Biography
Born and raised in Chicago, Johnson-Cochran loved films and writing from an early age. Although he trained as a geologist getting a BS in Geological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and contemplated working in the oil exploration business, he soon found his true calling as a writer and filmmaker. He attended the School of the Art Institute in Chicago for a brief period where he studied filmmaking, semiotics, and film history.
In Chicago, Johnson-Cochran worked as a journalist, cameraman and director for the local PBS station WTTW-Chicago, producing, writing, and directing documentaries including the award-winning music special "Going Home to Gospel with Patti LaBelle (music producer), "Babies at Risk", about infant mortality in Chicago (producer) and "School Reform-Power to the Parents", (producer). Johnson-Cochran also worked for the nightly news show 'Chicago Tonight.'
With the award-winning novelist Anchee Min (Red Azalea, Katherine), Johnson-Cochran was invited to The People's Republic of China to create and produce "Stories from America," a 20-part television series, focused on the lives of Chinese American students, scholars and professionals returning to China after living in the United States. Johnson-Cochran transitioned into screenwriting after his very first spec screenplay 'My Tribe is Lost' sold to Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks.
Johnson-Cochran was the co-creator of NBC hit series "Minor Adjustments" and wrote and produced on the television series "Angel Street", executed produced by John Wells ("ER", "The West Wing.")
Johnson-Cochran's wrote, produced and directed the independently film "Love and Action in Chicago" featured Kathleen Turner, Courtney B. Vance, Jason Alexander, Regina King and Ed Asner. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and was sold to HBO.
Johnson-Cochran's produced and directed the documentary "Side by Side-The Story of the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone," executive produced by former Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright and actress/director Regina King for the National Democratic Institute.
Johnson-Cochran's produced and directed the feature-length documentary "Be Known", about jazz percussionist Kahil El-Zabar. The film was nominated for Best Independent Documentary by the Black Reel Awards and two NAACP Awards. The documentary has appeared in over twenty film festivals around the world.
In addition, Johnson-Cochran taught screenwriting for eleven years as an instructor in the USC's Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Screenwriting Fellowship. Johnson-Cochran is also an instructor for UNESCO with concentration in screenwriting, directing and documentary film making in various countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Russia, and South Africa.
Johnson-Cochran produced the feature film 'White Water.' The film was nominated for three NAACP Image Awards for Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Director.
Johnson-Cochran recently wrote and executive produced 'Heist 88,' which takes inspiration from the unbelievable true story behind one of the biggest and most brazen real-life bank heists of the U.S. banking system. Starring Courtney B. Vance and Keith David, the film premiered domestically on Paramount+ and Showtime. Heist 88 was nominated for 3 NAACP awards and Johnson-Cochran won the award for best screenwriting for a television film in 2024.
