We were lucky to catch up with Benjamin Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Benjamin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

I had earned some money here and there as a touring musician, but my first meaningful amount was when I went out on a limb and booked the drive in theater for the release of my film, Fanboy. I had no idea if anyone would want to see it, but we ended up selling out 5 screens which was one of the thrills of my life!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a filmmaker, novelist, and musician from San Diego, CA. I am also bar manager and minority owner of Casbah San Diego, the long running live music venue. I was in several touring bands before transitioning to writing novels and making the film Fanboy which sold out five screenings at the South Bay drive-in in January of 2021. The movie is now available on Amazon Prime.
My novels are modern magical thrillers called A Shadow Cast in Dust, Blood Silver, and Children of the Web, the three of which comprise the Webworld Trilogy.
I am extremely DIY, and have doggedly figured out how to make books and movies through raw determination, seeing obstacles as opportunities and puzzles to be figured out. My hope is to make my trilogy into a three season series.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of my creative journey is to leave a lasting legacy of high quality work, and possibly inspire others to find the resolve necessary to complete seemingly impossible tasks by refusing to give up.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Seeing, holding, smelling, and feeling the final product and knowing you gave it everything that you had.

Contact Info:

• Website: fanboythemovie.com
• Instagram: @benjohnsonbooks
• Facebook: Benjamin Johnson
• Twitter: @grammaticalb

Image Credits
illustrations for books-Dave Warshaw All photos including Fanboy promo-Tim Fears