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James M. Johnston

James M. Johnston

Producer

Sundance award winner · Independent Spirit Award winner

Johnston is an award-winning filmmaker from Fort Worth, TX.  He is part of the filmmaking collective Sailor Bear where he produced the films Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Listen Up Philip. Johnston also directed the short films Knife, Receive Bacon, and Merrily, Merrily.

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Producer
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 29 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

What are James M. Johnston's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
32%
Bonds
30%
Survival
14%
Ideas
8%
Society
7%
Morality
5%
Power
4%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 3

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

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

A split, not a type: Casual 5 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 4

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 3 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 6

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 5 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
10
Contemplative
8
Tense
4
Bittersweet
3
Hopeful
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet9
  • Ambiguous3

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 James M. Johnston's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James M. Johnston'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

29 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page.

  • Mother Mary(2026)

    Producer · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Peter Pan & Wendy(2023)

    Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Oak Thorn & the Old Rose of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Producer

  • The Green Knight(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Cinema Toast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Miss Juneteenth(2020)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Light from Light(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Old Man & the Gun(2018)

    Producer · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Never Goin' Back(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Person to Person(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • A Ghost Story(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Unwilling(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Yellow Birds(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Melville (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer

  • Listen Up Philip(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Ain't Them Bodies Saints(2013)

    Producer · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Pit Stop(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Carried Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Producer · as Celery Eater

  • Knife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Writer

  • Pioneer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Producer

  • St. Nick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Assistant Director · Producer

  • Ciao(2008)

    Assistant Director · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Merrily, Merrily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Producer · Story · Writer

  • Blood on the Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Trucker Vampire

  • The Outlaw Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Producer

  • LOL (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Noisehead

  • Deadroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Wedded Bliss? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Assistant Director · Cinematographer

  • Strawweight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 28 titles, 27 of them dated from 2002 to 2026.

Biggest box office

The Green Knight (2021)

$19M worldwide

Highest rated

A Ghost Story (2017)

Midcredits 80th

Most popular right now

The Green Knight (2021)

Film career

  • 2006Screen debut· LOL

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 28: 2 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting5 of 28: 1 only directing, 4 with another roleWriting5 of 28: 1 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing20 of 28: 12 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thCinematography1 of 28: 0 only cinematography, 1 with another roleOther crew7 of 28: 1 only other crew, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

28 titles, 11 with more than one role — producing and other crew overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

2000s8 · 2 acting · 6 crew2010s13 · 1 acting · 13 crew2020s6 · 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.

Awards

2 major awards from 6 major nominations, 2013–2021.

WinNomination
  1. 2021
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Feature
  2. 2019
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated
  3. 2018
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated
  4. 2014
    • Independent Spirit Award, won
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated
  5. 2013
    • Sundance award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do James M. Johnston's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 15 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · producer

Ciao (2008)

71st percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

A Ghost Story (2017)

Midcredits 80th · 66% liked

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 James M. Johnston's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles21–74 · median 45 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles18–48 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles17–85 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles15–53 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles8–75 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian 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 James M. Johnston work with?

People who share at least 2 of James M. Johnston's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Lowery shares the most, 12.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles