John grew up in rural South Carolina. When he was thirteen, a movie filmed in his hometown. He got hired to play a supporting role (because he "looked local") and ended up spending a month on set, following around the director and cinematographer. He quickly became interested in the process of filmmaking.

After graduating from The American Film Institute, his thesis film, PATROL, premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. He found work as a screenwriter soon after, penning scripts for Sony, Universal, and Disney. His directing debut was EMILY THE CRIMINAL, starring Aubrey Plaza. The movie premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it sold to Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment. He lives in Los Angeles.