In the fall of 1989, Joe Mode started attending UCLA majoring in Economics. Once grounded in the UCLA community, Joe’s leadership abilities shone through. By his second year, Joe had established himself as a visible and active member of the UCLA Dance Department, as well as a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and a member of the UCLA Spirit Squad. In June of 1995, Joe graduated from UCLA with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics with a specialization in Spanish. Upon graduation, Joe Mode was awarded the prestigious Chancellor’s Service Award for his work in the UCLA community.
After graduation, Joe Mode moved to West Hollywood and began formalizing a plan for success. While living in West Hollywood, Joe realized that one of his passions was acting. This lead Joe to focus the rest of his life pursuing a successful career in entertainment, in front and behind the camera. From 1996-1999 Joe primarily focused on studying acting while being casted in several independent films. In the summer of 2002, Joe Mode was cast in the feature film “Tantric Twist”. Between acting roles, Joe became involved in the West Hollywood Public Access network where he started honing his skills in television production. His first production was “Joe on the Town”, taped at the Hard Rock Café in Universal City, CA. Over the next two years, Joe developed his next project, “Get Your Groove On” an innovative dance television show for the West Hollywood Public Access Network. “Get Your Groove On” grew from a one night, one man, one assistant and one camera operation to a six week production involving 25 other individuals. The production was completed in spring of 1999.
With opportunity knocking at the door, Joe Mode moved to New York City with his partner, Geoff Dunne, and readied himself for the challenges a new city would bring. While acclimating himself to New York City, Joe Mode met choreographer Kyra Johanesson who became his partner in the newest production of “Get Your Groove On”. Branching into entrepreneurship, Joe Mode established his own production company Way Out Productions and brought writer/director David Burton Levin on board as a creative partner. After putting together their production team, they worked for the next three months producing Joe Mode’s first television pilot, “Get Your Groove On” filmed at the Pyramid Night Club in NYC. Upon completion of his first pilot, Joe Mode set out on a mission to sell Way Out Production’s first show. Little did the team know, soon after wrapping up production on “Get Your Groove On”, the producers of “American Idol” announced their launch of “So You Think You Can Dance”. Undeterred, Joe Mode moved forward.
Through his contacts in independent film, Joe was presented with the opportunity to become the Director of Events for a bicoastal organization by the name of Out In Television and Film. Over the next three years, Joe Mode used his exceptional networking skills to position himself as one of the up and coming movers and shakers in the NYC LGBT community and nightlife scene. Joe has kept himself busy working on benefits and events for various organizations such as A Night of A Thousand Lights presented by Design Cares benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and NEWFEST’s Winter Benefit. In addition to working with these two wonderful organizations, Joe Mode produced his own stop the violence campaign benefiting the NY Anti-Violence Project and his first short film project “WHY”.
After a short hiatus, Joe decided to move forward with his ambition to become a premier event and party producer and launched a new division of Way Out Productions called Way Out Events. By 2008, Way Out Events took off with the launch of IN THE MIX with Joe Mode. IN THE MIX with Joe Mode is Way Out Event’s monthly networking party for LGBT working professionals. In March of 2008, GENRE Magazine came aboard to be a major sponsor of this monthly soiree. In addition to GENRE Magazine adding their moniker to IN THE MIX; Joe Mode has been contracted as the Special Events Producer for NEWFEST’s 20th Anniversary Film Festival scheduled for June 5-15, 2008. Most recently, Joe Mode’s event production skills have been sought after by here! TV to produce and launch their new weekly event called PARTY IN A BOX, starting Monday, April 7th from 6-8pm at HK Lounge in NYC. Joe Mode plans to continue to build his brand through a nationwide LGBT film festival tour of IN THE MIX with Joe Mode which kick’s off this summer in New York City during NEWFEST. Upon completion of the party tour, Joe anticipates transitioning back into television and film production with the completion of his short film “WHY” that grapples with the issue of domestic violence in LGBT relationships. Until then, the world is Joe Mode’s oyster and he’s collecting pearls along the way.
