John Woodruff shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
John , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I don’t think most people realize how much time is spent just trying to get something off the ground…
It wasn’t that long ago that we didn’t have everything at our fingertips. We had to wait for things, search for them, and when we finally found whatever it was we were looking for, or something that made an impression on us, whether it was a film, a song, a book, or even an image, it stayed with us because it wasn’t instantly available. It felt rare. It felt special. It resonated…
Now, there’s perceivably an endless stream of content… Most people scroll past a photo, a film, a song, a story without thinking twice, but the truth is that the thing they’re scrolling past may have taken years to make. That disconnect, between the work it takes and how quickly it’s consumed, is probably the biggest misunderstanding…
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an LA-based writer, director and producer specializing in feature films, corporate/advertising videos and creative consultation. Originally from Brookville, Ohio I’ve spent the past twenty years working in entertainment and production. From building sets for POP SUGAR, LOWES and HOME DEPOT, to working in development with former UNIVERSAL STUDIOS president Thom Mount, my versatile experience in production set me up for success with my debut feature film ANIMAL AMONG US starring Christian Oliver, Larisa Oleynik, Erin Daniels, Heather Tom and Don Frye. Since its worldwide release, I have produced and directed multiple projects on an international level including videos for AMAZON, TOXIPETS, WEBBER LAW GROUP and ABN AMRO BANK. I have done creative consultation for PROCTOR AND GAMBLE, IAMS and HARLEY DAVIDSON and my last feature film script KILL THE GIRL was optioned to one of the top 10 highest grossing film producers of all time. I am currently deep in development on two more features and finishing up a piece for ‘Letters to Isabel,’ a platform that connects pediatric cancer fighters, survivors, and caregivers . I am always open to exploring partnerships in production and investment and am currently working on financing my next feature film NIGHT TAKES ALL.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think a lot of what breaks the bonds between people today comes from how fast everything moves and how surface-level our interactions have become. The internet, social media, and now AI have made communication instant, but they’ve also made it disposable. We are more connected than ever, but we connect with far less intention. We scroll past each other just the way people scroll past the work we make. It becomes easy to forget there are real people behind everything we see.
What restores those bonds is the opposite. It is time, presence, and effort. It is actually listening to someone instead of reacting to them. It is stepping away from the constant noise long enough to remember that relationships grow the same way creative projects do: slowly, with attention and patience. When we put real energy into understanding each other, when we collaborate, when we go through something challenging together, the connection becomes meaningful again.
The tools we have today aren’t the problem. It is how we use them. When we use technology to replace human interaction, bonds weaken. When we use it to support genuine collaboration and storytelling, it can bring us closer. Ultimately, what breaks or restores those bonds comes down to intention.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
I miss the feeling of things being fleeting or rare, of not having the answer to every single question at your fingertips… I miss having to wait for that new song to come on the radio just to hear it, or how excited you got when you happened to find an old favorite while endlessly scanning the channels… I miss the excitement of finding that movie you had been looking for forever, of the magic of going to the library or the video rental store because that was the only way to track something down… I miss handwriting notes and sketching in the margins. There was something special about living in a world where every activity wasn’t connected to a screen in your pocket…
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think one of the biggest lies our industry tells itself is that technology automatically makes art better. Tools evolve, and that’s great, but a tool isn’t the thing that gives a piece of work its soul. Another lie is that art needs to be perfect. Somewhere along the line we convinced ourselves that every frame, every beat, every moment has to be flawless. But perfection usually strips the humanity out of something. People in the film industry also like to pretend art is a formula. They act like success can be calculated or predicted, as if you can reverse engineer emotion or originality… The truth is that the things that resonate are often messy, instinctive, and a little unpredictable. That’s what makes it art in the first place.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I think this is the real key to success in this business. Most of the work you do is invisible, and no one is standing there applauding you for putting in the hours. It’s the unseen work that makes you grow, and it’s what eventually produces results. And the truth is, not only do you usually not get praised, you often get criticized in ways that can feel brutal. At some point you have to learn how to find the compliment in the insult.
I’ll never forget when my first film was released. A couple of guys online were tearing it apart and comparing it to the 2017 New Line Cinema version of “IT,” which had a budget of thirty-five million dollars… We made our entire film for eighty thousand from start to finish. And right there, in that completely unreasonable comparison, was the compliment. They were holding our little indie film up against a studio giant. Once you learn to see that kind of thing for what it is, you realize you’re doing something right. Even when no one is praising you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.johnwoodruffproductions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjohnwoodruff/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-woodruff-11670556/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejohnwoodruff/
- Other: https://www.storymind.co
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