Independent Cinema with Purpose and Passion. Three films. One vision. An authentic New York voice that refuses to be silenced.
"Derrick approaches filmmaking as a complete creative act — he doesn't just direct or just produce. He writes the screenplay, raises the financing, produces the film, directs the production, and often stars in it as well."
This total creative ownership is what makes his work distinctly, unmistakably his. Every Derrick Simmons Film Works production carries his full fingerprint from the first word of the script to the final frame of the edit. It's the most uncompromising form of independent filmmaking — and it produces the most authentic results.
His background as a stunt performer gives him an unusual advantage behind the camera. He understands the physicality of performance from the inside — the choreography, the timing, the precision, the trust required between actors and crew. When he directs an action sequence, he's not guessing. He's drawing on decades of embodied knowledge that no film school can teach.
Rooted in New York City, Derrick's films reflect the authentic spirit of the city — its energy, its complexity, its contradictions, its humanity. These are stories told by someone who lived them, not observed them from a distance. That's what makes them resonate.
His third independent feature film and arguably his most personal, most courageous work to date. A dramatic suspense thriller about domestic violence — a subject too often unaddressed, too rarely depicted with this level of honesty and raw emotional power.
Derrick wrote the screenplay from scratch, raised the independent financing, produced the film, stepped behind the camera to direct, and stepped in front of it to star as Morgan. This total creative ownership — quadruple hyphenate on a single production — represents the fullest expression of his artistic identity.
His second independent feature deepens the narrative ambition established by his debut. Continuing his journey as a storyteller — exploring compelling human narratives rooted in authentic New York experiences and perspectives that mainstream Hollywood rarely captures with this kind of intimacy.
Produced entirely through Derrick Simmons Film Works, with an original soundtrack by Phat Tune Recording, the film demonstrates his growing confidence as a complete filmmaker: one who understands not just how to direct, but how to shape an entire cinematic experience from the ground up.
The debut feature from Derrick Simmons Film Works — the film that announced the arrival of a distinctive new voice in American independent cinema. Rooted in the streets and stories of New York City, Jump Offs established his commitment to authentic storytelling that doesn't look away from the realities of urban life.
Derrick appears in three distinct roles — Malik, Oops, and Narrator — while simultaneously handling all production and directorial responsibilities. An audacious debut that demonstrated what was possible when a filmmaker has complete creative control and the courage to use it.
The creative home of Derrick Simmons' independent filmmaking — a New York City production company built on the conviction that authentic stories deserve to be told, regardless of studio backing.
Three completed feature films from 2007 to 2016 — each one written, produced, directed, and often starring Derrick himself. Total creative ownership from development to distribution.
Derrick Simmons Film Works continues to develop new productions. The pipeline includes new films in development — building on the foundation of three produced features with growing ambition and resources.
Derrick Simmons Film Works is open to compelling scripts that align with its commitment to authentic, character-driven storytelling. Projects rooted in genuine human experience are especially welcome.
Productions that need a multi-hyphenate creative leader — someone who can act, direct, produce, and stunt coordinate simultaneously — can find that in Derrick Simmons. Contact for collaboration inquiries.
Open to co-production partnerships, financing discussions, and development deals for projects that share the company's commitment to bold, authentic independent cinema with commercial viability.
For all film collaboration inquiries — acting roles, directing projects, producing partnerships, or script development — reach Derrick's team through the contact form at derricksimmons.com.
Great films need great music. Understanding this on an instinctive level — and refusing to leave his productions' soundtracks to chance — Derrick founded Phat Tune Recording to handle the music for all of his independent films.
The label gives his productions a distinctive musical voice that complements his visual storytelling — making each film a fully integrated artistic statement rather than a movie with an afterthought soundtrack. This total creative control, extended into the musical dimension, is another expression of his belief that authentic stories deserve authentic everything.
Phat Tune Recording represents Derrick's ongoing commitment to the idea that the boundaries between disciplines — between filmmaking and music, between direction and performance, between producer and artist — are artificial constraints that a truly creative person refuses to accept.
Most film directors have never been inside a stunt sequence. They've watched them, studied them, perhaps consulted on them — but they've never felt the weight of a fall, the timing required to make a punch land convincingly without landing, the split-second trust between two bodies in motion.
Derrick Simmons has. And that changes everything about how he directs. His 35+ years of stunt experience don't just make him better at action sequences — they make him better at everything, because they give him an actor's knowledge of the body and a technician's precision about what's actually possible on screen.
Whether you're casting a film, developing a script, looking for a stunt coordinator, or seeking a producing partner — Derrick Simmons brings a rare combination of talent, experience, and creative commitment to every collaboration.
Reach out through the contact form and Derrick's team will respond promptly to all production inquiries.