In the world of indie cinema, some creators find their voice through a lens, while others find it through a pen. For Joe Hawk, the founder of Hawk Studios, it was both. Born in Hartford, CT, Hawk didn’t start on a movie set; he started on the page. In 2016, he began his career as a fiction and non-fiction author, but his deep-seated passion for storytelling quickly outgrew the confines of a book cover.
Seeking to bring his written words to life, Joe founded a video production company that same year. Following the passing of his father, Stephen McGee, Joe rebranded the venture into Hawk Studios—a full-service production powerhouse that now serves clients across the United States. Today, Joe wears nearly every hat imaginable in the industry: Writer, Director of Photography (DOP), Producer, and Director.
The Evolution: From Book Trailers to Global Features
Joe’s cinematic journey is a true "full circle" story. It began with self-publishing his first non-fiction book, Leadership Lessons Inspired By a Six-Year-Old, in late 2016. To promote his work, he began filming reenactments of the chapters. This experimentation sparked a fire that led to his 2017 fiction novel, The White House Is Fake.
To market the novel, Joe didn't just settle for a social media post; he went big, filming high-production book trailers at airports, libraries, and police departments. Fast forward eight years, and that very book has evolved into a massive 7-part miniseries and a highly anticipated Sparkk TV Firsts release.
Currently, Joe is making waves with his feature film, Article 92. Streaming now on Sparkk TV and Amazon Prime, the project took production to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and even a replica Oval Office in the United Kingdom. Notably, the film features a stunning, 45-pound, 6.5-foot alien replica handcrafted by Arizona-based monster movie creator Rob Cobasky.
Spotlight: The White House Is Fake
Joe’s latest project is a labyrinthine thriller that blurs the line between reality and simulation. The series follows Nelson Conrad, a 17-year-old student whose school project unearths blueprints for underground tunnels linked to a "shadow president."
The Conflict: Nelson’s discovery puts him in the crosshairs of James Hutchinson, a ruthless agent for the Department of Transportation—the true seat of American power.
The Scope: Currently filming across Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Mexico, this 7-part miniseries is an ambitious dive into technological manipulation and government cover-ups.
Fast Facts: Joe Hawk
Hometown: Watertown, CT
Creative Superpower: Photographic memory for telephone numbers. Need a pizza in a city Joe doesn't live in? He’s got the number memorized.
Go-To Comfort Show: Sliders
Favorite Movie: Back to the Future
First Sparkk TV Film to Air: Article 92
Best Advice: “If you're not afraid of anything, you're the most powerful force and are unstoppable.”
Hidden Talent: Makes a mean omelet.
Mission Statement: To creatively show my work to random people—making them laugh or smile is the most rewarding feeling.
The Deep Dive: A Conversation with Joe Hawk
The Writer’s Evolution
Shifting from writing a novel to writing a screenplay is a huge change. What was the hardest part of "unlearning" the novel-writing process to adapt to the fast-paced world of film?
When you write a novel you can leave an imagination open for certain things to let the reader decide— when telling a story by means of film your literally showing the audience what you want to show— so that’s a big difference.
One of the challenges was adopting my current 2017 novel, “The White House Is Fake,” into a screenplay which meant more back story and character development for Nelson’s parents. Also a decision to make the series a bit different than the book as far as how it ends.
For me writing anything is the easiest part — connecting with the audience whether a laugh or an award is the hard part.
The Director’s Vision
You’re an 11-time award winner. In the competitive East Coast indie scene, what do you think sets a "Hawk Studios" production apart from the rest?
— Taking your time on the art direction is important. As an example in the new series, “The White House Is Fake,” we ordered real replica police badges for the chief of police and our animal control officers by Smith and Warren the same company police use. This authenticity is needed onset as opposed to generic police badges. Also we procured Virginia 1990 license plates for the vehicle being the series takes place in Virginia — doing these things helps the production to feel more natural and not just thrown together without thought.
Also we filmed in a real tunnel system and had our actors enter it via manhole cover in Ansonia, CT.
We are going to New Mexico to film in an underground military base for more tunnel scenes.
Spotlight: The White House Is Fake
The plot involves underground tunnels and the Department of Transportation holding the real power. What inspired this specific "shadow government" theory—was it a real-life discovery or pure imagination?
— The idea of the series came about in 2017 when I was driving on I-84 (Interstate 84) in Connecticut and I thought to myself — wouldn’t it make sense that the government can be to different areas quickly and safely if underground? From here, I wrote the series.
As I went back to writing again in 2025 for the adoption of screenplay I came to a realization that some of my fiction may be true. For example in the series, I mention that the government uses a high speed rail car to go to tunnel to tunnel from state to state, well ironically when I was looking for locations for this in episode 3/4 — I found that there may be some truth in that. When seeking locations, The U.S. Capitol subway system in Washington, D.C., features exclusive, private electric rail cars that transport senators and staff between the Capitol building and the Senate office buildings.
When asked if we could film in that location; unfortunately I was turned down.
Just for Fun & Inspiration
You’re a fan of Back to the Future and Sliders. Do you find yourself hiding any "Easter eggs" or nods to these classic sci-fi shows in your own work?
— In previous works I’ve placed Easter eggs of my own works in my own films and even placed my films in my own films (like an actor is watching tv and it’s playing one of my movies or an actor reading one of my books).
In my latest film, “The White House Is Fake,” we put a Total Recall poster in this series as a tribute as it’s one of the series films inspirations.
Want to see Joe’s vision in action? You can stream Joe Hawk’s films right now on Sparkk TV, Amazon Prime, and Tubi.
