Derek Lein
Assistant Editor turned Data Analyst
10 years of entertainment industry experience paired with a Google-certified technical foundation in R, Python, SQL, and Tableau. Joining the Information Lab's Data School NY in Fall 2026.
ABOUT
With a BFA in Film Production and a decade of experience in film and television post-production, I have spent my career learning how to sift through massive amounts of raw footage, identify the relevant material, and synthesize that into a compelling narrative. It is a process requiring much patience, but the satisfaction of successfully finding that narrative within the chaos makes the entire experience incredibly rewarding.Recently, I have been channeling this expertise into a transition to Data Analytics. I have found that the core skillsets involved in post-production, including the organizing complex folder structures, tracking copious amounts of metadata, and managing disparate databases, are remarkably similar to that of data analysis. I completed the Google Data Analytics Certification course earlier this year, and will be joining the Information Lab's Data School in NYC this fall, where I hope to take what I've learned to the next level.I am dedicated to combining my industry domain knowledge with a technical foundation in SQL, R, Python, and Tableau. My goal is to build data-driven solutions and construct compelling narratives to communicate those solutions.
VIEW MY PROJECTS
The Criterion Standard: A Data-Driven Strategy for Collection Expansion
A data-driven strategy for Criterion Collection expansion using R and Tableau.
The Low-Budget Advantage: A Data-Driven Case Against Hollywood's Blockbuster Bias
A data-driven strategy for industry-wide box office success using SQL and Excel.
Public Libraries: Recovered or Changed?
The Universal Shift and the Locale-Specific Recovery in U.S. Public Libraries After COVID-19
A data-driven analysis of post-pandemic recovery in US Public Libraries using Python and Tableau.
