Essays on power, belonging, and the frames that decide what counts as real.

IDerrick Benton is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker and writer whose work spans documentary and narrative film. He is the founder of F.R.E.E. Studios (Filming Real Emotional Experiences), a production studio dedicated to community-rooted storytelling and cultural critique. His films explore memory, identity, and the ways institutions shape lived experience. Alongside his film work, Derrick publishes essays on power, belonging, and media through The Stooop.

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About the studio

This publication is powered by Filming Real Emotional Experiences (F.R.E.E. Studios). To learn more about the studio and related projects, visit: website.