John Patton Ford

John Patton Ford is an American film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the films Emily the Criminal and How to Make a Killing (2026).

Early life and education Ford was born in Sumter, South Carolina. He attended the University of South Carolina, and has a Master of Fine Arts from the American Film Institute.

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. He wrote scripts for Disney, Universal, and Sony.

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. Before finally getting the chance to direct a movie, he had four other projects fall apart.

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.

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

Filmography Short film Year Title Director Writer2010 Patrol

Feature film Year Title Director Writer2022 Emily the Criminal 2026 How to Make a Killing