GEAR CHECK: Interview with Joshua Caldwell—Director, Writer, and Gear Enthusiast

These are the things the Seattle native can't live without.

Joshua Caldwell is a director, screenwriter, dad, and gear enthusiast. I first met Josh here on Substack, reaching out after I read his post about an encounter with the Federal government that nearly got him arrested.

Josh is a LIVE A LITTLE guy through-and-through. He loves leather jackets and tactical goods, practices journaling and reads stoicism, and takes creative risks for the love of art and storytelling.

He’s directed a number of films over the years, but recently Josh released Mending the Line—a Netflix drama about a wounded veteran (Sinqua Walls) who develops a friendship with a stubborn fly fisherman (Brian Cox). It’s a film with beautiful fly fishing sequences, deep dialogue, and realistic capturing of how therapy can work miracles for veterans. I call it a movie with soul.

These are the things the Seattle native can’t live without.

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THE GOOD STUFF

• Luminox Atacama Field Watch 45mm (See Price)

• Clarks Desert Boot Taupe Distressed ($150)

• Thursday Boots Racer Jacket ($349)

• Banana Republic Traveler Jeans ($120)

• Ray-Ban New Wayfarer Tortoise ($168)

• Montblanc Meisterstück Classic Fountain Pen (See Price)

• Leuchhtturm Lined Notebooks ($25)

• Saddleback Fourteener Leather Briefcase ($399)

• Arcadia Natural - Tobacco and Spices Solid Scent ($10)

• L.L. Bean Heritage Chamois Flannel Sheet Collection ($179)

• Canon C70 (See Price)

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HIS WORDS ON…

Here’s what Josh had to say about some of his favorite picks.

Montblanc Meisterstück

“My grandfather gave this to me as a gift when I was in college,” says Josh. “I write everything with it.”

Saddleback Briefcase

Josh’s traveling sidekick? That would be his Saddleback briefcase. “I have three of these because the quality is so great.”

Thursday Boots Racer Jacket

“I like how the Thursday Racer isn’t as heavy as a traditional racing jacket,” says Josh. “This one is thin, with a low collar and unstructured cut.”

Luminox Atacama Field Watch

“I love a good tactical watch,” says Josh. “This Luminox I received as a Christmas gift. I like to swap the bands with ones I find on Amazon.”

Canon C70 Camera

Josh is no stranger to advanced filmmaking gear. But his “lean” camera of choice? That would be a Canon C70. “It’s served me great for docs and commercial brand work.”

Arcadia Natural Solid Scent

“I’ve cut out cologne almost entirely because you don’t hardly know what’s in it—this natural cologne is the only one I’ll use.”

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LIVE A LITTLE

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CONNECT WITH JOSH

• Josh is building a treasure trove of posts at his Substack. He’s one of my recommended newsletters on LIVE A LITTLE, but if you haven’t subscribed, I encourage you to do so.

• If you want to learn filmmaking, Josh hosts his own “6K Filmmaker Micro-Budget Course”. You can find that here.

• Last is the link to Mending the Line, Josh’s film I watched after we spoke. It’s a hidden gem I’m going to keep recommending to all my friends.

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THANKS FOR READING

Which of Josh’s picks do you like best? Drop your favorites in the comments below.