Sometimes an inspired idea takes time to come to fruition and it takes many a twist and turn along the way. That’s exactly what happened to Joe Camp, a pioneering film-maker who beats the odds in his industry to create the breakthrough Benji franchise—a project that none of the industry experts wanted to take on. Persisting despite the naysayers, Joe created a smash success—one that brought a lovable dog and heartwarming stories to millions of fans. And he did it his way.
Joe Camp first began thinking of directing films when he was 8 years old, but he endured decades of rejections on the path to realizing his dream. He was turned down from UCLA’s film school and took jobs in advertising to pay the rent while penning sitcoms scripts on the side—none of which were produced.
In his early thirties, he and a cinematographer formed their own production company, Mulberry Square Productions. Their venture was based in Dallas, a far cry from Los Angeles and New York, the film industry meccas.
The idea for Benji sprang from watching Lady and the Tramp— a Disney animated film. After seeing the movie, Joe began observing his own dog and wondering if a movie could be made with a dog as a star.
With virtually no professional experience, Joe began writing nonstop and came up with a script in one sitting telling the story of an appealing stray dog who befriends and saves two children. He raised $500,000 and, in 1973, shot the entire film in three months. When no Hollywood studio would distribute it, Joe took on the job independently through his own fledgling production company.
“Getting that first Benji movie made was like careening through a minefield of slammed doors, unplanned disasters, catastrophic mistakes, and a noticeable vaccine of money, knowledge, and experience,” according to Joe’s website description of his misadventures in film-making.
Benji hit the screen in 1974 and grossed about $40 million, close to $250 million in today’s dollars, defying conventional wisdom about how to make a successful film. It ranked with Jaws and The Towering Inferno as a top money maker the year it was released.
Joe went on to make several more Benji films and a children’s show starring the lovable mutt. Taking a leaf from Walt Disney’s book, Joe insisted on creative control over his films so he could ensure they’d be family friendly and appropriate for kids.
Looking back over his success, Joe told the Associated Press, “The whole point of it is to say, ‘If this dog can do it, if I can do it, this idiot from the sticks of the South can do it, anyone can do it. If you try hard enough and you don’t give up. That’s what the Benji movies are all about.”
Bravo, Joe! And now inspired and enlivened, let’s all write on!
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