Meet Jeremy Johnson of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Johnson

Hi Jeremy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started in High School in the Seattle area when I got my hands on a video camera and I started filming live shows of my best friends band and making my first documentaries. Around this same time I was watching a lot of movies and falling in love with cinema so I decided to teach myself to write my first screenplay by studying style and format online. All of this propelled me to seek out college to study film and the production of it. I found myself at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and was accepted into their film program. While studying here, my favorite classes were directing and screenwriting. In these classes I learned valuable tools for working with actors and how to tell a story. I directed multiple student films that were accepted into film festivals globally. A college internship came up where I was selected to have the opportunity to work on the Fox Searchlight picture titled ‘The Descendants’ starring George Clooney and directed by Alexander Payne. This gave me my first hands on experience with a Hollywood production. Every week I worked in a different department getting to know the in and outs of the entire production which was an invaluable experience. Then shortly after the internship started I found out about an outreach class that was happening one weekend on campus taught by a local 2nd Assistant Director who was working on the television show Hawaii Five-0; she was teaching a production class on how to be a set production assistant. Shortly after completing this class, myself and another friend of mine were hired to work on Hawaii Five-0 with her. After working on Five-0, I learned what it took to become an assistant director and how to join the Directors Guild of America. Not only were these two opportunities a great learning experience and production foundation they also were invaluable networking opportunities that lead to many opportunities to get me to where I am today. After I graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa I was accepted and got the opportunity to intern at The White House office of Presidential Correspondence under the Obama Administration in Washington DC. After completing this internship and having backgrounds in both politics and the television and film world my heart took me to Los Angeles to continue the next phase of my creative career. Fast forward working many years on productions as a set production assistant both in Hawaii and Los Angeles I was able to turn my production book in to become a member of the Directors Guild of America. Also along my creative journey, I directed short films, web series, documentaries, and music videos that have played in festivals, on PBS and won awards. Currently, I have two feature film projects in the works and am attached to direct my first feature film in 2025 with producer and writer Michael Bretten who I met while working on the NBC television show ‘Quantum Leap’. Things are exciting and I am grateful for the opportunities that have come my way.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road along the way, what has gotten me where I am today is persistence and an absolute belief that I know I can succeed and I love what I have been doing and am currently doing. I got my professional start in Hawaii and moved to Los Angeles after I graduated college so there was a bit of a transition period when I first landed in Los Angeles. I didn’t have the same connections I had in Hawaii so in some way I started from scratch again and made my LA connections. I worked as a producer’s assistant, a page at Paramount Pictures, I edited casting reels for a reality TV company then I made a connection on the Universal backlot while attending a screening and got a production assistant job on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ then things started to flow and I started making new connections with assistant directors and landed a job on ‘Jane the Virgin’ then ‘WestWorld’ and gig after production gig turned into joining the DGA. So I believe persistence and belief is key with a vision of your goals.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently wear multiple hats in the film and television world. I am a Directors Guild of America member in the 2nd Assistant Director category, primarily working with the background talent; checking them in, getting them through hair, makeup and wardrobe then placing them around the camera while on set. I’m currently working in the Assistant Directors department on a new Amazon MGM Studios television series ‘Spider-Man Noir’. I am also a director, producer and writer with two feature film projects in the works. I would say I am most known for and most proud of a short film I wrote and directed that is based on a true story about my cousin who is deaf. This short played in film festivals around the world and on a PBS television special ‘Filmmakers Forum’. I adapted this short film into a feature film script and am currently working on getting this feature into production. I am also very excited about an upcoming feature titled ‘Rush Week’ written and produced by Michael Bretten, that I am attached to direct. Stay tuned, I feel these projects are really unique and both have very important social commentary. I feel I stand out because I seek out projects that push the social commentary envelope. I want to make a difference with the films I create and make people think and question what they may or may not be doing. I believe filmmakers have the most powerful tool to make a difference in communities around the world with the stories we bring to life.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I think one of the greatest things about being a filmmaker is that we get to collaborate with so many talented creative individuals which is very inspiring and stimulating. As a filmmaker relationships are very important to me. Forming relationships with producers, cinematographers, writers, composers, assistant directors, editors etc is very important and is like forming your creative family. When forming these relationships I seek out the best talent then set up coffee meetings and see if we click on multiple levels; both as human beings and creatively. I’m always open to new collaborations. I form creative relationships by meeting creatives on set or by being introduced to new creatives from my current relationships. I like forming creative relationships where you can support each other creatively. For example, maybe I’m directing a project for someone then I’m producing a project for someone because a lot of folks in the industry like to wear multiple hats like myself so I want to be supported that way and support my collaborators that way too.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jeremyvjohnson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1376002721&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=jOQm2vgghivzzaRF&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1AN9teYhrA%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-johnson-22023753/
• Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm4434715?ref_=hm_nv_usr_profile

Image Credits
Jeremy Johnson