Derrick D. Pete

Derrick received his MFA from UCLA's Film & TV Screenwriting graduate program. As an optioned, freelance screenwriter, Derrick has written several scripts within the sci-fi/fantasy, drama, and thriller genres. Derrick was a screenwriting fellow of Project Involve, Film Independent's premiere program for under-represented filmmakers. Recently, Derrick expanded his creative territory, adding film producing and directing to his credits. Derrick wrote, directed and produced, Waste Paper, a fantasy/adventure short film developed in partnership with the Oscar-award winning visual effects team at Digital Sandbox. Waste Paper garnered official selections from over 20 film festivals worldwide, most notably, SITGES International Fantastic Film Festival, the oldest and the world's most prestigious festival for fantasy films, selected one of only 36 international entries. Derrick obtained his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Florida at Gainesville. He worked for Exxon Chemicals for four years in their research and development division. Derrick holds two patents related to the purification of highly reactive olefins in mixed hydrocarbons.