Today we’d like to introduce you to Derwin Graham.
Derwin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, I was a HS All American in track. Got a scholarship to run cross-country + track and field at Baylor University. All-Big 12 performer in track during my time at Baylor. 2nd fastest time ever in the 3000m Steeplechase in school history.
Didn’t really start focusing more on the film aspect of school (or the student aspect of “student-athlete”) until late junior year. We had a project asking where we saw ourselves in 5 years. I said I wanted to be involved in sports in some way, so naturally working for ESPN was an idea (manifesting without even realizing it).
One of my last projects in college was a B&W photo-story (documentary style) that I titled “Baylor Athletics 30 for 30 shorts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehlx74QF3UE&t=112s and I felt like It was the best thing ever at the time. Another moment where I was unknowingly planting that seed of manifestation.
So I graduated from Baylor University in 2015 with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Film and Digital Media. After graduating, I didn’t immediately let the athletics go and pursued a career running post collegiately with a couple of small sponsors, but the money wasn’t there for that to be lucrative. So after 2 years I shifted my focus back to film and went to grad school at UNT for Documentary Production & Studies.
That’s where I really fell in love with sports documentary even further. We had to create a Powerpoint about our dream job after finishing the masters program there. I said mine was to work on 30 for 30s with ESPN ( I still have the Powerpoint to this day). My first year MFA documentary film ended up getting into 6 or 7 film festivals around the nation and was very well received (Lacheiavelli, 2017). I was coming into my own as a doc filmmaker. At the same time, I had also reached out to an old friend on LinkedIn about internships with ESPN. He said he would keep my name in mind if he heard something.
I didn’t think much of it because you know how people can be. Well in November 2018 I get a phone call from ESPN HR saying I was referred for a full-time position with ESPN as a Production Assistant with ESPN Films. I decided to take the offer (while still enrolled in my MFA program and work toward that slowly with a class here and there each semester) and in January 2019 I was at ESPN HQ in Bristol, Connecticut.
My first assignment was the beast itself, The Last Dance. I was to oversee our entire archival footage process for all 10 episodes of The Last Dance. Not only did I have that project, but a handful of other ones as well ranging from D. Wade: Life Unexpected, Be Water (Bruce Lee), The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius, LANCE, etc. With my experience being more than a typical “PA”, I was given far more opportunities to do things. I was given chances to help produce pieces for air, edit and even film bonus content for projects. Overall, I was a mini Producer/Editor if anything, not even a PA, which was amazing. The pandemic hit, but that couldn’t stop us from finishing up The Last Dance (we’ll talk more on this in person probably through zoom). I was able to do what I needed to do remotely to finish the 10 episodes and help get It to air early for the world to enjoy despite COVID-19.
I recently just left ESPN and came back here to Houston where I’m betting on myself in a sense. I work freelance for documentary films as of now, as well as take on my own projects. I’ve already been brought on to projects for companies such as TIME, HBO and National Geographic. It feels good to be back in Texas, especially the Houston area. And it feels good to be getting back to personal projects instead of focusing solely on work projects. I’m not restricting myself to just doc-style projects either. Anything film related is in my realm. I’m looking forward to getting my name back up out here. With The Last Dance on my resume, anything is possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road is never smooth. For every up there’s a down. The struggles definitely were the pandemic. That took away a lot of opportunities for me to grow as a filmmaker and to be out in the field getting reps in/networking with other creatives. When things are shut down you can’t really do anything. Finding alternative ways to still be active with your craft was the new norm.
Even transitioning back to Texas from Connecticut has been a struggle having to go back and forth making arrangements for my things to get back to me in Texas. Also just being away from Texas for a few years and stepping back into it and trying to get my name back out there is challenging. Being in the right spaces around the right people to network is going to be a challenge, but a good one.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
So I specialize in documentary film. I’m a documentary filmmaker but also just a content creator in general. If you ask social media though I am technically known for roller skating (@808andskates is my roller skate group’s account where I post our content and my personal page is @primetimegraham). I had a video of me skating go viral on Twitter and Instagram (over a million views across all platforms) so that’s become my thing.
I’m most proud of my role in The Last Dance. Handling all the archival footage material was a tall task, especially on the backend during a pandemic. The Jordan team was forever grateful that I went above and beyond with swiftness to see the project through. I still can’t believe that my name is attached to history (and an EMMY AWARD). The name Derwin Graham will forever stand the test of time now in those credits of the film. I’m also proud of my skating, people say it gives them joy seeing a Black man doing something they loves that’s “different” from what you normally see as a hobby. It has even inspired others to get their own skates and learn. Roller skating has never left, but is hitting the mainstream again and everyone is trying to learn! It’s cool to hear people say that they got interested in learning how to skate from watching me.
What sets me apart is that I was able to be on the highest platform you can be for documentary filmmaking. Doing 30 for 30s is the end result dream for a lot of people (including myself). To be able to say I’ve already been there and done that is amazing. And now I can go further past the dream and start creating more for myself. I know the inner workings of the industry and can come back to my roots and start doing it out here.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Believe in the vision you have for yourself and pursue it passionately. Don’t hesitate or self-doubt. Imposter syndrome is real but know you are enough and fully capable regardless. If you ever start to doubt yourself just remember that there is only ONE of YOU. That’s a cool and interesting thing, because that means that NO ONE else can think like you, no one has the ideas that you have and no one can see things the way you see them because there is only ONE of YOU. Own that and trust yourself. Confidence is key.
Contact Info:
- Email: derwingraham1914@gmail.com
- Website: directdergraham.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primetimegraham/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derwin.graham/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/primetimegraham
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwtVpwpEOz7WiQvrX1VemMg
