Derek Manansala is a Filipino-American writer, editor, and director from New Jersey.

He was a writer and executive producer of LOLA, directed by Grace Hanna, screening at numerous festivals and winning awards from the Television Academy, Adobe and Imagine Entertainment’s FMTM ShortFest, Indy Shorts International Film Festival, and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. 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, funded 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 many 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.