RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: Goonies Never Die!

Allen Park resident Joseph Sheldon Quick is a talent connector for the Michigan film industry. “The Michigan film industry is one big family,” he said. “I’ve been working on films for the past 20 years all over the state. Filming is a fun collaborative art, and I’ve met tons of great people.”

Quick grew up in Westland. “I fell in love with lighting and set design at John Glenn High School Theater,” he said. “Our teacher, Mr. Walker, had me teach kids how to use tools. My dad was a handyman so I was familiar. Senior year I was building sets behind the scenes and performing on stage, as needed.”

After school, Quick moved to Winter Haven, in central Florida.

“I was there for a few years,” he said. “Then I came back to Michigan, graduated Specs Howard for film production with my friend Bradford Clark, and combined the construction skills my dad taught me to do set building for eight seasons on the Dr. Nandi Show.”

Eventually, Quick became an Allen Parker.

“My wife Elizabeth (Crowe) and I moved to Allen Park in 2019,” he said. “Her and her sister, Amber, went to Allen Park schools. We moved here to help take care of her mom. Elizabeth owns Just Beneath the Skin, an orthopedic massage spa. They’re moving into the old dry cleaners on Park.”

Film work keeps Quick busy.

“I’ve worked as a producer, gaffer (chief lighting tech), grip (camera and equipment tech), and set construction and set dressing,” he said. “I like working with my hands and teaching people how to do things for themselves. Helping passionate and dedicated people achieve their dreams, having a real-world impact in many instances, and having fun is what it’s about.”

Some recent films he’s worked on include: “’Stealing Jokes’ (2024) in Detroit,” he said. “’Crazy Bones’ (August 2025) at Camp Tavor in Three Rivers. ‘Don’t Come Looking’ (fall 2025) shot in Grayling about Native American folk lore. ‘Tweed’ (spring 2026), a sci-fi horror genre-switch film we shot in Casco and at the old Packard Plant, and ‘Eloise’ with Wraith Productions. And there’s a show on Tubi called ‘The Agency’ that I lit and co-starred in.”

Quick also runs two film podcasts in Allen Park. “My friend Bradford Clark and I run the Unorthodox Film Podcast,” he said. “Where film industry guests talk genre-specific films in depth. And we also do the #Setlife podcast, featuring co-workers from various projects. It’s all about building community and spreading knowledge.”

The Quicks vacation when they can.

“We love New Orleans for its artistry and Detroit-ish sensibilities,” he said. “And Salem, Massachusetts for its gothic spookiness. My love of haunted houses also contributed to my love of set building.”

Personal film favorites and collecting philosophy are as follows.

“Some early films that inspired me are ‘Back to the Future’ (1985), ‘So I Married an Axe Murderer’ (1993) and ‘Bio-Dome’ (1996),” he said. “I have them on VHS tape. I own tons of VHS, DVDs, vinyl records (especially punk) and CDs. I’m not a fan of streaming. It’s too fragmented and expensive. Lots of people are re-embracing tangible, physical media because it’s not paywall-gated and ephemeral, like streaming. Subscription fatigue is real, but Goonies never die!”