Lawrence Watford

Brooklyn filmmaker Lawrence “LAW” Watford is known for making dramatic films that are deeply focused on our common humanity. He traces his interest in filmmaking to his undergraduate years at Hampton University (an HBCU) where he earned his BA in Political Science. That interest quickly became a passion and led him to Regent University where he earned his Master’s Degree in communications, while having the opportunity to work with Hollywood icons like Pat Morita (The Karate Kid) and James Avery (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Uncle Phil) whom he directed in his 2005 short film “A Christmas Wish.”

After graduating, LAW began working on major Hollywood productions like the Oscar nominated films “The New World,” “Revolutionary Road” and “The Good Shepherd,” (directed by Robert DeNiro) before landing in the art department of the hit NBC series “Law & Order: SVU,” where he worked for 5 seasons.

Since that time, he’s worked diligently as a filmmaker, focusing on dramas that explore complex social narratives through his production company, Divine Write Pictures. In 2013 he wrote, directed and produced the short film “The Savior & the Samaritan,” followed by the film “Flipped” in 2018, which he directed and produced. His latest film, “Catharsis” explores accountability in law enforcement. Following a successful run on the festival circuit, the film was recently acquired by Revolt TV.

In addition to being one of ’s “7 Independent Black Filmmakers to Watch” 2021, LAW was recently recognized in after optioning the Martin Luther King Jr. biography “The Seminarian: Martin Luther King Jr. Comes of Age,” which he is currently developing as a limited series. The book stands as the only definitive account of MLK’s formative years as a young adult at Crozer Theological Seminary.