We were lucky to catch up with Derek Johnson II recently and have shared our conversation below.
Derek, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
Taking risks is something that no one is ever comfortable with. They will never be able to take risks in a place of comfort. But the more you do it, the easier it gets. I’ve developed this ability to take risks by failing over and over again. Only through failure can you truly learn what you need to change. Once you know what was wrong, you can attempt again with confidence.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a writer-director based out of Los Angeles, CA. Even though I do this as my main job, being a creative allows me to do so much more. Host and produce three podcast shows and one radio show called “Film Center News”. I develop projects, both big and small! Even though I do so much, I love pushing myself creatively. That’s also encourage so many people to write. If you can write well, you can enter so many fields from the ground up! What I find most exciting about it is making dreams and ideas into a reality. It’s like magic. People hire me to be on their projects because they know that I will take their IPs to the next level.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First is networking. You’ll never get anywhere sitting in your room, talking to no one. The second is courage. Having courage allows you to reach out to places you wouldn’t normally go. Usually, this is exactly where your goals lie. The third would be discipline. When motivation fails, discipline soars. The only advice that I have is that there are 24 hours in a day. Use them wisely.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
One thing my parents did for me was always encourage me to try new things. No matter how crazy it was. Instead of saying “No”, they instead worked with me to figure out a way to make it possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://film-center-news.captivate.fm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derek.johnsonii/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-johnson-ii/
Image Credits
Nicholas Killian, Eric Alt, Kevin Feige
