User:Davyjc/sandbox

= Dwayne Johnson-Cochran is a writer, producer, director and educator based in Los Angeles. = Born and raised in Chicago, Johnson-Cochran loved films and writing from an early age. Although he trained as a geologist getting a BS in Geological Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and contemplated working in the oil exploration business, he soon found his true calling as a writer and filmmaker. He attended the School of the Art Institute in Chicago for a brief period of time where he studied filmmaking, semiotics and film history. After working various odd jobs, he worked as a journalist, cameraman and director for the local Chicago news stations. Johnson-Cochran found a position as a producer with Burrell Advertising where he learned the art of producing commercials and short films. After working in advertising, Johnson-Cochran joined the local PBS station WTTW-Chicago, producing, writing and directing documentaries including the award-winning music special "Going Home to Gospel with Patti LaBelle (music producer), "Babies at Risk", about infant mortality in Chicago (producer) and "School Reform-Power to the Parents", (associate producer). Johnson-Cochran also worked for John Calloway on the station's nightly news show 'Chicago Tonight.'

With the award-winning novelist An Chee Min (Red Azala, Katherine), Johnson- Cochran was invited to The People's Republic of China to create and produce "Stories from America," a 20-part television series, focused on the lives of Chinese-American students, scholars and professionals returning to China after living in the United States.

Johnson-Cochran transitioned into screenwriting and moved to Los Angeles after his very first spec screenplay 'My Tribe is Lost' sold to Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks.

Johnson-Cochran is the co-creator of NBC hit series "Minor Adjustments" and also wrote and produced on "Angel Street", executed produced by John Wells ("ER", "The West Wing")

Johnson-Cochran's directing debut was the independently produced film "Love and Action in Chicago" featured Kathleen Turner, Courtney B.Vance, Jason Alexander, Regina King and Ed Asner. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and was sold to HBO. The film has been distrubuted to over sixty countries around the world.

Johnson-Cochran's documentary "Side by Side-The Story of the 50/50 Group of Sierra Leone," was executive produced by former Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright and actress/director Regina King, and appears on National Democratic Institute (NDI) YouTube channel.

Johnson-Cochran's feature lenght documentary "Be Known", about jazz percussionist Kahil El-Zabar, was executive produced by Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, and was released in 2016.

Mr. Johnson-Cochran has taught screenwriting for eleven years as a instructor in the USC's Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller.Screenwriting Fellowship.

In 2012-2016, Johnson-Cochran was an instructor for UNESCO with concentration in screenwriting, directing and documentary film making. He worked in various countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Russia and South Africa and has also worked with Oxfam, Save the Children, NDI and Doctor's without Borders on various missions. Johnson-Cochran is a two-time winner of the 'Mentor of the Year" for the Fulfillment Fund of Los Angeles.

In 2015, Johnson-Cochran produced the feature film 'White Water' directed by Rusty Cundieff. The film was nominated for two NAACP Image Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director.

In 2016, "Be Known" was nominated for Best Independent Documentary Black Reel Awards. The documentary has appeared in over twenty film festivals around the world.

In 2019, Johnson-Cochran co-wrote the book and libretto for 'Nebuchadnezzar' an opera produced and concieved by Kanye West. "Nebuchadnezzar" premiered for one night only at the Hollywood Bowl November 24th, 2019.

In 2023, Johnson-Cochran wrote and executive produced 'Heist 88' takes inspiration from the unbelievable true story behind one of the biggest and most brazen real-life heists on the U.S. banking system. Courtney B. Vance plays Jeremy Horne, the mastermind behind the attack loosely based on the real-life criminal Armand "The Chairman" Moore who has the uncanny ability to convince just about anyone to do anything. For his plan, he brings aboard four young bank employees to steal nearly $80 million through a meticulous takedown of the banking wire system in an age before widespread cybersecurity and computerization. The film will premiere on September 29 exclusively on Paramount+ before airing on Showtime on October 1, 2023.