Writer. Director. Cinematographer.
Derrick Woodyard is an African-American multi-hyphenate artist whose work spans from directing, writing, and cinematography to fine arts and drawing. Currently based in Brooklyn, NY, he is a recent graduate of the MFA Film program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a focus in Directing and Writing. As a visual artist Derrick's work stems from his early beginnings, learning to draw and interpret the world around him. As a filmmaker, Derrick developed a commitment to finding truth in his narratives, leading him to explore the nuances of his characters through their desires, inner conflicts, and personal relationships. This search for truth is influenced by his lived experiences from which he takes inspiration.
His films have investigated stories of internal moral struggles, trials of sibling bonds, and the traumas of parental absence all from the lens of Black characters. Derrick’s thesis film “Love Taps” is Executive Produced by veteran Director and Academy Award winner Spike Lee. As a student in the MFA Film program, Derrick was also the recipient of the Martin Scorsese Young Filmmakers Scholarship and selected as the 2020 BAFTA NY HBO Scholar. His work has screened at festivals throughout the country and has been supported by numerous grants and prizes, including the Spike Lee Production Award, the Sandra Ifraimova Production Fund, the Riese Post Production Award, and the Roy W. Dean Short Film Award.