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Johnny Derango

Johnny Derango

Cinematographer and producer · Born February 27, 1980 (46) · Peru, Illinois, USA

Johnny Derango is an established, sought-after cinematographer and a respected film and TV producer/director who strives to tell each story truthfully, with equal parts visual grace and technical prowess. In 2018, he was featured by the industry's prestigious American Cinematographer Magazine on their coveted annual list of Rising Stars of Cinematography. Johnny has shot for major studios and networks including, Warner Bros., Paramount, Lionsgate, Disney, Discovery Channel and MTV as well as global brands Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Firefox, Napster, Nissan, Southwest Airlines and Tyson Foods. In addition to his expertise as a cinematographer, Johnny serves as a producer on many of his projects. Most recently, holding the roles of co-producer and director of photography on the Lionsgate feature film UNSUNG HERO, which opened #2 at the box office on April 26th, 2024. The film has since grossed over $20 million domestically. In the same month, Season 1 of "Everyone is Doing Great," a TV series Derango executive produced alongside "One Tree Hill" alums James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti, debuted on Apple TV and quickly rose to the #1 Comedy (and #3 overall) of Apple's TV Chart Toppers on its opening day. Season 2 of "Everyone is Doing Great," of which Johnny also directed an episode, is completed and awaiting release. Johnny next lensed the feature FLIGHT RISK, an intense thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace. The film, which will debut in theaters on October 18th, 2024, was directed by Academy Award©-winner Mel Gibson. Derango and Gibson previously worked together on The Nelms Brothers' 2020 film FATMAN. Johnny's prior collaborations with The Nelms Brothers include Magnolia's early 2024 release of RED RIGHT HAND, starring Orlando Bloom and Andie MacDowell. Notably, Derango also lensed their film SMALL TOWN CRIME (2017) a thriller with dark humor that showcases an Academy© and Emmy level cast including John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson, Octavia Spencer, Robert Forster and Clifton Collins, Jr. Upon its theatrical release, the film garnered rave reviews from top critics at the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and renowned film critic, Leonard Maltin, who stated he thoroughly enjoyed the film that was "artfully lit by Johnny Derango." Previously, Derango also produced and shot their film LOST ON PURPOSE (2013). Johnny continues to work as a Cinematographer and Producer splitting his time between Los Angeles and Chicago.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
February 27, 1980 (46)
From
Peru, Illinois, USA
Works as
Cinematographer and producer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 14 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 19% in 30 days

What are Johnny Derango's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
39%
Survival
21%
Bonds
17%
Society
12%
Power
7%
Self
4%
Redemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Warm
3
Thrilling
2
Dread
2
Hopeful
2
Other
11

How their films linger

Hopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Johnny Derango's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Johnny Derango's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

14 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • I Can Only Imagine 2(2026)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Sarah's Oil(2025)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Flight Risk(2025)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • For King + Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas - Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Cinematographer · Co-Producer

  • Unsung Hero(2024)

    Cinematographer · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Red Right Hand(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Everyone Is Doing Great(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Caul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Cinematographer · Producer

  • Fatman(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Small Town Crime(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Waffle Street(2015)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Lost on Purpose(2013)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • After Effect(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Fuzz Track City(2012)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

Career shape

A full career of 12 titles from 2012 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Flight Risk (2025)

$49M worldwide

Highest rated

Unsung Hero (2024)

Midcredits 83rd

Most popular right now

Flight Risk (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Producing4 of 12: 1 only producing, 3 with another roleCinematography11 of 12: 8 only cinematography, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score44th

12 titles, 3 with more than one role — cinematography and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

2010s3 · crew2020s9 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Johnny Derango's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 37th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · producer, cinematographer

Fuzz Track City (2012)

96th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer, cinematographer

Unsung Hero (2024)

Midcredits 83rd · 75% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 58/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Johnny Derango's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles30–88 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles7–25 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles22–76 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 15 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Johnny Derango work with?

People who share at least 2 of Johnny Derango's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Eshom Nelms shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles