Broderick Johnson
Encyclopedia
Broderick Johnson is an American
film producer
, and Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment
, alongside his producing partner Andrew Kosove
. He was nominated for an Academy Award for the hit film "The Blind Side."
, Johnson met partner Andrew Kosove
while the two attended Princeton as undergraduates. An economics major, Johnson was headed to Wall Street
, but shared with Kosove a love for movies and an interest in filmmaking. Ultimately, the two involved themselves in a low-budget production, which was sufficient to convince them that their passion for films was potentially viable.
Eventually, Johnson took a position at Salomon Brothers in New York, where he worked as a quantitative analyst in the equity derivatives group. Still, he and Kosove continued to discuss making films, and they ultimately moved to Los Angeles to pursue their dream.
chairman and founder Frederick W. Smith
. Johnson and Kosove took the opportunity to present Smith with a 221 page proposal suggesting that an independent film company, backed by a capitalized individual or company, and aligned with a major studio for an exclusive distribution arrangement would, applying their reasoned methods, reap profits on copyrighted assets over a set period of time. Smith liked what he read.
Ultimately, Smith chose to partner with Johnson and Kosove in the finance, development and production company Alcon Entertainment
. The two producers set up a small apartment "office" they rented by the week, and later a “real” office after launching their first project, Lost & Found, a failure at the box office and a momentary setback for the young producers. However, the second film they produced, My Dog Skip
, was released soon after and earned them their first bona fide success, and Smith’s admiration for their persistence and business sense.
Since then Alcon has established two long-term, exclusive distribution agreements with Warner Bros, the most recent set in motion in mid 2008, calling for the producers to deliver 15 completed films over the course of five years. The first project covered in the agreement was the hit romantic comedy P.S. I Love You
. Essence
listed Johnson third behind Will Smith
and Tyler Perry
in their "2009 Power List of the most influential African American agents, producers and directors in Hollywood."
Johnson most recently produced "Dolphin Tale," a 3-D family film starring Morgan Freeman
, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd
and Kris Kristofferson
. "Dolphin Tale," has become the first film to open in wide release at the number three slot and then become number one in its second weekend. Johnson also produced "The Book of Eli
," alongside Kosove and producer Joel Silver
. The film was directed by the Hughes brothers
and starred Denzel Washington
, Gary Oldman
and Mila Kunis
. Other films produced by Alcon Entertainment include the cult hit My Dog Skip
, Insomnia
, and 16 Blocks
.
Alcon's next release is “Joyful Noise
,” a music driven comedy starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton slated for release January 13, 2012.
On February 2, 2010 Johnson became the third African-American producer to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, joining Quincy Jones
& Lee Daniels
. His film The Blind Side
starring Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock
has earned over $200 million at the box-office.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment, LLC is an American film production company, founded in 1997 by film producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Since its establishment, Alcon Entertainment has developed and financed films that are ultimately distributed by Warner Bros., following a ten-year motion picture...
, alongside his producing partner Andrew Kosove
Andrew Kosove
Andrew A. Kosove is an American film producer who was nominated for an Academy Award for the hit film "The Blind Side." Alongside his producing partner, Broderick Johnson, he is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based wholly independent production company that...
. He was nominated for an Academy Award for the hit film "The Blind Side."
Early life
A native of Athens, GeorgiaAthens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
, Johnson met partner Andrew Kosove
Andrew Kosove
Andrew A. Kosove is an American film producer who was nominated for an Academy Award for the hit film "The Blind Side." Alongside his producing partner, Broderick Johnson, he is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based wholly independent production company that...
while the two attended Princeton as undergraduates. An economics major, Johnson was headed to Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, but shared with Kosove a love for movies and an interest in filmmaking. Ultimately, the two involved themselves in a low-budget production, which was sufficient to convince them that their passion for films was potentially viable.
Eventually, Johnson took a position at Salomon Brothers in New York, where he worked as a quantitative analyst in the equity derivatives group. Still, he and Kosove continued to discuss making films, and they ultimately moved to Los Angeles to pursue their dream.
Career
Soon after, the two were introduced to FedExFedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
chairman and founder Frederick W. Smith
Frederick W. Smith
Fred Sidney Smith III , or Fred Smith, is the founder, chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx, originally known as Federal Express, the first overnight express delivery company in the world, and the largest in the United States...
. Johnson and Kosove took the opportunity to present Smith with a 221 page proposal suggesting that an independent film company, backed by a capitalized individual or company, and aligned with a major studio for an exclusive distribution arrangement would, applying their reasoned methods, reap profits on copyrighted assets over a set period of time. Smith liked what he read.
Ultimately, Smith chose to partner with Johnson and Kosove in the finance, development and production company Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment, LLC is an American film production company, founded in 1997 by film producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Since its establishment, Alcon Entertainment has developed and financed films that are ultimately distributed by Warner Bros., following a ten-year motion picture...
. The two producers set up a small apartment "office" they rented by the week, and later a “real” office after launching their first project, Lost & Found, a failure at the box office and a momentary setback for the young producers. However, the second film they produced, My Dog Skip
My Dog Skip (film)
My Dog Skip is a 2000 film, directed by Jay Russell. It is based on the autobiographical book My Dog Skip by Willie Morris. The movie was released January 14, 2000....
, was released soon after and earned them their first bona fide success, and Smith’s admiration for their persistence and business sense.
Since then Alcon has established two long-term, exclusive distribution agreements with Warner Bros, the most recent set in motion in mid 2008, calling for the producers to deliver 15 completed films over the course of five years. The first project covered in the agreement was the hit romantic comedy P.S. I Love You
P.S. I Love You (film)
P.S. I Love You is a 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese. The screenplay by LaGravenese and Steven Rogers is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. The film is dedicated to the memory of producer Molly Smith's sister Windland Smith Rice.-Plot:Holly and Gerry...
. Essence
Essence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
listed Johnson third behind Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
and Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
in their "2009 Power List of the most influential African American agents, producers and directors in Hollywood."
Johnson most recently produced "Dolphin Tale," a 3-D family film starring Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
and Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. "Dolphin Tale," has become the first film to open in wide release at the number three slot and then become number one in its second weekend. Johnson also produced "The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli
The Book of Eli is a 2010 American post-apocalyptic action film directed by the Hughes brothers, written by Gary Whitta, and starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson and Jennifer Beals....
," alongside Kosove and producer Joel Silver
Joel Silver
Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
. The film was directed by the Hughes brothers
Hughes Brothers
Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes , known together professionally as the Hughes brothers, are American film directors, producers and screenwriters...
and starred Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
and Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis
Milena "Mila" Kunis is an American actress. Her work includes the role of Jackie Burkhart on the TV series That '70s Show and the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy...
. Other films produced by Alcon Entertainment include the cult hit My Dog Skip
My Dog Skip
My Dog Skip is a memoir by Willie Morris published by Random House in 1995."My Dog Skip" is the story about nine-year-old Willie Morris growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, a tale of a boy and his dog in a small, sleepy Southern town that teaches us about family, friendship, love, devotion and...
, Insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
, and 16 Blocks
16 Blocks
16 Blocks is a 2006 crime thriller film directed by Richard Donner. It stars Bruce Willis, Mos Def, and David Morse. The movie unfolds in the real time narration method.- Plot :...
.
Alcon's next release is “Joyful Noise
Joyful Noise
Joyful Noise can refer to:*Joyful Noise , a music-driven film by Todd Graff, starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton *A Joyful Noise, a musical with a book by Edward Padula and music and lyrics by Oscar Brand and Paul Nassau...
,” a music driven comedy starring Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton slated for release January 13, 2012.
On February 2, 2010 Johnson became the third African-American producer to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, joining Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
& Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels
Lee Louis Daniels is an American actor, film producer, and director. He produced Monster's Ball and directed the film Precious, which received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director; the film won two of the awards.-Early years:Daniels was born on Christmas Eve, 1959, in...
. His film The Blind Side
The Blind Side (film)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
starring Academy Award-winner Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
has earned over $200 million at the box-office.