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Draft:Derrick Acosta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • Comment: Can you please identify three-five independent, reliable sources that provide extensive coverage about Derrick Acosta on the article talk page? Thanks. JSFarman (talk) 18:29, 12 March 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: I think there simply isn't enough coverage to justify a standalone article. He shows up in bunch of disconnected places, such as being cited as an expert of paranormal activities once, and passing mentions that he contributed to various music videos, but most of the sources are just plain interviews and this article reflects that. Ca talk to me! 00:02, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
  • Comment: Per a request at the help desk, I took a look and agree with the decline. None of the sources provide in-depth coverage about Acosta. Most are interviews so not independent and/or are about the series which already has an article. S0091 (talk) 13:53, 11 May 2023 (UTC)


Derrick Acosta
Acosta in 2017
Alma materWest Hills High School
Occupations
  • Comic book writer
  • music video director
  • actor
  • podcaster
  • video gamer
Years active2003–present
Known for
Notable credits
Awards2026 Pacific Southwest Emmy Award for 2025 San Diego Film Awards
Websitederrickacosta.com

Derrick Acosta is an American writer, director, actor, and podcaster best known as a co-creator of the sketch comedy group and web series Mega64. He is also the host of the paranormal podcast Mega Strange and creator of the horror comic FOBIA Volume 1, published by Mad Cave Studios. As an actor, he has appeared in the films Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea (2023), Fireflies in the Dusk (2025), and has directed music videos for artists including Gary Wilson and Mrs Magician.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Personal life

[edit]

Acosta is from the San Diego area[3] and grew up in Santee, California.[7] He attended West Hills High School, where he was involved in theater and met future Mega64 collaborators Rocco Botte and Shawn Chatfield.[5] His interest in video production developed during this period, when he introduced computer-based editing to the videos the group made for their theater classmates.[4]

Career

[edit]

Early career and Mega64

[edit]

In 2003, Acosta, Botte and Chatfield began developing Mega64, initially conceived as a public-access television series combining video game parodies with live-action sketch comedy.[5][8] Acosta has recalled being apprehensive about encountering people he knew while filming sketches in public.[6] Because the project predated YouTube, the group initially sought other methods of distributing its videos online and gradually developed Mega64 into a full-time venture.[4][8]

Acosta became one of the group's principal performers, portraying fictionalized versions of himself as well as recurring characters including Horatio.[6] In early coverage of Mega64, he described enjoying the freedom of playing exaggerated characters and using uncomfortable situations as a form of comedy.[6] As the group expanded, Acosta also contributed to its writing, directing and production. He later became a regular participant in the Mega64 Podcast.[4] Acosta's comments about losing interest in new video games because of their increasing familiarity were subsequently discussed by Vice in an article examining burnout among video game players.[9] Mega64 marked its 20th anniversary in 2023, by which time Acosta, Botte and Chatfield had sustained the project as their long-term careers.[4]

Discussing the group's comedy with Kill Screen, Acosta rejected the idea of defining a person by a single interest, explaining that although he was associated with film and filmmaking, he did not want those pursuits to constitute his entire identity.[10]

Music-video directing

[edit]

Acosta collaborated with filmmaker Dusty Peterman on music videos, including videos for Mrs Magician and Rey Pila. Their work for Mrs Magician included "The Dead 80's" and "There Is No God."[11][12] They later directed Rey Pila's "Fire Away" in 2015.[13][14]

Comics

[edit]

Acosta expanded into comics with FOBIA Volume 1, a horror anthology that he created and contributed to as a writer. The first volume was published in 2025.[1] He later wrote for Mad Cave Studios' Speed Racer: Tales from the Road Vol. 1, contributing to the series alongside other writers.[2]

Podcasting, television and acting

[edit]

Acosta directed the San Diego Film Awards in 2022 at the Hotel del Coronado and co-hosted the ceremony with Laura Bohlin, working on the production alongside Jodi Cilley, Jonathan Hammond and Shannon Taylor.[15][16] In 2026, Acosta shared a Pacific Southwest Emmy Award for Special Event Coverage for his work on the 2025 San Diego Film Awards broadcast.[17]

Acosta and Johnny Weiss co-hosted the paranormal podcast Mega Strange[3] in 2023, earning a nomination for Best Podcast Hosts at the ParaPod Awards.[18] Acosta also appeared in the 2023 film Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea[19] and was cast in the upcoming film A Corpse in Kensington.[20]

Other work

[edit]

In 2020, researchers at the Stanford Internet Observatory reported that a Facebook page for "Randall Sand," a fictitious independent congressional candidate in Arizona's 5th Congressional District, used a photograph of Acosta and a doctored image of an interview with him. Yellow Sheet Report subsequently reported that the persona had been created by the marketing company Rally Forge. The researchers said the motivation for creating the fake political persona was unclear.[21][22]

Filmography

[edit]
Acting roles
Year Title Role Notes
2016 Paranormal Pals Zephyr Voice credit[23]
2022 Some Like It Hot Derrick Some Like It Hot parody[16]
2023 Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea Mickey [19]
2025 Fireflies in the Dusk Fernando Short film[24]
2026 Red Light Teachers Krish
Mewgenics Cat (voice) Video game[25]
TBA A Corpse in Kensington † Lionel Lead role, featuring Michael Madsen and Ryan Bollman[19][20]
Moondog † Saloon Bartender By Ian Tripp
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Film and television
Year Title Writer Director Notes
2017 Little Love Lost Co-writer Yes Short film, also producer and editor
2018 Murder Mementos Yes No Short film, also producer
San Diego Film Awards Head script writer No TV special
2019 San Diego Film Awards Co-writer No TV special
2021 San Diego Film Awards Co-writer Co-director TV special
2022 San Diego Film Awards Co-writer Co-director TV special broadcast on KPBS[15][16]
2023 Paper Trail N/a Yes Short film[26]
Top Host Co-writer Yes Top Gun: Maverick parody
San Diego Film Awards Co-writer Co-director Presenter, TV special nominated for Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards
2025 San Diego Film Awards No No Producer[17]
TBA Pinhole Yes Yes Crowdfunded film
Music videos
Year Title Band Director Notes
2012 Dead 80's Mrs Magician Co-director [27]
Do it For You Plateaus Co-director [28]
Bullrider Mastah Syphe Yes [29]
2013 There is No God Mrs Magician Co-director [12]
2014 I Just Want To Hold You In My Arms Tonight Gary Wilson Yes [26]
2015 Fire Away Rey Pila Co-director [13][14]
2016 Feel Low Dead Heavens Yes [30]
2020 Whatever Dude Crasher Yes [31]
Mega64
Year Title Role Notes
2006 GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley N/a [32]
2012 The Aquabats! Super Show! N/a Episode: "Mysterious Egg!"[32]
2016 AAAA Game Game development manager [33]
2019 Metal Gear Solid in 5 Minutes Solid Snake [34]
2021 Mega64: Resident Evil VILLAGE Ethan Winters [4]
Mega64 Version 4.1: Revengurrection Derek Also director, featuring SungWon Cho and Arin Hanson[35]
2024 Doug Huggem Additional voices Duke Nukem parody with Jon St. John

Accolades

[edit]
Event / Festival Year Award Title Result Notes Ref.
ParaPod Awards 2023 Best Podcast Host(s) Mega Strange Nominated Shared with Johnny Weiss [18]
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 2026 Pacific Southwest Emmy Award – Special Event Coverage 2025 San Diego Film Awards Won Shared with Jodi Cilley, Rich Varville, Tony Amat, Paulina Perea, Giovanni Autiero [17]

Published works

[edit]
  • Acosta, Derrick. Derrick Acosta Presents FOBIA Volume 1. United States: Derrick Acosta, May 15, 2025. ISBN 9798991725101
  • London, Mark; Pepose, David; Hamilton, Richard Ashley; Acosta, Derrick; Sieracki, Joseph. Speed Racer: Tales from the Road Vol. 1. United States: Mad Cave Studios, June 9, 2026. ISBN 9781545826980

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Dezo, Alice (2026-05-20). "Little Fables with Big Scares in the FOBIA Horror Anthology". Shelfdust. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  2. 1 2 Valentine, Evan (2025-12-05). "Speed Racer: Mega 64's Derrick Acosta Talks Helping to Build a New Anime Universe (Exclusive)". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  3. 1 2 3 Weil, Madison (2023-11-01). Proctor Valley Road: The history behind the ghost stories. KGTV. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Winkie, Luke (2023-02-17). "And now, for Mega64's greatest stunt: Aging gracefully!". Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  5. 1 2 3 Helewa, Nas (2009-02-21). "Mega64 is here. Be scared". San Diego CityBeat. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Mega 64 video to video". GMR (21): 31. 2004 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ Morlan, Kinsee (2017-11-08). "I Made it in San Diego: 'The Cockroaches of the Internet' on Their Online Empire". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  8. 1 2 Blair, Iain (2015-07-14). "10 Comics to Watch: Guerrilla Gamers Mega64 Blew Up on Internet". Variety. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  9. ↑ Kunzelman, Cameron (2019-01-11). "The Millennial Burnout Conversation Also Applies to Gamers". Vice. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  10. ↑ Burke, Kelly (2013-12-13). "Why are videogames so bad at being funny, and why are Mega64 so good at it?". Kill Screen. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  11. ↑ Lotkhamnga, Seraphina (2012-07-18). "Video: Mrs. Magician, 'The Dead 80's'". buzzbands.la. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  12. 1 2 Pangburn, DJ (2013-04-11). "Watch Mrs. Magician's Surreal and Grotesquely Animated Video for "There Is No God"". Vice. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  13. 1 2 "Rey Pila comparte el video "Fire Away"". Indie Rocks! (in Spanish). 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  14. 1 2 "Rey Pila estrena video de su nuevo sencillo "Fire away"". Notimex (in Spanish). 2015-12-05. Retrieved 2025-12-06 – via Proquest.
  15. 1 2 Robinson, Jennifer (2022-08-24). "San Diego Film Awards 2022". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  16. 1 2 3 "2022 San Diego Film Awards- 8th ANNUAL". Film Consortium San Diego. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  17. 1 2 3 "NATAS PSW – EMMY® Awards - Nominees". NATAS PSW. Archived from the original on 2026-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  18. 1 2 Haring, Bruce (2023-03-04). "ParaPod Awards Set Nominees For Paranormal Event". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  19. 1 2 3 "Derrick Acosta Movies List | Rotten Tomatoes | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
  20. 1 2 Deaderick, Lisa (2026-09-13). "In the mood for a slasher-horror-romcom movie? How about one set in Kensington?". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2026-09-25.
  21. ↑ "Cyber Policy Center | FSI - Stanford University" (PDF). Stanford University. 2020-10-08.
  22. ↑ Stephenson, Hank (2020-10-14). "Jake Hoffman is going to provide us with endless copy". Yellow Sheet Report. Retrieved 2025-12-06 – via Proquest.
  23. ↑ Leighton, Susan (2017-01-20). "Paranormal Pals: First Look at the Pilot Episode on Youtube". 1428 Elm. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  24. ↑ Ng, Alan (2025-04-17). "Fireflies in the Dusk". Film Threat. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  25. ↑ Maurya, Aniket (2026-02-14). "Mewgenics Voice Actors List (Main Cast and Cameos)". Fandom Wire. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  26. 1 2 "Paper Trail". 2023 San Diego Film Week. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  27. ↑ Kaye, Ben (2012-07-19). "Video: Mrs. Magician - "Dead 80's" (CoS Premiere)". Consequence. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  28. ↑ "Premiere: Plateaus, "Do it For You"". Impose. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  29. ↑ "Dose of Bass | San Diego Reader". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 2025-12-06.
  30. ↑ O'Hare, Shane (2016-08-23). "Monday Music: Dead Heavens – Feel Low". Geekscape. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  31. ↑ Sacher, Andrew (2020-07-10). "Watch Crasher's new video for "Whatever Dude"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  32. 1 2 "2023 AWARD WINNERS". Demonic Brilliance Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  33. ↑ Barder, Ollie (2016-04-20). "The Main Limitation On Gaming Is No Longer Technological, It's Budgetary". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  34. ↑ Castillo, Jarrod (2019-05-07). "Mega64 recaps the original Metal Gear Solid in 'five' minutes". App Trigger. Archived from the original on 2021-09-11. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  35. ↑ "Mega64 Version 4.1: Revengurrection (2021)". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
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