James Anthony Johnson,[1] known professionally as J. J. Johnson, is a Canadian-born writer, director, executive producer, and founding member of Sinking Ship Entertainment. He is the creator of children's television programmes, including This is Daniel Cook, Dino Dana and Endlings. He also serves on the Youth Media Alliance board as a co-chair.
Early life
editOne of four children, Johnson grew up in Elmira, Ontario and started experimenting with film and media in his final year of high school. Johnson was in the running for school president when he and two friends made a Saturday Night Live inspired video featuring Supermarket Sweep host Tino Monte. He won the election and through this victory he realized the power of media.[2][1]
Career
editJ. J. Johnson attended Ryerson University's RTA School of Media and graduated in 2002 along with fellow Sinking Ship Entertainment founders, Blair Powers and Matt Bishop.[3][4] In their final year, Johnson and Powers pitched a project and tried to convince their peers to pick up the remaining crew roles. A classmate warned others who were interested to avoid joining as it'd be like "joining a sinking ship". The two friends registered a company in the same name later that day.[5]
After graduating, Johnson worked at a talent agency where he met Daniel Cook, who became the inspiration behind This is Daniel Cook which debuted in 2004 with Sinking Ship Entertainment.[6] Since then, Johnson has created and directed several popular shows such as Dino Dana, Endlings and Lockdown.[7]
In January 2006, the operations of Sinking Ship Entertainment moved from Johnson's apartment to offices in Toronto.[1]
On November 23, 2014, Sinking Ship Entertainment announced they would be co-producing Odd Squad along with Fred Rogers Productions for PBS Kids.[8] The show went on to win several Daytime Emmy Awards which lead to the creation of Odd Squad Mobile Unit.[9]
In 2021, he announced he will be working alongside Apple TV+ and the Jane Goodall Institute to create Jane, a kids' series that will follow a girl named Jane Garcia, a 10-year-old with an active imagination.[10][11][12] Previously, Johnson had worked alongside Apple TV+ and Sesame Workshop to produce the reboot of the 1990's kids series Ghostwriter.[13]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2004 | This is Daniel Cook |
| 2006 | This is Emily Yeung |
| I Dare You | |
| Roll Play | |
| 2007 | Are We There Yet?: World Adventures |
| 2010 | Dino Dan |
| 2012 | Giver |
| 2013 | This is Scarlett and Isaiah |
| Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures | |
| 2014 | Odd Squad |
| 2015 | Chirp |
| 2016 | Odd Squad: The Movie |
| 2017 | Dino Dana |
| 2020 | Endlings |
| Dino Dana The Movie | |
| 2021 | Lockdown |
| 2023 | Jane |
Awards, nominations and honors
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1st Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Are We There Yet?: World Adventure | Nominated | |
| Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated | |||
| 2015 | 3rd Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated | |
| Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | This Is Scarlett and Isaiah | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures | Nominated | |||
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series | Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series | Odd Squad | Won | |||
| 2016 | 4th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Won | [14] | |
| Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series | Giver | Nominated | |||
| Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Annedroids | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Nominated | ||||
| Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Nominated | ||||
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series | Odd Squad | Won | ||
| 2017 | 5th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad: The Movie | Won | |
| Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Odd Squad | Nominated | |||
| Best TV Movie or Limited Series | Odd Squad: The Movie | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | 6th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won | [15] |
| Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Odd Squad | Won | |||
| Best Direction, Children's or Youth | Dino Dana: "Mega Tooth" | Nominated | |||
| Odd Squad: "The Cherry On-Top-Inator / Sir" | Nominated | ||||
| Best Pre-School Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated | |||
| Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Annedroids | Nominated | |||
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Education or Informational Series | Giver | Won | [16] | |
| 2019 | 7th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won | [17] |
| Best Pre-School Program or Series | Dino Dana | Won | |||
| Best Cross-Platform Project - Children's and Youth | Won | ||||
| Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Odd Squad | Won | |||
| Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated | |||
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Children's, Pre-school Children's or Family Viewing Program | Odd Squad: World Turned Odd | Won | [18] | |
| Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Program | Odd Squad | Won | |||
| 2020 | 8th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Dino Dana | Nominated | [19] |
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series | Ghostwriter | Won | ||
| 2021 | 9th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Writing, Web Program or Series | Lockdown | Nominated | [20] |
| Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Endlings | Nominated | |||
| Odd Squad Mobile Unit | Won | ||||
| Best Writing, Children's or Youth | Endlings | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | 10th Canadian Screen Awards | Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series | Endlings | Pending | [21] |
| Lockdown | Pending | ||||
| Odd Squad Mobile Unit | Pending | ||||
| Best Directing, Children's or Youth | Odd Squad Mobile Unit: "H2 Oh No/In Your Dreams" | Pending | |||
| Immersive Experience, Nonfiction | Fossil Hunt | Pending |
References
edit- ^ a b c "The wiz behind the kids". Toronto Star. 2006-09-26. Retrieved 2021-05-06 – via PressReader.
- ^ "DGC Online". www.dgconline.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
- ^ "J.J. Johnson". Ryerson University. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ "Connecting with kids against the odds". thestar.com. 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ crtceng, How to win in children's television production: find out all about it, archived from the original on 2020-09-23, retrieved 2020-09-23
- ^ "Connecting with kids against the odds". thestar.com. 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ "How 'Pandemic TV' boosts kids' emotional IQ at a critical moment". Family. 2021-02-22. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ "PBS goes into action with math-based 'Odd Squad'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (2019-09-03). "'Odd Squad' Deploys New Team for Old Mission: Getting Kids to Tune In". Variety. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ "Jane Goodall, 'Ghostwriter' Producers Team for Apple Kids' Series". The Hollywood Reporter. 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (2021-02-08). "Apple Partners With Jane Goodall Institute, Sinking Ship Entertainment on Children's Series". Variety. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ "Apple TV+ expands award-winning kids slate with "Jane," inspired by Jane Goodall". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Petski, Denise (2019-09-10). "'Ghostwriter': Reboot Of 1990s Kids Series Set At Apple TV+". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Brent Furdyk, "2016 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees Announced". ET Canada, January 19, 2016.
- ^ Rachel West, "2018 Canadian Screen Awards: Creative Fiction Storytelling Winners Include ‘Mary Kills People’, ‘Vikings’, ‘Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs’". ET Canada, March 7, 2018.
- ^ Patrick Hipes, "Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards: ‘Bold And The Beautiful’, ‘Sesame Street’ Top Winners". Deadline Hollywood, April 27, 2018.
- ^ Kelly Townsend, "CSAs ’19: Anne, Schitt’s Creek, Cardinal lead TV nominations". Playback, February 7, 2019.
- ^ Patrick Hipes, "Daytime Emmys Creative Arts Awards: ‘Young And The Restless’, ‘Sesame Street’ Among Winners". Deadline Hollywood, May 4, 2019.
- ^ Brent Furdyk, "Canadian Screen Awards: Winners Revealed In Lifestyle And Reality, Children’s And Youth Categories". ET Canada, May 26, 2020.
- ^ Brent Furdyk, "Television Nominees Announced For 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Leads The Pack With 21 Nominations". ET Canada, March 30, 2021.
- ^ Furdyk, Brent (15 February 2022). "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, 'Sort Of' & 'Scarborough' Lead The Pack". ET Canada. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.