Josh Kramer passed away on November 27, 2023 surrounded by family and dear friends in Santa Monica, California, where for over 45 years he had been a respected and loved member of the entertainment community.

Josh was born to Bernard and Alvera Kramer, and he and his beloved brother, Ken, were raised in Teaneck, New Jersey.  Josh’s father’s work at CitiBank took the family overseas when Josh started high school, and Josh graduated from The American School in London. He went on to earn a B.A. from Brown University, where he made his mark with cutting edge conceptual art pieces, and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Josh began his career in the entertainment business in foreign sales for the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis. He quickly became an important part of the company, pre-selling foreign movie rights, which, in turn, financed the films Manhunter, Blue Velvet, and other titles from directors Sam Raimi, Michael Cimino, Bruce Beresford, David Cronenberg, and many others. Josh was instrumental in the success of Madonna’s first concert film Madonna: Truth or Dare, leading the acquisition of the film rights and then selling the film overseas. Josh quickly became a respected figure in the international distribution world, relied on for his razor-sharp mind, unfailing honesty, and an exceptional talent for negotiation. Throughout his career, Josh's leadership and business strategy skills were crucial in developing motion picture projects and providing financing consultation for acclaimed filmmakers.

In the early nineties, Josh teamed up with Thom Mount to form the Mount/Kramer Company. Together, they produced the acclaimed Roman Polanski film Death and the Maiden and Sidney Lumet’s Night Falls on Manhattan. Newly married to his beloved wife, Kathie, the two years Josh spent producing these films in Paris and New York were especially treasured ones. Josh and Kathie’s son, Jack, was born shortly thereafter, in 1997. Josh had never been happier.

After becoming the head of sales for Capitol Films, joining International Acquisitions at MGM, and supporting the artist and engineer Chuck Hoberman on various inventions, in 2005 Josh and his family moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington, a ferry ride from Seattle, and Josh began his career at Amazon as the first licensing executive of Amazon Unbox. There he established the company’s relationships with major Hollywood studios and TV networks to build a comprehensive selection for Amazon’s new video platform. He and his team were also responsible for the expansion of Amazon Video through groundbreaking deals with TiVo, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Vizio, Roku, and others.

As the Head of Motion Picture Business Operations at Amazon Studios from 2014-2018, Josh played a pivotal role in the studio's early success. He wrote the original business plan for Amazon Studios' movie division, recruited key leadership, and devised distribution strategies that led to the successful launch of the studio's initial film projects, including Spike Lee's Chiraq, Academy Award winner Manchester By the Sea, and Academy Award nominee The Big Sick. To no one's surprise, he was awarded Amazon’s coveted Door Desk Award, and three statuettes graced his desk for patents he earned for the company.

Throughout his career, Josh was always exploring the edges, examining new ways content could be created, funded, or distributed. After leaving Amazon Studios, Josh founded BKopy.io, in 2021,  and dedicated himself to creative problem solving at the intersection of creative artistry and blockchain technology. As the driving force behind BKopy.io, he brought his extensive expertise to the forefront, launching Neal Stephenson's groundbreaking Snow Crash NFT at Sotheby's in early 2023. Alongside BKopy.io, Josh served as the managing partner of Resonance Content, where notable strategy and business affairs clients included The Boston Globe, K Period Media, and The Wildcard Alliance.

Throughout his career, Josh had a wonderful ability to mentor, advise, and encourage countless individuals from both his professional and personal circles. He loved to do this, and he was very grateful to those who mentored him. Josh leaves behind a legacy of influential filmmakers and executives made better by his support of their work.

Beyond his work, Josh had many passions. He was an accomplished classical pianist, a published short fiction author, a potter, a knitter, and like his father, a self-taught computer whiz. He had just started an acting class.

Josh is survived by his wife, Kathie; their son, Jack; his brother, Ken (sister-in-law Dee Dee); numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. 

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