Derek Manansala is a writer and filmmaker based in LA.

He co-wrote and co-produced LOLA, a sci-fi short awarded by the DGA and Television Academy. It was a winner of Imagine Entertainment’s inaugural FMTM ShortFest and screened at festivals including Fantasia, AFI Fest, and Indy Shorts, among others. It streamed on Air Canada and Shudder in 2025.

Derek wrote and produced HALCYON DAYS, a proof-of-concept dramedy starring Filipino-American comedy talent including Chris Renfro, Rachel Marsh, and Mike Cabellon. Currently on its festival run, it premiered at SeriesFest in 2026, received the Grand Prize for Best Television Pilot at Flickers’ RIIFF, and will be presented at the Gotham Week Expo.

Derek was named one of The Gotham’s Series Creators to Watch in 2026. He is an alumni of the Upright Citizens Brigade, wrote on The Pack Theater’s house sketch teams, and performs stand-up in condemned LA basements. Derek was a Walt Disney Imagineer before earning an MFA in Film & TV Production from USC.