ABOUT
SHOOT Magazine's annual New Directors Search for 2021 yielded a healthy crop of 31 diverse up-and-coming directors within the filmmaking community, 15 of which are women. For director LJ Johnson, this was an opportunity to change the narrative.
It’s about broadening the perspective. It’s about thinking of my viewer first. What do I want them to feel? How do I want them to react to the story at hand? For too long we have been fed one narrative. What I’m MORE interested in is getting more women and POC HIRED. It’s not enough to just have them on the bid. Give them a chance. Are our reels and resumes going to be equal to that of our competitors? Perhaps not. But, until people put the perspective above the clout we will continue to push forth one narrative.
Working with actors is LJ's thing, and she’s known for achieving subtle and nuanced performances on set. Visually, she likes to create offbeat worlds that showcase the quirk and idiosyncrasies of people. LJ's grounded approach to humor is what sets her apart as a filmmaker. To her, comedy is best when it taps into the human condition. She funnels every directorial decision she makes through The Lens of Honesty, which is a monocle she wears around her neck that no one has ever seen. It's very old.
Most recently this director/writer helming from Minneapolis, MN was chosen as one of five Fellows for the prestigious Commercial Directors Diversity Program in 2022, for which over 700 directors applied. This summer LJ was the recipient of the Mom Who Also Directs Award, which was presented to her by her five-year-old daughter in her living room. That, and she was also a part of a super secret project for HBO Max coming out in 2023.
