Josh Senter
Encyclopedia
Joshua Ray Senter is an American
screenwriter
best known for his work on the television series Desperate Housewives
.
in Pasadena, California
. He was one of fifteen film students selected that year, and one of the only students to have not already graduated from college.
Senter redirected his pursuit of directing to writing, working on spec scripts, both feature length and for television, before being taken on as a client at Writer's and Artist Agency. Soon he landed his first job on the lesbian drama The L Word
, for which he wrote one episode. Within a year after leaving The L Word, Senter returned to television when he was hired as a staff writer on the ABC drama series Desperate Housewives
. He has since written six episodes spanning across the series' first
, second
and third
seasons, debuting with the episode "Goodbye for Now". He was hired as a staff writer, made a story editor
in the show's second season and promoted to an executive story editor in the third season. He wrote many of Bree, Lynette
and Mary Alice
's storylines, for which he drew much inspiration from his own mother.
In 2006 Senter was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award
for the episode "Don't Look at Me". He is currently working on his own autobiographical television series about a homeschooled boy from rural Missouri, which he has pitched to a number of networks.
near Plato
, Missouri
and was homeschooled
with his four sisters by his mother Brenda. Before the age of thirteen, his parents' fundamental Christian
beliefs did not allow him to watch or their family to own a television, so instead he spent his time alone drawing, painting, throwing pottery and sewing: "Being alone so much probably helped me become a better writer since it’s just you and the computer when you write," he says of his childhood. He recalls in particular his first viewing of Jurassic Park
, which he says inspired him to become a filmmaker. He and his younger sister Hannah, now an Atlantic Theater Company
member and actress, bought a video camera which they used to make homemade short films and music videos.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
best known for his work on the television series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
.
Career
Senter's first Hollywood ambition was to become a Disney animator. After he sent his portfolio of drawings to Disney at the age of seventeen, the company called to tell him they were impressed but were not currently hiring, and he should resubmit in another six months. During those six months, he decided to pursue film directing, his other passion, and sent a collection of homemade films to Art Center College of DesignArt Center College of Design
Art Center College of Design is a private college located in Pasadena, California, and was cited by BusinessWeek as one of the 60 best design schools in the world. The college’s industrial design program is consistently ranked number one by both DesignIntelligence and U.S...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He was one of fifteen film students selected that year, and one of the only students to have not already graduated from college.
Senter redirected his pursuit of directing to writing, working on spec scripts, both feature length and for television, before being taken on as a client at Writer's and Artist Agency. Soon he landed his first job on the lesbian drama The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
, for which he wrote one episode. Within a year after leaving The L Word, Senter returned to television when he was hired as a staff writer on the ABC drama series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. He has since written six episodes spanning across the series' first
Desperate Housewives Season 1
The first season of Desperate Housewives, an American television series created by Marc Cherry, commenced airing in the United States on October 3, 2004, concluded May 22, 2005, and consisted of 23 episodes. It tells the story of Mary Alice Young, a seemingly perfect housewife who commits suicide,...
, second
Desperate Housewives Season 2
The second season of Desperate Housewives, an American television series created by Marc Cherry, began airing in the United States on September 25, 2005 and concluded on May 21, 2006. The season consisted of a total of 24 episodes, including a two-part season finale. Additionally, two recap...
and third
Desperate Housewives Season 3
The third season of Desperate Housewives, an American television series created by Marc Cherry, premiered on September 24, 2006 and concluded on May 20, 2007. The season consisted of 23 episodes and two specials, which aired on September 3, 2006 and April 1, 2007. The series continues to focus on...
seasons, debuting with the episode "Goodbye for Now". He was hired as a staff writer, made a story editor
Story editor
Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called "supervising producer". A story editor is a member of the screenwriting staff who edits stories for screenplays....
in the show's second season and promoted to an executive story editor in the third season. He wrote many of Bree, Lynette
Lynette Scavo
Lynette Scavo is a fictional character on the series Desperate Housewives. The character is playedby actress Felicity Huffman, who won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role in 2005, and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series...
and Mary Alice
Mary Alice Young
Mary Alice Young is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actress Brenda Strong and narrates the series from beyond the grave; the character's suicide in the pilot episode served as the catalyst of the series...
's storylines, for which he drew much inspiration from his own mother.
In 2006 Senter was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
for the episode "Don't Look at Me". He is currently working on his own autobiographical television series about a homeschooled boy from rural Missouri, which he has pitched to a number of networks.
Personal life
Senter grew up on a 500 acres (2 km²) farm in Fort Leonard WoodFort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Fort Leonard Wood is a census-designated place in Pulaski County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,667 at the 2000 census. It is named in honor of Major General Leonard Wood, who was awarded the Medal of Honor...
near Plato
Plato, Missouri
Plato is an incorporated village in northwestern Texas County, Missouri, United States. It is located about twenty miles northwest of Houston, Missouri and ten miles south of Fort Leonard Wood on Route 32. Plato had an estimated population of 1,430 in 2000....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and was homeschooled
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
with his four sisters by his mother Brenda. Before the age of thirteen, his parents' fundamental Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
beliefs did not allow him to watch or their family to own a television, so instead he spent his time alone drawing, painting, throwing pottery and sewing: "Being alone so much probably helped me become a better writer since it’s just you and the computer when you write," he says of his childhood. He recalls in particular his first viewing of Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
, which he says inspired him to become a filmmaker. He and his younger sister Hannah, now an Atlantic Theater Company
Atlantic Theater Company
Atlantic Theater Company is an Off-Broadway non-profit theater, whose mission is to produce great plays "simply and truthfully utilizing an artistic ensemble." The company was founded in 1985 by David Mamet, William H. Macy, and 30 of their acting students from New York University, inspired by the...
member and actress, bought a video camera which they used to make homemade short films and music videos.