John Patton Ford

Last updated
John Patton Ford
Born (1981-12-30) December 30, 1981 (age 43)
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter

John Patton Ford is an American film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the film Emily the Criminal (2022), as well as the upcoming How to Make a Killing . [1]

Contents

Life

Ford was born in Sumter, South Carolina.[ citation needed ] He attended the University of South Carolina, and has a Master of Fine Arts from the American Film Institute. [2]

Career

Ford directed commercials for brands including Audi, Pepsi, Tide and Toyota. He also directed the music video for the song "Enemies" by Hannah Georgas. [3] He wrote scripts for Disney, Universal, and Sony. [2] He mentions Jacques Audiard and Michael Mann as some as his biggest influences. [4]

After graduating, he spent years writing and trying to sell scripts. As he had hundreds of thousands of dollars of student debt, he took many jobs, including a catering company. [5] Before finally getting the chance to direct a movie, he had four other projects fall apart. [6]

His first feature film was 2022's Emily the Criminal , starring Aubrey Plaza. The film received positive reviews, and for his work on it, Ford won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. [7]

His next project is the dark comedy thriller How to Make a Killing , starring Glen Powell.

Filmography

Short film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2010PatrolYesYes

Feature film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2022 Emily the Criminal YesYes
2026 How to Make a Killing YesYes

References

  1. "Glen Powell's A24 Thriller 'Huntington' Gets New Title, Early 2026 Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 19, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "John Patton Ford". Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville. Archived from the original on May 26, 2025.
  3. "John Patton Ford". Normal Content. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024.
  4. "Director John Patton Ford on the Long Journey of 'Emily the Criminal' to the Big Screen". Awards Daily. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025.
  5. "A Conversation With EMILY THE CRIMINAL Writer/Director John Patton Ford". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on July 17, 2025.
  6. "John Patton Ford Interview – Writer/Director of "Emily the Criminal"". Golden Globes. Archived from the original on September 8, 2025.
  7. "Film Independent Spirit Awards: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023.