Marshall Wayne Cooper IV is a filmmaker born and raised in Harlem, NY. From an early age his parents enrolled him in numerous art programs in hopes of keeping him away from the rising crime in the neighborhood. Marshall picked up his first camera in the 7th grade through a school photography program, allowing him to document the people and city he grew so accustomed to.

 

Marshall obtained a journalism degree from Stony Brook University, where he was awarded the Dean of Students Prize for Excellence in Photojournalism. After working broadcast TV jobs at Fox News and Yahoo! Finance Live , he enrolled in NYU’s   graduate film program where he developed his skills as a director, writer, and cinematographer. Marshall has shot over 30 NYU and Columbia university graduate films.

 

In his final year he was awarded the Spike Lee Film Production Fund and an ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award nomination. Marshall is continuously inspired by the diverse cultures of Harlem/The Bronx and seeks to continue telling stories about American culture with a distinct lens on inner city life.