What happens when you hand a little girl a seven-second timer and tell her she can have whatever she draws?
Josh Liljenquist (known online as Joshlilj) has built a career around exactly this kind of setup: a simple premise, a real person, and no script for what comes next. Based in Minnesota, Josh creates short-form human-interest videos through his production company Joshlilj LLC, using direct conversation to find stories about generosity, community, and people who surprise you.
The video at the center of this piece features a girl who drew a coloring book in seven seconds and then, when given the choice to keep it or give Minky Couture blankets to people in need, chose to give. That choice, freely made by a child, became the emotional core of the whole story. Instead of focusing on what she could receive, she chose to help someone else. It’s the kind of moment that defines what Joshlilj does.
It’s a totally unscripted, feel good story that the internet needs more of. Check out the video:
We sat down with Josh to talk about how he works, what drives him, and where he wants to take this next. Here’s a brief Q&A:
Where did the seven-second drawing idea come from, and what made it the right opening for this story?
I saw another creator do it and thought it was a cute idea that showed kids’ innocence. What appealed to me was how something so simple could give a child room to be themselves.
A lot of my openings are simple questions. They give someone an easy way into a conversation, and then I pay attention to where they take it. Sometimes the most interesting part is something I wouldn’t have thought to ask about beforehand.
Your work depends on real, unscripted moments. How do you handle it when things don’t go the way you expected?
There’s a difference between having an opening concept and knowing where a conversation will go. I can come in with an idea, but the person has their own story. I’ve learned that listening matters more than trying to force everything back toward the original concept.
I’ve also become more thoughtful about what deserves to be posted. Someone declining to participate or having a difficult moment doesn’t tell me their whole story. Not every interaction needs to become content. I’ve learned things the hard way, and I’d rather be honest about that growth than pretend I got everything right from the beginning.
Minky Couture is a brand partnership…how do you keep that from taking over the story?
My agent, Zach, and the team at LAA helped coordinate the campaign. What I liked about this story was that the blankets could become part of a meaningful choice rather than just something we were advertising.
The little girl’s choice between something for herself and giving blankets to others was the heart of it. That’s what I wanted people to connect with. For me, a partnership works best when the product fits what’s happening without becoming more important than the person.
Why do you think a simple question can open people up the way it does?
A question gives someone the chance to tell you something you wouldn’t know just by looking at them. That’s what keeps me interested in this work.
I think people recognize parts of their own lives in someone else’s answer: wanting to care for their family, holding onto a dream, or simply wanting to be heard. My hope is that viewers become a little more curious about the people they pass every day. You don’t need money to start that conversation.
How did you get started, and how did this become a full-time career?
I grew up in Fairmont, Minnesota, and my grandfather had a big influence on how I think about helping people. Over time, approaching strangers, listening to their stories, and finding ways to help became my full-time career and a production business.
One of the biggest adjustments has been the expectations surrounding the work. I sometimes miss the early feeling that giving someone $500 was enough. That isn’t about people being ungrateful. It’s about how much the scale has changed, and trying to stay connected to the human interaction underneath it all.
Is there a project you still want to make that hasn’t happened yet?
I’d love to explore longer-form documentary storytelling. A short video can’t hold everything: someone’s life before we met, what happens afterward, and the complicated parts that don’t fit into a few minutes.
I want room to explore the responsibility that comes with this work, too. Helping someone can be meaningful, but attention also brings expectations and questions about boundaries. I’d like to tell those stories honestly, including what I’ve had to learn.
What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened to you while shooting?
One moment that stays with me happened when I was outside holding a sign in the cold. I was numb, and a young man I hadn’t planned to meet bought boots for me.
It wasn’t a disaster, but it completely reversed what people might expect from one of my videos. Suddenly I was receiving the help. That’s a reminder I need -- the people I meet have just as much to give as I do.
Bio:
Josh Liljenquist, known online as Joshlilj, is a Minnesota-based digital creator and producer. Through Joshlilj LLC, he creates question-led short-form human-interest videos about generosity, community, and everyday people. Live to Love describes the mission behind that work. His portfolio is available at creativepool.com/josh-liljenquist and his official site is JoshLiljenquist.com.
