Joe Swanberg

Joe Swanberg is a prominent American independent filmmaker, celebrated for his micro-budget films that greatly incorporate improvisation. A pivotal figure in the mumblecore film movement, Swanberg's films predominantly revolve around relationships, sex, technology, and the filmmaking process. His early works with Greta Gerwig are well-recognized. Swanberg was born in Detroit, was raised in Georgia and Alabama, and finally graduated from Southern Illinois University as a film major in 2003. As a teenager, he worked at Hollywood Video.

Swanberg's film career began in 2005 when he multitasked by writing, directing, editing, shooting, producing, and acting in his first feature film, 'Kissing on the Mouth'. His fruitful collaboration with Greta Gerwig began with 'LOL' (2006), which continued in 'Hannah Takes the Stairs' (2007) and 'Nights and Weekends' (2008). Swanberg concluded seven feature films in 2010. His 2012 film, 'Drinking Buddies', starred Olivia Wilde, Jake M. Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston. Swanberg has also ventured into the realm of TV, creating 'Easy', an anthology series for Netflix, that ran from 2016 to 2019. He is appreciated for his support for Internet-based distribution for independent films, even releasing his 2011 feature 'Marriage Material' for free on his Vimeo page.