TEACHING AND MENTORING

During his 20 years as a producer, director and film editor, Johnny has taught many young filmmakers in a number of grassroots and one-to-one contexts, helping guide and mentor these aspiring filmmakers on their career path into the industry.

In 2005, he was a 'film trainer’ over a 12 weeks course called ‘Dare to Dream’ to a group of 12 culturally and financially marginalised people from South West London, as each made a film for the first time which was then presented in a public community screening.

Since 2017, Johnny has mentored filmmaker and visual artist Will Saunders:

Will Saunders said: "Johnny is a generous and patient teacher, with a talent for helping others develop and find their creative voices. I would strongly recommend any aspiring filmmaker looking for mentorship seek him out.”

"Johnny has helped me develop as a filmmaker in many ways. With my first fiction short film, he read drafts of my script and provided detailed guidance on how I might shape the narrative. His input improved my storytelling skills and the final outcome such that it became a film I could be proud of, and that screened at festivals around the world."

"With my next film, Guardian Angel, he helped me in the post-production stage to refine the rough cut and make the story come through as powerfully as possible. We had long creative conversations that led to a sound design solution I wouldn’t have arrived at without his input. The emotional power of the character’s experience was much better communicated as a result of the innovation he helped me imagine."

In 2023 Johnny mentored youth coach Amani Simpson as he made his first documentary film, ‘Paying it Forward: The Amani project’, in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Hogan Lovells.

Amani said "The ‘Paying It Forward’ documentary offers an inside look at The AMANI Project, capturing how mentoring, storytelling and lived experience combine to help young people build confidence, aspiration and direction. Johnny mentored us through post-production, offering clear, constructive feedback at key stages and helping a small, low-budget team deliver our first long-form documentary to a strong, industry-standard finish. We couldn’t have done it without his input."



In 2024 Johnny mentored two young National Film School graduates as they embarked on their first overseas shoot, 14 weeks in the Indian Himalayas.

Joe Snelling said: 'When I first worked with Johnny, I had just graduated from film school, but there was so much more I learned from him about development, story, and character. He taught me to stay present in the moment, especially in documentary, always on my toes as the action unfolds. Most importantly, he helped me realise the value of thinking ahead and truly understanding how each shot will fit into the final film. On every job since working with Johnny, I find myself relating back to so much of what I learned from him’

Olly Cummins said: “Johnny is the mentor who helped me understand what you need to look for to build a story. He helped me notice how stories unfold in the in-between moments; the quiet pauses, the small gestures, the everyday rhythms you might otherwise miss. He showed me that a single, ordinary moment can say more than a whole scene if you’re paying close attention. Working with him revealed his kindness, patience, and a real understanding of, and respect, for the film's character's inner worlds. That way of looking has stayed with me, and it continues to shape how I try make films.”

Johnny is currently mentoring young Indian filmmaker Jimsilu Chiba with ongoing projects. Plus American-Vietnamese filmmaker Vu Pham, on his deeply personal documentary ‘Sea Rose Ashes’ about the tragic death of his mother in the USA and his journey back to Vietnam with her ashes to rebury her in the family grave.