What I do Best
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Film Producer
From feature films like Healing Waters to short-form projects and award-winning commercial work, my portfolio spans a range of storytelling styles. Explore my latest films, branded content, and collaborations that showcase my approach to filmmaking.
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Director of Photography
As a Director of Photography, I bring a cinematic eye to interviews and dynamic b-roll, ensuring every frame enhances the story. Whether framing a deeply personal moment or crafting visually rich b-roll sequences, my goal is to elevate each project with imagery that resonates long after the screen fades to black
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Gaffer
Lighting is more than illumination—it’s about shaping emotion and balance. As a CLT with roots in still photography, I bring a keen eye for contrast, composition, and natural light. Guided by the Planckian Locus, I ensure precise color balance across sources, crafting visually cohesive and emotionally resonant scenes. From soft, cinematic key light to bold, high-contrast setups, my approach blends artistry with technical mastery to elevate every frame.
Derek Johnson
is a filmmaker driven by an insatiable curiosity for human stories and the visual poetry of cinema. From the stillness of a single photograph to the immersive world of feature films, his creative journey has been one of evolution, discipline, and deep storytelling. He has a lifelong addiction to cameras, stories, and pizza.
“To be seamless is to be truly liberated.”
My Film Journey
Derek Johnson began his career chasing real stories in unscripted film and television. Today, his focus is scripted arthouse features, including genre films that move between comedy, psychological thrillers, science-fiction thrillers, and elevated horror. Whatever form a project takes, his stories tend to begin in the same place: with real people, lived experience, and something recognizably human.
A producer, cinematographer, director, occasional writer, and founder of Kaifilms, Derek has more than 20 years of experience across feature films, documentaries, television, commercials, and branded content.
His visual storytelling grew out of still photography and a fascination with raw, unguarded moments. That instinct took on new meaning when he documented the events of 9/11 in New York City, setting him on a path toward filmmaking grounded in observation, atmosphere, and emotional truth.
Derek has contributed to more than 60 hours of produced content, including five feature films, four Emmy-recognized productions, scripted and unscripted television, and nationally broadcast campaigns. As a lead producer, he has overseen independent films and commercial productions with budgets exceeding $2 million, including a Clio Award-winning campaign for the Seattle Seahawks. He now works as an executive producer with a focus on film finance and Director of Photography.
Derek built his career by working across nearly every department on set. Along the way, he learned how films are really made: through preparation, problem-solving, good light, strong coffee, and people who trust one another. That experience shaped him into both a sought-after Director of Photography and Gaffer and a producer who understands the entire process, from the first spark of an idea through final delivery.
Visually, Derek is drawn to light, space, atmosphere, and the quiet details that reveal character. The work of Werner Herzog and Wim Wenders remains an important influence, particularly Herzog’s pursuit of the deeper truths beneath ordinary experience.
Whether he is building a production, shaping a frame, or chasing the last usable light of the day, Derek brings the same approach: stay curious, collaborate generously, and make every story feel alive.