Derek Westerman

{{short description|American film director}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Derek Westerman

| image = Derek Westerman at Just for Laughs.jpg

| caption = Westerman speaks at 2011 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival

| image_size =

| birth_place = Toledo, Ohio

| occupation = Film director, producer, screenwriter

| known_for = Bad Dads

}}

Derek Westerman is an American screenwriter, film director, and film producer born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.http://www.toledo.com/news/2011/02/28/frogtown-features/michael-cera-s-shorts-toledo-s-derek-westerman-aims-high/ "Michael Cera's Shorts: Toledo's Derek Westerman Aims High" by Ryan A. Bunch His debut work was the independent web comedy series Bad Dads,{{Cite web |url=http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=22824&FID=47 |title=Bad Dads | 2011 Palm Springs Int'l ShortFest | Derek Westerman | USA |access-date=2012-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201214856/http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=22824&FID=47 |archive-date=2014-02-01 |url-status=dead }} a series of five, three-minute shorts{{Cite web|url=http://www.shockya.com/news/2011/03/09/michael-cera-takes-on-the-web-in-bad-dads/|title=Michael Cera takes on the web in Bad Dads|date=10 March 2011}} featuring Michael Cera and Will Hines, which premiered on the website CollegeHumor during its 2011 Spring Season of original web shows. Bad Dads premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival, Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/palm-springs-shortfest-feature-hollywood-196375|title = Palm Springs ShortFest to Feature Hollywood Insiders Playing Themselves|website = The Hollywood Reporter|date = 8 June 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118038271|title = Palm Springs International ShortFest sets program|date = 9 June 2011}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.filmthreat.com/festivals/36541/ |title=Film Threat - 2011 Palm Springs International Shortfest Announces Lineup; Online Film Festival |access-date=2012-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812040846/http://www.filmthreat.com/festivals/36541/ |archive-date=2011-08-12 |url-status=dead }} L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival, and was featured at the 2011 Just for Laughs comedy festival in Chicago, Illinois and Montreal, Quebec.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2011/mar/14/dallas-international-film-festival-lineup-2011/ |title=DALLAS International Film Festival announces their full lineup for 2011 | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth |access-date=2012-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504040258/http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2011/mar/14/dallas-international-film-festival-lineup-2011/ |archive-date=2012-05-04 |url-status=dead }}

Westerman has worked with many comedians of Upright Citizens Brigade{{Cite web |url=http://pearlsnapdiscount.com/2011/06/08/exclusive-interview-with-director-derek-westerman/ |title=Exclusive Interview with Director Derek Westerman | Pearl Snap Discount |access-date=2012-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219083621/http://pearlsnapdiscount.com/2011/06/08/exclusive-interview-with-director-derek-westerman/ |archive-date=2014-02-19 |url-status=dead }} and wrote sketch comedy with Michael Cera while he was involved in the filming of Arrested Development. His senior thesis film from Loyola Marymount University starred Clark Duke alongside Michael Cera. He attended film school at Loyola Marymount University from 2002 to 2006 in Los Angeles, California and received his master's degree in Visual Culture Theory in 2010 from NYU.{{cite web |url=http://portable.tv/culture/post/michael-ceras-bad-dad/ |title=Michael Cera's Bad Dad |website=portable.tv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517053017/http://portable.tv/culture/post/michael-ceras-bad-dad/ |archive-date=2011-05-17}} In 2019, Westerman partnered with screenwriter Yolanda Ruiz to create Ruiz Westerman Screenwriting Services. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California.