Derek Wayne Johnson

Derek Wayne Johnson (born February 23, 1983) is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer.
Born and raised in Carthage, Texas, Johnson began making short films at an early age winning several awards while still in high school. In his senior year of film school, Johnson completed his first feature as a director. After college he formed a production company, AJ16 Entertainment, specializing in producing feature films and documentaries. Before moving to Los Angeles, California, Johnson got his start in the film business by writing, directing, producing and acting in what is now known as Hollywood South, a name given to the thriving film industry in Texas and Louisiana.
In 2014 Johnson began production on a documentary about Academy Award-winning director John G. Avildsen whose credits include Rocky (1976), The Karate Kid (1984) and many other classic hits. The documentary, entitled John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs (2017), will examine the life, career and films of the legendary director and features interviews with Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, Jerry Weintraub, Burt Reynolds and many more. The documentary is a companion to the new book The Films of John G. Avildsen: Rocky, The Karate Kid, and Other Underdogs written by Larry Powell and Tom Garrett.
In 2016 Johnson was handpicked by Sylvester Stallone to direct a documentary marking the fortieth anniversary of Rocky (1976) entitled 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2017). The documentary will feature Stallone and Rocky (1976) director John G. Avildsen as they narrate behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the film.

• Commendation by the City of Los Angeles for the upcoming documentary John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs (2017) and its association with The Karate Kid (1984) legacy.
• Won his second Best Actor in a Feature Film award at the Golden Door International Film Festival of Jersey City 2014 for Broken Blood (2013).
• Won Best Actor in a Feature Film at the Northeast Film Festival 2013 for his portrayal of twin brothers Stone and Stanley DeBrock in Broken Blood (2013).
• Won Best Editor at the Hoboken International Film Festival 2014 for Scrape (2015).
• Won the New York Post/HIFF Best Feature Film Trailer award at the Hoboken International Film Festival 2013 for Broken Blood (2013).
• Won Best Louisiana Filmmaker Feature Film at the Phenom Film Festival 2013 for Broken Blood (2013).

• McLane, Rodger G. "Johnson’s films win three independent awards in 2013", The Panola Watchman, Carthage, TX, 24 September 2013. Retrieved on 20 November 2013.