Joe Fab
Joe Fab is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated producer, director and writer with more than 35 years experience in film and video production, media and communications, event production and the live presentation of plays and music.
Recent honors include the Christopher Award, given for achievements in media that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit.” In 2006, Billy Campbell, president of Discovery Networks U.S., presented him with the Discovery and Imagination Award – an honor whose two previous recipients were Christopher Reeve and Dr. Jane Goodall.
Mr. Fab has received wide acclaim for his work as producer, writer and co-director of the feature documentary “Paper Clips.” In addition, he co-wrote the lyrics sung by bluegrass artist Alison Krauss on the film’s soundtrack. He is presently in production on a companion piece to “Paper Clips” which features, among others, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Mr. Fab also served as producer, writer and co-director on The Johnson Group’s feature documentary “Bedford: The Town They Left Behind,” an award-winner at the 2009 GI Film Festival. It has been screened in Normandy, France as part of the 65th commemoration of the D-Day landing, at the U.S. Capitol where Senator Mark Warner presented it to an audience of over 800 VIP guests, and in Bastogne, Belgium at the 65th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.
Mr. Fab’s career has brought him the privilege of working with Presidents Clinton, Carter and Bush (both George H. W. and George W), as well as an array of other political figures. He produced the premiere presentation of “Amazing Peace,” a poem by Dr. Maya Angelou, performed by the author herself. He has written for such diverse actors as Gregory Peck, Mary Steenburgen, Shirley Jones, Robert Prosky and Alan Alda, and personalities like Mary Matalin, James Carville, Willard Scott and Al Roker. As a producer, he has presented literally scores of entertainers, including such artists as Tony Bennett, Eartha Kitt, Tina Turner, Reneé Fleming, Cher and many more.
Mr. Fab has represented the United States as a special cultural envoy to India, where he screened “Paper Clips,” conducted workshops with hundreds of Indian children recently rescued from life on the street and, spoke at both the Kerala and Chennai International Film Festivals. He has traveled to Kuwait, also as a special cultural envoy and at the personal invitation of the U.S. Ambassador to that country.
He has been an invited guest at the prestigious Conference on World Affairs in Boulder, Colorado, where he was a co-panelist with esteemed critic Roger Ebert as well as various other notable speakers.
During the Clinton and Bush (George W.) administrations, he produced and wrote the opening ceremonies for the annual Christmas Pageant of Peace, featuring an hour of entertainment by internationally known performers and the lighting of the national Christmas tree by the president of the United States -- this event was broadcast live via satellite and seen around the world.
His television work includes programs for the Discovery Channel and the History Channel, as well as the NBA-focused documentary “Crossover,” which he executive produced with Penny Marshall and Magic Johnson for Showtime.
In addition, Mr. Fab has become a popular speaker and panelist at film festivals, synagogues and churches, at events for students and teachers and at educator conferences. He often conducts programs related to “Paper Clips”, but also speaks on such subjects as documentary filmmaking and media literacy.
Mr. Fab produced a number of short films and live events for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. These experiences have helped inspire him to make young people an important focus of his work whenever possible.
Mr. Fab resides in Vienna, Virginia. He has been married for 33 years to the very, very lovely Kay Fab, a voiceover artist who can be heard in the opening moments of “Paper Clips.”