joecampinfo
JoeStormySnuggle960 Crew-2-Benji-1973 CrewOnDolly-1973 JoeBenjiDolly-2 BenjiScript BirdBath JoeCamTiffany JoeDirectsTiger JoeBenjiMountaintopBW SaffSniffJoeCr Joe-Zeke-Cuddle JoeBenji-FLB-CompR SyndagmaSquare JoeBenjiMontainsideCascadeLocks Joe&Cash JoeSaffyStormy-FBTP FilmingMarineland InTraining JoeCashWalk910 SaffySmileJoe960 JoeAtFence960 JoeChrisNick960 JoeBenjiKiss960 JoeBenjiHug960 JoeCashNearCover960 2002 Genesis Awards JoeBenjiHammock960 JoeAndKathleen960 JoeCashWalkBarn960
2002 Genesis Awards
  • Home
  • About Joe Camp
    • About Joe Camp
    • New Book!
    • The Logic of Christianity
    • Trust Yourself to Try and Err
    • What God Allows In His Providence Often Seems To Contradict His Purpose
  • Horses
    • How Did Dog Movies Turn Into Horse Books?
    • The Soul of a Horse Website
    • Meet Our Horses
    • Why Relationship First?
    • Promises Made to our Horses
    • Trust – It Changes Everything
    • Life with Two Very Special Mustangs
    • Trust Yourself to Try and Err
  • Benji
    • Benji Begins Against All Odds
    • Benji Trivia and Film History
    • Trailer for the New Benji Movie
    • Brandon Camp Talks About His Dad and Benji
    • NETFLIX CHOOSES NEW BENJI TO LEAD THEIR NEWLY FOCUSED FORAY INTO FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
    • The Original Benji Classic Fully Restored in a New High Definition Widescreen Release!
    • For The Love of Benji Fully Restored in a New High Definition Widescreen Release
    • Read the story of How Benji Became #3 Movie of the Year After Every Studio in Hollywood Turned it Down
    • Benji Supports Adoptions, Animal Shelters & Rescues
    • Video: A Blast from the Past
    • Video: The National Search for Benji #3 in Shelters
    • Benji.com
    • Benji Movies on DVD, Streaming
    • How Did Dog Movies Turn Into Horse Books?
    • Trust Yourself to Try and Err
  • Author
    • How Did Dog Movies Turn Into Horse Books?
    • God Only Knows – Can Your Trust Him with the Secret?
    • The Books of Joe Camp
    • The Soul of a Horse — Life Lessons from the Herd
    • Horses Were Born to be on Grass
    • Born Wild – The Journey Continues
    • Horses & Stress – Eliminating the Root Cause of Most Health, Hoof, and Behavior Problems
    • Training with Treats
    • Why Relationship First Works
    • Beginning Ground Work
    • Why Our Horses Are Barefoot
    • #676 (no title)
    • Horses Without Grass
    • The Soul of a Horse Blogged
    • DOG STORIES – Everything You Need To Know About Life Is Right There At Your Feet
    • The Benji Method – Teach Your Dog To Do What Benji Does in the Movies
    • Who Needs Hollywood
    • Reviews of Joe’s Books
    • Read Chapters 1-4 of The Soul of a Horse
    • How Did Dog Movies Turn into Horse Books?
  • Speaker
  • Living With Purpose
  • Advocate
    • Schools That Excel – How Do They Do It?
    • The Risks of Television – Passive Brains Retain Sensations, Not Information
    • Why Benji Promotes Adoption
    • A Special Message to Parents
    • The Logic of Christianity
    • Trust Yourself to Try and Err
    • How to Save America’s Mutangs
    • Wild Horses: Very Definitely an Indigenous Native Species in the Western United States
  • Contact
  • TheSoulOfAHorse.com
  • Subscribe to our email newsletter
  • Press Room
  • The Soul of a Horse Website
  • Our Blog
  • Benji Website
Joe Writes about the Fish
  • Articles by Joe – Non-Horsey And Passionate
  • The Risks of Television – Passive Brains Retain Sensations, Not Information
  • Schools That Excel – How Do They Do It?
  • Why Benji Promotes Adoptions
  • The Logic of Christianity
  • How to Save America’s Wild Horses
  • Wild Horses: Very Definitely an Indigenous Native Species in the Western United States
The Soul of a Horse Born Wild - The Journey Continues God Only Knows Training with Treats Horses & Stress Benji Promises to Tell the Truth Dog Stories Why Relationship First Works Beginning Ground Work The Benji Method of Training Why Our Horses Are Barefoot The Soul of a Horse Blogged Horses Were Born to be on Grass Horses Without Grass Who Needs Hollywood

About Joe Camp

Joe Camp, film writer, producer, director, author, passionate speaker, and the man behind the canine superstar Benji believes that anything is possible if you work hard enough and trust in yourself. He was told by industry “experts” not to bother with the original Benji film; that it wouldn’t work. He proved the experts wrong and now, after five Benji movies, he’s at it again with his best selling books that are turning the traditional thinking about horses on its head.  The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd is a National Best Seller in its seventeenth printing. Its sequel Born Wild is an Amazon #1 Best Seller and was a #1 Hot New Release.

Camp ignored industry “experts” who said the original Benji movie would never work. He raised the money from private sources to produce the film, but, when completed, the movie was turned down by every major film distributor in Hollywood. Camp and his partner Ed Vanston had to form their own distribution company and release the picture themselves worldwide from their offices in Dallas, with Camp personally developing the marketing strategy, writing advertising copy and press releases, and supervising each and every booking. In spite of the many obstacles, Variety reported the picture was the #3 grossing movie of the year.

“Many have called The Soul of a Horse the ultimate love story,” Joe says, “because we were six months into horses before I discovered that Kathleen – my lawyer wife – had been deathly afraid of them from the beginning. Her prior experience with horses, before us, was, in her own words: “from the ground looking up.” Four trail rides as a teenager, on a horse named Jack. She was dumped all four times. Unbeknown to her at the time, Jack had also dumped a jet fighter pilot. Those were her last times on a horse until she gave me a surprise birthday trail ride. I had no idea that she was petrified throughout the entire six hours. And the next six months. This truly became a story of supreme sacrifice driven by unconditional love.”

Monty Roberts, author of the New York Times #1 Bestseller The Man Who Listens to Horses , and world renowned clinician, said, “Imagine how inadequate it makes me feel to realize how recently Joe came into horses. The man is a natural when it comes to understanding how animals tick and a genius at telling us their story. The Soul of a Horse is a must read for those who love animals of any species.”

Camp has written, produced and directed seven theatrical motion pictures (including all of the Benji movies) cumulatively grossing well over the equivalent of $600 million in today’s dollars, making him one of the most successful independent filmmakers of all time.

In addition to The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd and Born Wild – The Journey Continues, Joe has  written 11 additional books about horses, three novels from his own screenplays, the inspirational non-fiction book God Only Knows, a dog training book, and several children’s books.

In advance of release of the 2004 film Benji Off the Leash, Joe and his floppy-eared star traveled the nation for months, appearing on television, radio, in newspapers and magazines, promoting the film while passionately making a case for Hollywood to “clean up” their family films, and extolling the values of adopting pets from shelters. “This time around,” Joe says, “it’s all about proving that you can put food on the table and, at the same time, make a positive difference in peoples’ lives. It’s about living life with purpose, on purpose.”

When Camp struck out across the country in the Fall of 2001 to find the new Benji in an animal shelter, media flocked to follow him around (See The Search for Benji Video). The American Humane Association had reported that the original Benji’s rescue from a shelter had caused more than one million adoptions. Camp wanted to recreate that model. Local and network television, radio and newspapers covered the search, with the ultimate selection being a feature on ABC’s Primetime Thursday . The search and Benji’s new movie generated more than one billion media exposures for the efforts of shelters and rescue groups all across the nation.

One of Joe’s favorite pastimes is working with the Piney Woods School in Mississippi. This historically black boarding school educates mostly high-risk kids from families below the poverty level, yet usually sends 100% of its graduates to college, many to some of the best colleges and universities in the country. “We are very proud of the things we’ve accomplished for these kids. And the rewards are the greatest.”

Joe is also on the board of trustees of the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. “Mike Arms, the Center’s president is the most amazing animal advocate I’ve ever met,” Joe says.

Even with all the accomplishments and media exposure, Camp is still in awe of his own success. “Inside, I’m still a kid sitting in a dark theater in Little Rock, Arkansas, watching Disney’s ‘Song of the South’ or reading books like the Black Stallion with happy tears rolling down my cheeks,” he says. “To be able to bring that kind of happiness to others is very special.”

About his new book God Only Knows Joe says, “My fondest hope is that what you find here might inspire you to follow your own dreams; to strike out against the odds; to adventure into uncharted waters with passion, honesty, and integrity; and to leave the world a better place for the effort. This, then, would be my most treasured achievement.”

Subscribe to our Blog. Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Blog The Store Omega Nibblers Omega Horseshine
Benji WideScreenHD HD Widescreen For the Love of Benji DVD -The Original Benji - Written, produced & directed by Joe Camp 	 	DVD - For the Love of Benji - Written, produced & directed by Joe Camp  	DVD - Benji Off the Leash - Written & directed by Joe CAmp DVD - Benji the Hunted - Written & directed by Joe Camp Benji Soundtrack CD CD - Dare To Dream - Inspiring Keynote Speech from Joe
Joe Writes about the Fish
  • Articles by Joe – Non-Horsey And Passionate
  • The Risks of Television – Passive Brains Retain Sensations, Not Information
  • Schools That Excel – How Do They Do It?
  • Why Benji Promotes Adoptions
  • The Logic of Christianity
  • How to Save America’s Wild Horses
  • Wild Horses: Very Definitely an Indigenous Native Species in the Western United States
  • Meet Out Horses
  • Lifestyle and the Wild
  • What’s In It for the Horse?
  • Trust – It Changes Everything
  • For Beginners Only
  • Trust Yourself to Try and Err
  • The Soul of a Horse: The Ultimate Love Story
  • At Liberty – Just You and Your Horse
  • About Relationship
  • Why Barefoot?
  • How to Catch Your Horse in the Pasture – A Guaranteed Method
  • Diet: A Slippery Slope
  • Q&A with Joe Camp
  • Our Former Place – The Birthplace of The Soul of a Horse
  • Our New Place in Middle Tennessee
  • Television & Radio Interviews
  • Read About the Houston Mounted Police Patrol – 40 Horses Working the Streets – All Barefoot!
  • Jack L. Kennedy Reviews Joe’s Books
  • The Soul of a Horse on Facebook