John

About Me

John E. Johnson, Executive Director of the American Screenwriters Association, is a screenwriter, producer and director, whose production company, Avon Fields Productions, is currently developing documentary and feature film projects, as well as a television show. John began his film and television career when he appeared as an actor in the feature film, Simple Justice (starring John Avery, Andre Braugher, and Samuel L. Jackson) filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. He later became a casting assistant for the movie, This Train.

As a writer John has penned screenplays, stage plays and radio dramas, and his recent script is a MOW adaptation of a popular Christmas book, Christmas on Jane Street, which is in pre-development. He has also signed a deal with publisher, Trident-McCormick, to write an autobiography, The Pirates of Hollywood, detailing his experiences with ASA and Hollywood, offering insights for future screenwriting generations.

John has overseen the American Screenwriters Association's growth to include members in 40 different countries on four continents and in more than 2,000 cities worldwide! ASA is now featured on more than 1000+ web sites around the world and growing! He started the ASA International Screenplay Competition, which receives more than 1,300 entries annually, and during the past few years John has read more than 3,000 scripts as a judge for screenplay competitions.

He was invited by the Institute of World Business Law to be a speaker at the 57th Annual Festival De Cannes (2004 Cannes Film Festival) addressing Adapting Literary Works into Screenplays, and was invited back for 2005 and 2006 to speak on producing films in an international marketplace, but opted out to focus on the ASA Annual International Screenwriters Conference. He has also lectured at the Les Journées du scénario à Marseille (“Days of the Scenario in Marseilles”) in Marseille, France in 2001/2002/2004; taught at the Baltimore Writer’s Conference, the Austin Film Festival, the Marco Island Film Festival, the Midwest Music and Film Conference, the Waterfront Film Festival, and Selling to Hollywood. He is a Second Decade Council member of the American Film Institute (AFI), and has been invited to speak at numerous screenwriting groups around the USA in Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Hawaii, Florida and Virginia to name just a few. John is also a member of the Starwood (Hotels) Preferred Guest Advisory Board and the Mobile Film School Advisory Board.

John has appeared on CNN International as a speaker on Racism in Hollywood, was interviewed by FOX television, and has been featured in various trade publications and newspapers such as Moviemaker magazine, Screenwriting Secrets (Writers Digest), Script magazine, the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper, the Cincinnati Post newspaper, Los Angeles Business Journal, New York Sun Times and Creative Screenwriting magazine.

In 2000, he negotiated ASA’s acquisition of the Selling to Hollywood conference, which is the longest running and most prestigious screenwriting conference in the world (now known as the ASA International Screenwriters Conference 'Selling to Hollywood'). In 2001, John successfully led ASA’s efforts to establish the Screenwriting Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing screenwriters and industry professionals who have made significant contributions to the art of screenwriting, the film and television industry, and the world community as a whole through:

• the presentation of The Epstein Award, presented to individuals whose body of work, screenwriting experience or sharing of knowledge have advanced the art and craft of screenwriting and/or encouraged the empowerment of screenwriters. The award is named after two prolific screenwriters, Julius J. & Philip G. Epstein. Best known for writing the Oscar winning screenplay, Casablanca, Julius Epstein (1909 - 2000) wrote more than 60 screenplays in his illustrious career, while his brother, Philip (1909 - 1952), penned nearly 40. The Epstein's were also responsible for the Oscar nominated Ruben, Ruben and Pete 'N Tillie, and Yankee Doodle Dandy (uncredited). Both Oscar and WGA award winners, the Epstein's careers and contributions to screenwriting continue through their other remarkable works including the Frank Capra directed, The Battle of Britain; the Cary Grant classic, Arsenic and Old Lace; Frank Sinatra's, The Tender Trap; and the adaptation of Dostoyevsky's, The Brothers Karamazov.
• the Discover Screenwriting Award (current recipients include Dan Futterman, Capote; Paul Haggis, Million Dollar Baby; Antwone Fisher, Antwone Fisher; Nia Vardolos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding; Milo Addica, Monster's Ball)
• and the honoring of the David Angell Humanitarian Award (current recipients include Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, John Walsh, Mary Tyler Moore, Sting).

Professional Experience

Executive Director
American Screenwriters Association
January 1997 - Present

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