graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago Majoring in Geology while working as a college journalist. He worked for an oil service company for a short period of time, changed careers and upon returning to Chicago became an avid film nerd. He was appointed the head of a film festival, worked in advertising at Burrell ad agency as a producer and started making numerous documentaries in Chicago. Johnson-Cochran’s writing brought him opportunities in LA, writing films for various studios. He co-created a comedy series for NBC (“Minor Adjustments”), then wrote/directed the indie feature film “Love and Action in Chicago” bought by HBO. Johnson-Cochran continued in documentaries most notably in West Africa (“Side by Side” and “Story of a Village”). In 2014, he completed “Be Known” – a feature documentary about the musical genius Kahil El Zabar. Currently he is writing and producing the epic international co-production “Queen of War” with Oscar-nominated director Sergei Bodrov (Mongol, Seventh Son).

Love and Action in Chicago, 2000; Side by Side, 2003; Story of a Village, 2006; Be Known, 2014.