KEVIN SMITH
From Behind the Scenes to the Big Screen: Josh Roush & Kevin Smith
Josh Roush and Kevin Smith
From behind-the-scenes productions to the big screen, Josh Roush has collaborated with Kevin Smith on feature films, documentaries, and national tours, building a creative partnership spanning more than a decade.
Josh Roush's working relationship with filmmaker Kevin Smith began long before the two collaborated on feature films. While working at Sony, Roush spent his nights helping shoot and edit Smith's live podcasts, taking on whatever responsibilities were needed and gradually becoming a regular part of the production team.
That relationship eventually led Roush to the set of Smith's 2014 film Tusk, where he initially came aboard to shoot behind-the-scenes footage. During production, Roush was also tasked with assisting actor Michael Parks, beginning a friendship that would eventually inspire his documentary Long Lonesome Highway: The Story of Michael Parks.
Over the following years, Roush's involvement with Smith's productions continued to grow. He directed and edited Magnum Dopus: The Making of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, a feature-length documentary chronicling the production of Smith's 2019 film. Roush also worked extensively on the road, tour-managing Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow and the national tour accompanying Clerks III.
Their collaboration extended into Roush's own filmmaking with Wrong Reasons, a punk-rock feature written and directed by Roush, with Smith serving as executive producer and appearing in the film. The project brought their creative relationship full circle, moving from Roush working behind the scenes on Smith's productions to Smith supporting a film of Roush's own.
What began with late nights working live shows developed into a creative and professional relationship spanning feature films, documentaries, and national tours, with each new project opening the door to the next.
Not included here are his three behind the scenes documentaries on Smith’s films, those can be found in FEATURES.
VIDEOS
The Reboot Roadshow
Josh Roush served as tour manager for Kevin Smith’s *Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow*, a nationwide theatrical tour that brought the film directly to audiences alongside live Q&A sessions with Smith. Roush oversaw the day-to-day logistics, coordinated with theaters, and ensured the film was properly presented each night.
He also split driving duties with Smith as they traveled across the country. Along the way, Roush documented life on the road, creating a web series that captured the behind-the-scenes experience of touring with Smith, from the theaters and audiences to the long drives between cities.
The Convenience Tour
Filmed and edited by Josh Roush, *Clerks III: The Convenience Tour* is a behind-the-scenes web series documenting Kevin Smith’s nationwide theatrical tour in support of *Clerks III*.
Released through Smith’s official YouTube channel, the series follows life on the road, capturing theater appearances, audience Q&As, backstage moments, and the unpredictable experiences that come with taking a film directly to its fans. The episodes offer an intimate, often humorous look at Smith and his crew as they travel across the country, bringing audiences along for the ride.
Road To Reboot
Filmed and edited by Josh Roush, *The Road to Reboot* is a behind-the-scenes web series documenting the production of Kevin Smith’s *Jay and Silent Bob Reboot*.
Released in installments through Smith’s official YouTube channel in 2019, the series takes viewers onto the set, capturing candid moments with the cast and crew, the filmmaking process, and the chaos of bringing Jay and Silent Bob back to the big screen.
Son-In-Lockdown
Produced during the COVID-19 pandemic for TBS’s *Celebrity Show-Off*, *Son-in-Lockdown* is a nine-episode comedy web series starring Kevin Smith, Harley Quinn Smith, and Austin Zajur. Set during quarantine, the series follows Smith as he navigates life under lockdown with his family and his daughter’s boyfriend.
Josh Roush served as Director of Photography, handling cinematography and lighting for the production. Filmed entirely at the Smith family home, the series blends scripted comedy with the absurdity of pandemic life, offering a humorous look at the household during an unprecedented time.
50th B-Day Bash
When Kevin Smith celebrated his 50th birthday in August 2020, COVID-19 restrictions moved the festivities to the Paramount Drive-In for a socially distanced screening of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
Josh Roush filmed Smith live in front of the screen, transmitting his camera feed via radio frequency to the projector for the audience to watch. When the theater's technical problems threatened the screening, Roush saved the event by downloading the film via BitTorrent and providing an alternative sound system.
The unconventional rescue earned Roush a public thank-you from Smith and national attention from TorrentFreak, which covered the unlikely story of movie piracy saving a filmmaker's own screening.
Hollywood Babble-On
Josh Roush's longtime collaboration with Kevin Smith began with Hollywood Babble-On, the live comedy podcast hosted by Smith and Ralph Garman. Described by Garman as the show's “Sights and Sounds,” Roush handled the visual and technical elements of the live performances, becoming a familiar presence to audiences as “Dr. Josh.”
His involvement extended to BabbleVision, bringing the show's visual comedy, multimedia elements, and audience interactions to viewers at home. Roush also worked on the show's appearances at numerous comic conventions, helping bring Hollywood Babble-On to audiences beyond its regular venue. The experience helped establish a creative partnership with Smith that would grow to include feature films and documentaries.
Spoilers
Fresh off the Jay and Silent Bob Get Old: Go Down Under live shows and DVD production, Josh Roush continued his collaboration with Kevin Smith on Spoilers, Smith's movie discussion series for Hulu.
Running for two seasons, the show combined film reviews, audience discussions, and celebrity interviews. Roush served as the show's assistant editor and primary editor of its bonus content, helping shape the additional material that accompanied the series. The project expanded his working relationship with Smith into episodic television production.
The Poolboy Cometh
Josh Roush served as Director of Photography and a one-man production crew on Jay & Bob: The Pool Boy Cometh, a comedy short starring Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes as Jay and Silent Bob.
Created as a surprise promotional stunt for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the short was released on Pornhub, giving the film an unconventional marketing push. Handling the production single-handedly, Roush helped bring the irreverent concept to life, continuing his longtime collaboration with Smith while demonstrating his ability to deliver a complete shoot with minimal crew and resources.
The Hundreds
Josh Roush served as Director of Photography on a commercial for streetwear brand The Hundreds featuring Kevin Smith. The project brought Roush's cinematography into the world of branded content, extending his longtime collaboration with Smith beyond feature films, documentaries, and live productions.
The commercial represents another facet of their creative partnership, combining Smith's personality with Roush's visual approach to commercial filmmaking.