Joy Lusco
Encyclopedia
Joy Lusco, also known as Joy Kecken and Joy Lusco Kecken, is an American film and television director and writer. She often works with her husband, Scott Kecken. She has worked on the HBO drama series The Wire
as a writer on the show's first three seasons.
After graduating from college she took an internship with the Baltimore based television show Homicide: Life on the Street
and eventually became a freelance writer for the show. In 1998 she wrote the teleplay for episode 6.23 Fallen Heroes: Part 2. Later that year she wrote the teleplay for episode 7.08 Kellerman, P.I.: Part 1.
In 1997 she and Scott Kecken commenced work on a documentary film on Baltimore's arabbers (produce vendors working from horse drawn carts). They also started a production company called The Film Foundry. The project was funded by grants from the Maryland Arts Council and the Maryland Humanities Council.
In 1998 she and Scott released the short film Louisville starring Andre Braugher
(Homicide), which was screened at 35 film festivals. It won best short at the New York Independent International Film Festival, a Jury Award from the Atlanta Film and Video Festival and the Lumiere Award from the New Orleans Film and Video Festival.
In 2001 she was a member of the writing staff of The Division
a show about an all female detective squad for the Lifetime network. In 2001 she programmed the Women In Film and Video festival, Diverse Voices. She and Scott married in 2002. She worked with a Girl Scout troop in a video production on self-expression, Teen Voices.
In 2002 she was a member of the writing staff and the script coordinator
for the first season of The Wire
. The Wire was created by her Homicide writing colleague David Simon (who also wrote the novel that series was based upon). She wrote the teleplay for the eleventh episode "The Hunt
". She returned to the writers room in 2002, spending the second season as a staff writer. She co-wrote the story and wrote the teleplay for third episode "Hard Cases". She returned as a member of the writing team for the show's third season in 2004. She co-wrote the story and wrote the teleplay for seventh episode "Back Burners".
She joined the Advisory Board of the Maryland Film Festival in 2003. She worked on Jim Sheridan
's 50 Cent
biography movie, Get Rich or Die Tryin' as a story consultant. Also in 2003 she worked as a story producer for the A&E reality TV series, Random 1
.
In 2004 she and Scott had a son, Tawabi Kecken. The family settled in Pennsylvania. They continued to work on their documentary We Are Arabbers and the film finally premiered Thursday, Sept. 9 2004 at Villa Julie College. Lusco has said that the project gave her an insight into the "hard scrabble" nature of her Grandparent's lives. 2004 also saw her release a short, Woman Hollering Creek, starring Larry Gilliard Jr.
(The Wire). It screened at the Maryland Film Festival and the Boston International Film Festival.
In 2006 she joined the writing staff of short-lived NBC series Standoff
. She wrote episode 1.04 "Partners in Crime".
She has co-written a feature film, Maker of Saints, which is set to star Erykah Badu
.
The Wire (TV series)
The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
as a writer on the show's first three seasons.
Biography
Lusco moved to the Baltimore area as a teenager. In 1995, while attending Towson University, she met her future husband Scott Kecken.After graduating from college she took an internship with the Baltimore based television show Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
and eventually became a freelance writer for the show. In 1998 she wrote the teleplay for episode 6.23 Fallen Heroes: Part 2. Later that year she wrote the teleplay for episode 7.08 Kellerman, P.I.: Part 1.
In 1997 she and Scott Kecken commenced work on a documentary film on Baltimore's arabbers (produce vendors working from horse drawn carts). They also started a production company called The Film Foundry. The project was funded by grants from the Maryland Arts Council and the Maryland Humanities Council.
In 1998 she and Scott released the short film Louisville starring Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
(Homicide), which was screened at 35 film festivals. It won best short at the New York Independent International Film Festival, a Jury Award from the Atlanta Film and Video Festival and the Lumiere Award from the New Orleans Film and Video Festival.
In 2001 she was a member of the writing staff of The Division
The Division
The Division is an American Lifetime Television original series about a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.-Synopsis:...
a show about an all female detective squad for the Lifetime network. In 2001 she programmed the Women In Film and Video festival, Diverse Voices. She and Scott married in 2002. She worked with a Girl Scout troop in a video production on self-expression, Teen Voices.
In 2002 she was a member of the writing staff and the script coordinator
Script coordinator
Script Coordinator is a role in the production of a film or television series. The script coordinator is responsible for producing each draft of the script and annotating it for ease of use for the production team....
for the first season of The Wire
The Wire (TV series)
The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
. The Wire was created by her Homicide writing colleague David Simon (who also wrote the novel that series was based upon). She wrote the teleplay for the eleventh episode "The Hunt
The Hunt (The Wire episode)
"The Hunt" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by Joy Lusco from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Steve Shill...
". She returned to the writers room in 2002, spending the second season as a staff writer. She co-wrote the story and wrote the teleplay for third episode "Hard Cases". She returned as a member of the writing team for the show's third season in 2004. She co-wrote the story and wrote the teleplay for seventh episode "Back Burners".
She joined the Advisory Board of the Maryland Film Festival in 2003. She worked on Jim Sheridan
Jim Sheridan
Jim Sheridan is an Irish film director. A six-time Academy Award nominee, Sheridan is perhaps best known for his films My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, Get Rich or Die Tryin and In America.-Life and career:...
's 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
biography movie, Get Rich or Die Tryin' as a story consultant. Also in 2003 she worked as a story producer for the A&E reality TV series, Random 1
Random 1
Random 1 is a documentary-style reality television series that aired from November 2005 to January 2006 on the A&E cable network. In each episode, hosts John Chester and Andre Miller travel from town to town, in Miller's real-life, rickety pickup truck Jackie, searching for total strangers who are...
.
In 2004 she and Scott had a son, Tawabi Kecken. The family settled in Pennsylvania. They continued to work on their documentary We Are Arabbers and the film finally premiered Thursday, Sept. 9 2004 at Villa Julie College. Lusco has said that the project gave her an insight into the "hard scrabble" nature of her Grandparent's lives. 2004 also saw her release a short, Woman Hollering Creek, starring Larry Gilliard Jr.
Larry Gilliard Jr.
Lawrence "Larry" Gilliard, Jr. is an American character actor who has appeared in films, television series and theatre. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of D'Angelo Barksdale on the HBO drama series The Wire, a role which earned him much critical acclaim.Gilliard was born in New York City...
(The Wire). It screened at the Maryland Film Festival and the Boston International Film Festival.
In 2006 she joined the writing staff of short-lived NBC series Standoff
Standoff (TV series)
Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television...
. She wrote episode 1.04 "Partners in Crime".
She has co-written a feature film, Maker of Saints, which is set to star Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
.
Filmography
- StandoffStandoff (TV series)Standoff is an American drama series that premiered on the Fox network on September 5, 2006. Created by Craig Silverstein, the series focused on an FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit whose members negotiated hostage situations and shared relationships. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television...
(2006)- Episode 1.04 "Partners in Crime" (2006) Writer
- We Are Arabbers (2004) Co-Producer and Co-Director
- Woman Hollering Creek (2004) Writer, Co-Producer and Co-Director
- The WireThe Wire (TV series)The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
(2002)- Episode 1.11 "The HuntThe Hunt (The Wire episode)"The Hunt" is the eleventh episode of the first season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by Joy Lusco from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Steve Shill...
" (2002) Teleplay - Episode 2.04 "Hard Cases" (2003) Story and Teleplay
- Episode 3.07 "Back Burners" (2004) Story and Teleplay
- Episode 1.11 "The Hunt
- The DivisionThe DivisionThe Division is an American Lifetime Television original series about a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.-Synopsis:...
(2001) Writer - Homicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
(1993)- Episode 6.23 "Fallen Heroes: Part 2" (1998) Teleplay
- Episode 7.08 "Kellerman, P.I.: Part 1" (1998) Teleplay
- Louisville (1998) Writer, Co-Producer and Co-Director