Since the age of 12, Malcolm D. Lee has been making films in animation, video and Super-8 film formats. Since age 17, he has been working professionally in the industry as a production assistant, apprentice film editor, casting associate, assistant director and director’s assistant.
After completing his undergraduate studies at Georgetown University in 1992 with a B.A. in English and a minor in fine arts, Lee accepted a yearlong fellowship in screenwriting from Disney Studios, where he completed two screenplays, including “Morningside Prep,” a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences at predominately white prep schools.
Following his early Hollywood experience, he gained entry into New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, honed his craft as a director and writer, and went on to make a short-film version of “Morningside Prep” that claimed several awards (including two from the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame); the film made its television debut on Showtime Networks in 1997.
In September 1998, Lee began his directorial debut with his sixth screenplay, “The Best Man.” The Universal Pictures film opened in October 1999 to rave reviews by critics and audiences alike; it also scored a No. 1 ranking at the box office. In May 2002, Lee directed the action comedy “Undercover Brother,” with Eddie Griffin and Dave Chappelle, to stellar reviews. His third feature, “Roll Bounce,” for Fox 2000 and Fox Searchlight, debuted in September 2005. Recently, he directed “Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.”
Aside from directing commercials for various companies (Verizon, Toyota and the U.S. Navy) and shooting episodes for “Everybody Hates Chris,” Lee is currently developing several feature screenplays, including “The Champions” and the time travel/Negro Leagues sports comedy “Brushback.”
Dimension Films
