Derek Wayne Johnson
Derek Wayne Johnson (born February 23, 1983) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Early life and education. Born and raised in Carthage, Texas, Johnson began making short films at an early age, winning several awards while still in high school. Johnson directed his first feature film, "Within Us", in his senior year of film school at Stephen F. Austin State University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film in 2006. Career. Acting and Directing. After college, Johnson tried his hand at acting, starring in independent films and appearing in theatrically released and made -for-TV movies. Deciding to forgo acting and focus solely on filmmaking, he directed three feature films in Texas and Louisiana, including "Broken Blood" and "Scrape", before landing in California. Documentaries. Upon arriving in Hollywood, Johnson directed "John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs", about the Academy Award-winning director whose credits include "Rocky" and "The Karate Kid". The documentary features interviews with Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, Talia Shire, Burt Reynolds and many more. Alongside John Avildsen and the cast and crew of "The Karate Kid", Johnson received a Commendation by the City of Los Angeles for his  documentary and its association with "The Karate Kid" legacy. Sylvester Stallone hand-picked Johnson to direct "40 Years of Rocky": "The Birth of a Classic" (aka "Becoming Rocky": "The Birth of a Classic"). The documentary, narrated by Stallone, details the making of "Rocky" and was acquired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Johnson and his documentary were mentioned in the 2021 "Life" magazine special issue dedicated to the Rocky franchise. Johnson directed "STALLONE: Frank, That Is", highlighting musician and actor Frank Stallone, brother of Sylvester. The documentary features interviews with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Billy Dee Williams, Duff McKagan, Joe Mantegna  and many others. Sylvester Stallone once again hand-picked Johnson to edit "The Making of Rocky vs. Drago", a documentary directed by John Herzfeld. Return to Feature Films. In the summer of 2021, Johnson wrapped production on his directorial return to feature films with "Blood Streams", a crime/drama/thriller starring Han Soto, Brad Maule, Hollin Haley, and Yuji Okumoto. The film was shot entirely in Panola County, Texas and will see a worldwide release. Personal life. On February 18, 2022, Johnson received a “star” in downtown Carthage, Texas as part of the first class of inductees to the Carthage  Main Street Arts Walk of Fame. The plaque is located on the sidewalk outside the historic Esquire Theater. Johnson also received a Key to the City of Carthage, presented by the Mayor. Johnson cites his original VHS copy of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as the reason he became a filmmaker, calling it "the holy grail" of his movie collection and the film he studied the most growing up. Johnson is a lifelong martial artist and 3rd Level Black Belt in the art of American Karate. In 2020, he was inducted into the AMAA Who's Who in the Martial  Arts Hall of Fame alongside Chuck Norris, Benny Urquidez and other martial artists from around the world. He was included in the 2020 Martial Arts Masters & Pioneers Biography Book, Vol 1 and received the 2020 American Martial Arts Alliance Legends Award.