RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab 2024
Derek Quick
Derek Quick (Negane Meno) is a multi-award-winning Native American/Hispanic Writer, Director, Producer, and U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard Veteran with more than 10 years of military service.
Quick is a member of the Ottawa tribe of Oklahoma and his grandfather Chuck Red Cedar Todd was the Chief of the tribe. Quick’s films have screened at Academy Award and BAFTA Qualifying festivals around the world, including Short Shorts Japan, Imagine Native, British Urban Film Fest, Hollyshorts, Pan African Film festival, and Cannes with the American Pavilion.
Quick’s Film Kommando 1944, a WWII film about the Japanese Americans in Internment camp in Manzanar California, won more than 160 awards, including Outstanding World War II Short Film winner at the 2019 Spielberg’s Band of Brothers film festival, as well as two Telly awards for best director and best diversity film. He also won two Remmy awards for best director and best drama short film at the World Houston festival.
Educated at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the New York Film Academy, Quick brings a disciplined, educated approach to his art. His involvement with the Writers Guild Veterans Foundation and the Native American Media Alliance Feature Writers Program, supported by giants like NBCUniversal and Netflix, marks his dedication to the craft of screenwriting.
His screenplays have been featured on the Blacklist website’s top screenplays, Redlist; was selected for the Coverfly Pitch week 2024 and was ranked 1st in number of Manager and production meeting requests; and has won or advanced in numerous festivals in 2024.
Quick writes with the aims of educating, elevating, and entertaining. Drawing from his varied background, he specializes in crafting underdog stories featuring diverse and intriguing characters across many genres and formats.
Quick also is an active stock investor running his own fund since 2006 and placed third in the world stock investing championship against active professional hedge funds in 2023.
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After an extensive search and interview process, 25 individuals were invited to participate in the Virtual Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2024 Entertainment Lab taking place May 7 – September 24, 2024. This 5-month Lab aims to develop and elevate the talent pipeline of disabled entertainment professionals working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming, while connecting them with industry professionals and creatives. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 60’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.
