Draft:Bobby Friedman (filmmaker)

Bobby Friedman (born August 25, 1986) is an American filmmaker, writer, producer, and director known for Under Cover Comic, Coping Mechanisms, and The Stranger.

Early life and education
Friedman was born on August 25, 1986, in Staten Island, New York. He went to Binghamton University, where he graduated with a degree in creative writing in 2008.

Career
Friedman worked as a writer for various journalism outlets before filmmaking. He used to write mainly about professional basketball. In 2019, Friedman wrote and directed his first short film, Under Cover Comic, which was nominated for the Independent Shorts Awards. The same year, Friedman also created Grease the Door, collaborating with comedian DC Benny.

In 2020, Friedman wrote and directed Coping Mechanism, a visual album for Tayla Parx and Atlantic Records. He also wrote and directed Disservice and The Stranger that year. The Stranger was distributed by Amazon Prime Video and aired by PBS after winning best short at the Snowtown Film Festival.

In 2022, he brought back Under Cover Comic, released as a six-episode comedy series on Tubi. In addition to writing and filmmaking, Bobby Friedman has performed as a jazz band leader at venues in Greenwich Village.

Accolades
Friedman has received several accolades and honors for his short films and screenwriting. In 2019, he won the Best New Male Director award for his short film, Under Cover Comic, by the Independent Short Awards. His film, Grease the Door, won the best short film award at the Colorado International Cannabis & Hemp Film Festival. In 2019, his short film, The Stranger, was selected for the Manhattan Film Festival and Under Cover Comic for the Portland Comedy Film Festival.

Friedman was a finalist and honorable mention in the Finish Line Script Competition, a finalist in the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island Flickers Film Festival, and a finalist at the Oaxaca Film Festival, which has been named by MovieMaker as one of the top 25 festivals in the world. In 2023, Friedman's feature screenplay The Damn Knicks was a semi-finalist in Fade-in Awards Screenwriting Competition.