Terry Dawson is an award winning Producer, Director and Writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Using comedy as a tool to delve into social themes, he creates character driven narratives woven together with incisive, naturalistic dialogue to explore (and redefine) contemporary Black male identity. His take on African-American culture is nuanced, finely drawn, and always strives to propel the collective narrative. Through his work producing documentaries he further explores pertinent sociopolitical and environmental issues.
Most recently Terry wrote and directed his first feature film THE REWRITE. (2025) a comedy about a Black screenwriter’s search for genuine authenticity in Hollywood. The ReWrite. had its’ world premiere at ABFF (American Black Film Festival) 2025 in Miami before going on to win Best Feature Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (’25) and Best Director at Harlem International Film Festival (’25). The ReWrite. had its’ Los Angeles premiere at the Micheaux Film Festival (’25) where it was awarded in three categories: Outstaning Feature-Jury, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Performance. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi and Roku Channel.
Terry made his first short film THE MASON RING (2022) as a member of Film Independent’s Project Involve 2021 cohort where he was the Writer/Director fellow. The Mason Ring won Best Short Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (2022) in competition sponsored by HBO Max. Also in 2022 Terry participated in Film Independent’s Episodic Writing Lab (co-sponsored by Netflix) with his original period drama pilot MAKEBA. Terry made his debut as Writer/Director with an award-winning web-series comedy he created A WHOLE NEW IRVING (2018) which landed in development at HBO. In addition to writing and directing his own projects Terry produces documentary films, specifically seeking subject matter with global impact. Recent titles include DIAMOND RIVERS REBORN (Benenson Productions,) KISS THE GROUND (Netflix) and THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD (Discovery+) focusing on issues ranging from environmental awareness to the challenges of marginalized ethnic groups in Africa, Brazil, and throughout the diaspora.
Terry is a Washington, D.C. native, and a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of The Arts. He received his B.A. in Film from Hofstra University and did graduate work in Fine Arts at Howard University.
Terry Dawson is an award winning Producer, Director and Writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Using comedy as a tool to delve into social themes, he creates character driven narratives woven together with incisive, naturalistic dialogue to explore (and redefine) contemporary Black male identity. His take on African-American culture is nuanced, finely drawn, and always strives to propel the collective narrative. Through his work producing documentaries he further explores pertinent sociopolitical and environmental issues.
Most recently Terry wrote and directed his first feature film THE REWRITE. (2025) a comedy about a Black screenwriter’s search for genuine authenticity in Hollywood. The ReWrite. had its’ world premiere at ABFF (American Black Film Festival) 2025 in Miami before going on to win Best Feature Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (’25) and Best Director at Harlem International Film Festival (’25). The ReWrite. had its’ Los Angeles premiere at the Micheaux Film Festival (’25) where it was awarded in three categories: Outstaning Feature-Jury, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Performance. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi and Roku Channel.
Terry made his first short film THE MASON RING (2022) as a member of Film Independent’s Project Involve 2021 cohort where he was the Writer/Director fellow. The Mason Ring won Best Short Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (2022) in competition sponsored by HBO Max. Also in 2022 Terry participated in Film Independent’s Episodic Writing Lab (co-sponsored by Netflix) with his original period drama pilot MAKEBA. Terry made his debut as Writer/Director with an award-winning web-series comedy he created A WHOLE NEW IRVING (2018) which landed in development at HBO. In addition to writing and directing his own projects Terry produces documentary films, specifically seeking subject matter with global impact. Recent titles include DIAMOND RIVERS REBORN (Benenson Productions,) KISS THE GROUND (Netflix) and THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD (Discovery+) focusing on issues ranging from environmental awareness to the challenges of marginalized ethnic groups in Africa, Brazil, and throughout the diaspora.
Terry is a Washington, D.C. native, and a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of The Arts. He received his B.A. in Film from Hofstra University and did graduate work in Fine Arts at Howard University.
Terry Dawson is an award winning Producer, Director and Writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Using comedy as a tool to delve into social themes, he creates character driven narratives woven together with incisive, naturalistic dialogue to explore (and redefine) contemporary Black male identity. His take on African-American culture is nuanced, finely drawn, and always strives to propel the collective narrative. Through his work producing documentaries he further explores pertinent sociopolitical and environmental issues.
Most recently Terry wrote and directed his first feature film THE REWRITE. (2025) a comedy about a Black screenwriter’s search for genuine authenticity in Hollywood. The ReWrite. had its’ world premiere at ABFF (American Black Film Festival) 2025 in Miami before going on to win Best Feature Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (’25) and Best Director at Harlem International Film Festival (’25). The ReWrite. had its’ Los Angeles premiere at the Micheaux Film Festival (’25) where it was awarded in three categories: Outstaning Feature-Jury, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Performance. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi and Roku Channel.
Terry made his first short film THE MASON RING (2022) as a member of Film Independent’s Project Involve 2021 cohort where he was the Writer/Director fellow. The Mason Ring won Best Short Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (2022) in competition sponsored by HBO Max. Also in 2022 Terry participated in Film Independent’s Episodic Writing Lab (co-sponsored by Netflix) with his original period drama pilot MAKEBA. Terry made his debut as Writer/Director with an award-winning web-series comedy he created A WHOLE NEW IRVING (2018) which landed in development at HBO. In addition to writing and directing his own projects Terry produces documentary films, specifically seeking subject matter with global impact. Recent titles include DIAMOND RIVERS REBORN (Benenson Productions,) KISS THE GROUND (Netflix) and THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD (Discovery+) focusing on issues ranging from environmental awareness to the challenges of marginalized ethnic groups in Africa, Brazil, and throughout the diaspora.
Terry is a Washington, D.C. native, and a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of The Arts. He received his B.A. in Film from Hofstra University and did graduate work in Fine Arts at Howard University.
Terry Dawson is an award winning Producer, Director and Writer based in Los Angeles, CA. Using comedy as a tool to delve into social themes, he creates character driven narratives woven together with incisive, naturalistic dialogue to explore (and redefine) contemporary Black male identity. His take on African-American culture is nuanced, finely drawn, and always strives to propel the collective narrative. Through his work producing documentaries he further explores pertinent sociopolitical and environmental issues.
Most recently Terry wrote and directed his first feature film THE REWRITE. (2025) a comedy about a Black screenwriter’s search for genuine authenticity in Hollywood. The ReWrite. had its’ world premiere at ABFF (American Black Film Festival) 2025 in Miami before going on to win Best Feature Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (’25) and Best Director at Harlem International Film Festival (’25). The ReWrite. had its’ Los Angeles premiere at the Micheaux Film Festival (’25) where it was awarded in three categories: Outstaning Feature-Jury, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Performance. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi and Roku Channel.
Terry made his first short film THE MASON RING (2022) as a member of Film Independent’s Project Involve 2021 cohort where he was the Writer/Director fellow. The Mason Ring won Best Short Film at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (2022) in competition sponsored by HBO Max. Also in 2022 Terry participated in Film Independent’s Episodic Writing Lab (co-sponsored by Netflix) with his original period drama pilot MAKEBA. Terry made his debut as Writer/Director with an award-winning web-series comedy he created A WHOLE NEW IRVING (2018) which landed in development at HBO. In addition to writing and directing his own projects Terry produces documentary films, specifically seeking subject matter with global impact. Recent titles include DIAMOND RIVERS REBORN (Benenson Productions,) KISS THE GROUND (Netflix) and THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD (Discovery+) focusing on issues ranging from environmental awareness to the challenges of marginalized ethnic groups in Africa, Brazil, and throughout the diaspora.
Terry is a Washington, D.C. native, and a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of The Arts. He received his B.A. in Film from Hofstra University and did graduate work in Fine Arts at Howard University.