Movie world reels as Paul Johnson succumbs to 'heart attack'
|||The death of one of South Africas greatest screenwriters has left a gap in the film industry.
Those who had worked with Paul Johnson spoke of his intelligence and how dedicated he was to the industry. Johnson died at his Cape Town home of an apparent heart attack.
He abandoned a 15-year marketing career in 2006 to pursue an ambition to write movies and fast became loved in the industry, raking in numerous awards over the years.
His works include animation Adventures in Zambezia, sci-fi movies Dredd 3D and District 9 and the film adaptation of The Number.
Wayne Thornley, the director of Adventures in Zambezia, said he started on a film with Johnson and would have worked with him over the next six months.
“It gave me such confidence to know he would be working with me for next six months and the fact he is suddenly gone is devastating to me and the project.
“Writing it without him is going to be very hard.”
Thornley said he had planned a meeting with Johnson yesterday where they would have discussed their current project.
“I learnt so much from him. He was encouraging and was very focused on the craft. He always kept me on track and came up with all kind of ideas. He really stood out.”
Thornley said the screenwriting capacity in South Africa has dropped and that the death of Johnson left a big gap in the industry and in his life.
“I don’t know anyone that didn’t feel encouraged and affirmed when working with him. We spent hours on Skype or in writing rooms together and he was such an articulate thinker and just a great storyteller.”
Publicist Kevin Kriedermann echoedmany of Thornley’s sentiments and said he would miss Johnson dearly.
“He was the most successful screenwriter in South Africa. He carved a niche for himself when no one thought he would be able to make money writing screenplays. Later everyone wanted a screenplay from him.”
“He was a really sweet and encouraging, teddy bear kind of a man.”
Head of the AFDA film, Roy Zetisky said he too was working with Johnson on a new screenplay and was deeply saddened by the news.
“We were going through the first draft and now this happened. We were about to go back and go get funding for it, then this. It is so devastating. It was an absolute joy to work with him.”
Zetisky said he would miss the conversations he had with Johnson and had been out of touch with him during the past few weeks as Johnson was on holiday.
“I will miss the conversations. He was so smart and articulate and had a beautiful way of telling things. He was stimulating and had an incredible view on everything and was so loved by everybody.”
Cape Argus