Johnson was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended high school at St. John Vianney High School, and attended a summer film course at Columbia College Chicago between his second and third years of high school.
Johnson dibesarkan di St. Louis, Missouri, dimana ia masuk perguruan tinggi di St. John Vianney High School, dan menghadiri kursus film musim panas di Columbia College Chicago antara tahun kedua dan ketiganya di perguruan tinggi.