 karma

What top 3 things did you hate to do before quarantine, that you actually enjoy now?

hitrecordjoe_252 karma

I like this version of the question better. 3 things is better than 10 (but I see what you did there :) Also I usually go for the positive spin.

Shit, um, actually having trouble thinking of any. Um...

1) Sweeping the floor. 2) Washing dishes. 3) Taking out the trash.

Sorry kinda boring.

Actually if I'm totally honest, those were things that I almost never did for myself before quarantine, and now I'm doing them on a somewhat (but not sufficiently) regular basis. I'm a spoiled, rich man, and I feel guilty and embarrassed about it, but... no, I guess there's no but there.

R00m4141 karma

Joseph, do you believe anybody is capable of making art?

hitrecordjoe_135 karma

Absolutely. At the same time, I'm not really a fan of the thing where one splatters a bunch of paint on a wall and self-importantly calls it art without taking the time to practice, to get better, and to challenge one's self. Every human being has a unique set of experiences (and unique DNA) so every human being is unique, so every human being has something unique to express. Art is expressing that unique thing, and doing it with enough care that someone else can understand it. Even if that someone else is just that same artist in the future.

tcg41535 karma

As a new writer I have a hard time balancing when my work is ready for peer review/feedback. I like to get input so I can change course if needed but sometimes the reader doesn’t understand the bigger picture. How do you manage timing on stuff like that?

Also I will definitely be joining your site! Would love to collaborate on this project.

hitrecordjoe_100 karma

That's a great question.

The first thing that pops to mind is WHO you're showing your works in progress to. That selection process is paramount. For example, if it's someone who knows you too well, they might bring too many outside associations to it and won't be able to receive it on its own.

Also, and I'm gonna push back on you here, hope you don't mind, I would question your concern that "the reader doesn't understand the bigger picture". That's your job as the writer. Figure out what they need to understand. Put yourself in your audience's shoes.

tcg41531 karma

Thats a great answer, thank you!! I’ve been showing people close to me and also in snippets not as a whole so I think just changing my approach will be helpful.

Thanks again!

hitrecordjoe_41 karma

Got it. Yeah, maybe just find the right person who's willing to take the time to read the whole thing.

tinywhitegirlxo20 karma

Has the stress from quarantine affected your dreams? If so, how?

hitrecordjoe_46 karma

Yes, I'm pretty sure I've dreamt about it specifically, but I can't exactly remember specifically how. It is a life goal of mine to get better at remembering my dreams, and one day to even be able to have lucid dreams -- I've only ever had one of those.

Space_Haiku18 karma

Hey Joe, glad you're here!

Which project that came out from HitRecord are you the most proud of?

Also which albums are on your current rotation?

hitrecordjoe_31 karma

HITRECORD: B.O.K. -- Sundance Live Labs 2020 -- Edward Snowden short film, It's Only Getting Better -- Move On The Sun, our second full length album of music. ALBUMS: Sam Prekop, self titled -- Y La Bomba, Lupon -- Strauss, Also Sprach Zarrathustra

MrsTrustIssues18 karma

What's your ultimate goal with HITRECORD? What do you hope it accomplishes/changes?

hitrecordjoe_46 karma

When I started saying "hit record" to myself, many years ago, back before it was a platform or a production company or a community or even a tiny little website, it was my own little personal rallying cry to help myself be creative.

Now it's what I work on to try to help other people find their creativity through collaboration and community.

I think the world would be a better place if everybody had a sincere creative outlet. Not one governed by a craving for attention (and ultimately serve an ad-model), but a creative outlet centered around self-expression, human connection, and the simple fun and fulfillment that comes along with making stuff, especially together with other people.

malestorm1915 karma

what should i read during quarantine?

hitrecordjoe_80 karma

Right now I'm reading PALE FIRE by Nabokov. It's hilarious and bizarre. If you're creatively inclined, I'd recommend LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET by Rilke. A lot of what he's talking about, actually, are the virtues of solitude, going into yourself, ignoring the outside world, so that's perhaps appropriate. Of course, my experience is different, I mostly feel creatively inspired by collaborating with other people. Also, TEN ARGUMENTS FOR DELETING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS RIGHT NOW by Jaron Lanier is a good thing to read as we're all so glued to our feeds these days.

Imaro166 karma

I'd like to start contributing to HITRECORD, but the amount of talent that is already available makes me wonder if anything produced would be noticed. When searching for collaborations, how wide is the scope? Is it easy for content to get lost in the "void" of thousands of contributions?

hitrecordjoe_14 karma

What you're talking about is a totally valid question, especially if your main intent is being in the big show. Which again, is a valid intent. If you join our community, and your only goal is being on the show, your odds are decent, but it's honestly not a slam dunk. However, if your goal is to do something creative with other people, at first by helping other people finish their projects, and eventually perhaps by starting your own and recruiting people to help you finish yours, if the inherent reward of creativity is what you're after, if you're trying to get over writers block, or if you want to make art outside of the framework of the competitive popularity contests of social media, I feel quite confident that you'll get it.

vivicogurl5 karma

Do you think you'll ever do another HIT Record tour post-corona? Would love to see you in Seattle again!

hitrecordjoe_9 karma

I love our live events. Yes. Check out what we did a few months ago at this last Sundance... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGBlrB2wPCw