Derek johnson shares about stage 32 at cannes 2025 | Ashley Renee Smith

From crew member to closing deals on the Croisette, Derek Johnson’s filmmaking journey took a major leap thanks to Stage 32. After 20 years working on set, it was a single Stage 32 webinar that helped him shift gears and start producing his own projects. Six years later, he’s producing full time, attending Cannes for the first time, and celebrating four deals on the table—one of which he landed before joining us at the Stage 32 meetup to celebrate! Derek credits the mentors he met through Stage 32 for helping him get here. Your dream deserves that kind of support, too. Watch his story, then ask yourself: Where could you be a year from now if you took the leap?