Page 14 - Poze Magazine Volume 85

P O Z E M A G A Z I N E

Jayson Johnson is an award-winning writer, I didn’t start out wanting to be a business
JAYSON director, and producer who holds an MA in owner. I just wanted to tell stories. But
film production from Eastern Illinois
somewhere along the way, between chasing
University. A chance interview early in his festival laurels, pitching to networks, and
JOHNSON career led him to work under legendary getting advice from legendary directors, I
filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, where he
realized that if I wanted to tell the kinds of
spent four years contributing to numerous
stories that truly mattered to me, I’d have to
successful wine and food ventures. Inspired
build the platform myself.
by Coppola’s advice to “go out and become
famous,” Strike Five Films was born out of necessity as
Jayson set out on his own path as an independent much as ambition. After earning my MA in
filmmaker. Since then, he has written, directed, and film production from Eastern Illinois
produced nine short films that have been selected to University, I actually tried hard not to move to
over 90 film festivals worldwide, earning six awards California. I scoured job listings across the
along the way. His work also includes acclaimed Midwest and the East Coast, hoping to stay
projects for Discovery Networks, ABC, Amazon, closer to home. But no doors opened—nothing
Netflix, and several other top brands. Jayson now aligned. The only opportunity that came up
leads Strike Five Films full time, dedicated to crafting was at a winery in California that I’d never
original, impactful stories, and is currently in pre- even heard of. I wasn’t a wine drinker and
production on his first feature film, R.O.G.E.R & Me. knew absolutely nothing about wine, but
something told me to make the leap. So I
packed up and went.
That leap landed me under the wing of Francis Ford Coppola. For four years, I worked on projects that spanned wine, food, and brand
storytelling. It wasn’t filmmaking in the way I’d pictured it, but it was rich with lessons on creativity and business. Watching how Coppola
approached every venture—with the same passion and cinematic eye—left a deep imprint on me. One of the most vivid memories of that
time came after we wrapped a stage performance in New York for his “Wine, Daydreams and Memories” roadshow. I’m usually a pretty
meek, fiercely private person. But on that stage, something different took over—like I finally belonged there. After the show, Coppola
pulled me aside and said words that would stick with me forever: “Go out and become famous.” In other words, don’t wait for permission.
Make your own mark.