# J. J. Johnson (producer)

James Anthony Johnson, known professionally as J. J. Johnson, is a Canadian-born writer, director, executive producer, and founding member of Sinking Ship Entertainment. He is the creator of children's television programmes, including This is Daniel Cook, Dino Dana and Endlings. He also serves on the Youth Media Alliance board as a co-chair.

## Early life

One of four children, Johnson grew up in Elmira, Ontario and started experimenting with film and media in his final year of high school. Johnson was in the running for school president when he and two friends made a Saturday Night Live inspired video featuring Supermarket Sweep host Tino Monte. He won the election and through this victory he realized the power of media.

## Career

J. J. Johnson attended Ryerson University's RTA School of Media and graduated in 2002 along with fellow Sinking Ship Entertainment founders, Blair Powers and Matt Bishop. In their final year, Johnson and Powers pitched a project and tried to convince their peers to pick up the remaining crew roles. A classmate warned others who were interested to avoid joining as it'd be like "joining a sinking ship". The two friends registered a company in the same name later that day.
After graduating, Johnson worked at a talent agency where he met Daniel Cook, who became the inspiration behind This is Daniel Cook which debuted in 2004 with Sinking Ship Entertainment. Since then, Johnson has created and directed several popular shows such as Dino Dana, Endlings and Lockdown.
In January 2006, the operations of Sinking Ship Entertainment moved from Johnson's apartment to offices in Toronto.
On November 23, 2014, Sinking Ship Entertainment announced they would be co-producing Odd Squad along with Fred Rogers Productions for PBS Kids. The show went on to win several Daytime Emmy Awards which lead to the creation of Odd Squad Mobile Unit.
In 2021, he announced he will be working alongside Apple TV+ and the Jane Goodall Institute to create Jane, a kids' series that will follow a girl named Jane Garcia, a 10-year-old with an active imagination. Previously, Johnson had worked alongside Apple TV+ and Sesame Workshop to produce the reboot of the 1990's kids series Ghostwriter.

## Filmography

| Year | Title |
| 2004 | This is Daniel Cook |
| 2006 | This is Emily Yeung |
| 2006 | I Dare You |
| 2006 | Roll Play |
| 2007 | Are We There Yet?: World Adventures |
| 2010 | Dino Dan |
| 2012 | Giver |
| 2013 | This is Scarlett and Isaiah |
| 2013 | Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures |
| 2014 | Odd Squad |
| 2015 | Chirp |
| 2016 | Odd Squad: The Movie |
| 2017 | Dino Dana |
| 2020 | Endlings |
| 2020 | Dino Dana The Movie |
| 2021 | Lockdown |
| 2023 | Jane |

## Awards, nominations and honors

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2013 | 1st Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Are We There Yet?: World Adventure | Nominated |
| 2013 | 1st Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated |
| 2015 | 3rd Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated |
| 2015 | 3rd Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | This Is Scarlett and Isaiah | Nominated |
| 2015 | 3rd Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures | Nominated |
| 2015 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series | Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures | Won |
| 2015 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated |
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Annedroids | Nominated |
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Annedroids | Nominated |
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Annedroids | Nominated |
| 2016 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2017 | 5th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad: The Movie | Won |
| 2017 | 5th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Odd Squad | Nominated |
| 2017 | 5th Canadian Screen Awards | Best TV Movie or Limited Series | Odd Squad: The Movie | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction, Children's or Youth | Dino Dana: "Mega Tooth" | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction, Children's or Youth | Odd Squad: "The Cherry On-Top-Inator / Sir" | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated |
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Annedroids | Nominated |
| 2018 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Education or Informational Series | Giver | Won |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Dino Dana | Won |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Dino Dana | Won |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated |
| 2019 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Children's, Pre-school Children's or Family Viewing Program | Odd Squad: World Turned Odd | Won |
| 2019 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Program | Odd Squad | Won |
| 2020 | 8th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated |
| 2020 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series | Ghostwriter | Won |
| 2021 | 9th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing, Web Program or Series | Lockdown | Nominated |
| 2021 | 9th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Endlings | Nominated |
| 2021 | 9th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad Mobile Unit | Won |
| 2021 | 9th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing, Children's or Youth | Endlings | Nominated |
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Endlings | Pending |
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Lockdown | Pending |
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad Mobile Unit | Pending |
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Directing, Children's or Youth | Odd Squad Mobile Unit: "H2 Oh No/In Your Dreams" | Pending |
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Immersive Experience, Nonfiction | Fossil Hunt | Pending |