Daniel Smith Coleman

I was introduced to the arts at 8 when my parents founded COLSAC, a black-owned and operated repertory theatre on Theatre Row in Hollywood. My parents, Lamont A. Coleman and Rosemarie Smith-Coleman, both majors in Acting and Directing from San Francisco State University and Howard University, respectively, used their combined knowledge and working experience to create a creative community for under-represented actors and directors looking to break into the theatre arts.

As a child, I contributed as a stagehand and continued taking on more responsibilities over the years. By the time I became an adult, I had stage-managed, set-designed and constructed, light-board operated, and sound-mixed countless productions alongside hundreds of talented actors and directors, many of whom were or would become renowned - even celebrities due to their respective crafts. I directed plays and even dabbled in acting and singing during my teenage years at COLSAC. These experiences allowed me to see the theatre arts from multiple perspectives and gave me a voice and a strong foundation to build a career.

Into adulthood, I pursued an education in Theatre Arts from Chabot College and Santa Monica College, earning an AA equivalency before focusing on my film career. 12 years later, I am now a seasoned Director, Producer, and Editor in the narrative and commercial spaces. My work as a producer and editor has been selected, screened, and even won at various local and national film festivals and is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Tubi.

I am inspired by children and young adults who have triumphed in the face of extraordinarily dark and disastrous circumstances. In my next chapter, I will use my experience and talents to shine a light on these stories.