Derek Manansala is a Filipino-American writer and filmmaker from New Jersey.

He was a writer and executive producer on LOLA, directed by Grace Hanna, winning awards from the Television Academy, the Directors Guild of America, and Adobe/Imagine Entertainment’s FMTM ShortFest, among others. Grace and Derek are currently developing the feature-length LOLA with mentorship from Imagine Entertainment.

Derek recently wrote and produced HALCYON DAYS, starring an ensemble of Filipino-American comedy talent including Chris Renfro, Rachel Marsh, Mike Cabellon, and Darion Basco. It is currently in post and sponsored by Film Independent.

He edited HELD AT GUNPOINT, a documentary long-listed for the 2024 BAFTA Student Awards, and directed USC’s first ever single-camera TV comedy pilot, WELCOME TO ALOHA, financed by USC and the John H. Mitchell Endowment.

Derek completed the improv and sketch programs at the Upright Citizens Brigade, wrote on The Pack Theater’s house sketch teams, and performed improv at the Del Close Marathon, UCB, the PIT, and other condemned NYC basements.

He was a Walt Disney Imagineer before pursuing an MFA in Film & TV Production at USC, where he’s a William Hearst and Charles Lang Scholar.