John Patrick
Hayden
ABOUT
John Patrick Hayden
...who has called Brooklyn, New York home for 18 years was raised all over the U.S. The one constant is his love and passion for storytelling.
As a writer/director (MFA Directing Film, CCNY 2020) he was inducted into BAFTA NY (2019) and earned a Princess Grace nomination (2020) for for his films. He has written, directed and produced five films that have garnered awards at festivals around the world and can be seen on Amazon Prime.
After earning a BFA in Acting at FSU, he has worked steadily for 23 years in SAG and AEA productions for film, television and theatre as well as directed fights (SAFD certified) for Broadway, regional and independent film productions.
As a teacher, with 19 years experience, he has worked at the ACT MFA program, The Atlantic Theatre School, SUNY New Paltz Theatre, Illinois University, Durham Univeristy UK, the Stella Adler Studio in New York as well teaching young artists for the Broadway Artist Alliance, Broadway Workshop and A Class Act New York.
Filmmaker
I've been making movies since middle school - back when my friends and I were shooting parodies and odd little comedies on borrowed cameras and editing for our TV news. Those were my first deadlines, and I've basically been chasing that feeling ever since.
I'm a BAFTA NY member, an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter, and someone who's happiest when creating with good people. My feature screenplay The Shuck — a story about family, truth, and the quiet ways we try to make peace with our past - is currently optioned. I've written and directed several award-winning short films, including Amend, Veritaphobia, and Aperture.
I make films about ordinary people at extraordinary emotional crossroads - moments when love, regret, and humor collide. My work lives in the tension between tragedy and laughter, the place where shame turns into connection and grief finds a strange kind of beauty. I'm drawn to characters who are trying - sometimes failing - to be decent in a messy world, and to the absurdity that sneaks into even our heaviest moments.
When I'm not working on bigger projects, l'm usually collaborating with friends on shorts or strange, small experiments - just making stuff for the love of it. Always have, always will.
Fight Guy
John Patrick Hayden is an award-winning fight director, teacher, and SAFD-recognized Actor Combatant whose work has appeared on Broadway, in regional theatres, classrooms, and international training programs. For over two decades, he has taught stage combat at the conservatory, college, professional, and student levels - always emphasizing story, safety, and play. John brings a deep love of physical storytelling to every project and continues to train actively within the Society of American Fight Directors, remaining both a dedicated teacher and a lifelong student of the craft. His approach centers on collaboration, curiosity, and the joy of discovering how movement communicates truth.
