Awards Chatter Rian Johnson - 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' [LIVE]
Nov 19, 2025
Rian Johnson, the acclaimed writer-director of films like Knives Out and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, discusses his creative journey from indie filmmaker to blockbuster director. He shares insights into his passion for storytelling, the influences behind his films, and the evolution of his Benoit Blanc series. Highlights include his unique approach to time travel narratives, navigating the complexities of directing iconic actors like Mark Hamill, and the tonal diversity across his mystery trilogy. Plus, he reveals future ambitions, including a desire to tackle musicals!
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Early Filmmaking As Education
- Rian Johnson began making films with a Super 8 camera in junior high and made roughly 100 shorts in high school.
- He used student films to avoid book reports and develop storytelling instincts that led him into feature writing and directing.
How A Seminar Changed His Writing
- At 17 Rian sat in on Robert McKee's screenwriting seminar with his dad and learned screenplay structure in one weekend.
- He credits that seminar as teaching him everything he knows about screenplay structure early on.
Rejected Then Accepted At USC
- Rian was initially rejected from USC's film school and entered as an undeclared student, reapplying repeatedly.
- He finally got in after submitting a defiant application letter and completed the program in three semesters.
