“If you are going to have a story, have a big story, or none at all”
-Joseph Campbell (1904- 1987)
No other quote defines my philosophy as a creative quite like the words of Joseph Campbell, American professor of comparative mythology and religion. Campbell's words, along with those of many other philosophers, authors, and screenwriters fill the earliest memories of my childhood. To put it simply, I was born a storyteller.
Movie nights at my house were not the same as at my friends' houses. My family never just "watched a movie". Often times we would talk as the credits rolled, discussing deeper themes and reflecting on the characters' actions and motivations. Without realizing it, my parents infused me with an unquenchable desire to seek out and find the biggest, best stories I could. I would bury myself in books, and when I couldn't find books, I turned to movies and television. It was here that I learned the evolution from the written word into a full visual and auditory experience. My understanding of what a story is evolved with this knowledge, and so did my hunger.
Over time, this desire evolved from merely reading and watching stories to wanting to become a part of them: to create worlds and share them with everyone. With endless support from family and friends alike, my seven year journey (which started as Lead Video Editor of my high school's yearbook program) will reach a new milestone, as I have graduated from Savannah College of Art & Design with a Bachelors in Film & TV and a Minor in Music Composition in May 2020. My support system has grown wider and deeper, as it now includes my fellow SCAD peers. I am surrounded by young men and women who share my desire to tell beautiful, fresh stories, and I couldn't feel more at home.
As a filmmaker, the highest praise one can achieve is to be told "I couldn't see what you did." I find this to be the highest sense of irony above all else. If as a creative, a storyteller, an editor, a director, or a composer, I have done my job, the audience will be swept into the experience, never noticing the "man behind the curtain". With their focus on the story I have provided, with all the tools in my arsenal used, through precise manipulation of sound, music, imagery, dialogue, pacing, and timing, anyone watching will lose themselves in the world I had a hand in creating.
My professional philosophy and personal ethics guide all my creative choices and collaborations. I apply my expertise in editing & postproduction, music composition, scriptwriting, and directing for the benefit of your creative vision.
My clients and project partners both new and current are assured of my dedication to the project and my deep respect for the overall vision and talents of the team.
Everyone has a story that needs to be told, and telling that story is my deepest desire.
-Eric A. Johnson