LATROBE, PA – As general manager at Skene 19 Films, an award-winning, full-service film and video production company, Derek Hughes, C’18, helps to produce a wide range of promotional and documentary work.
“We have a bit of an off-the-wall approach to production,” the Saint Vincent College alumnus said, “being that a lot of the time, it is just myself and owner Marcus Morelli doing everything from pre- to post-production.”
The Pittsburgh-based company boasts a diverse clientele that includes the healthcare industry, restauranters, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations and area businesses. Additionally, in his GM role, Hughes gives back to the College by integrating a host of Saint Vincent interns into the company to further enhance the students’ studies and create new friendships.
In pondering postsecondary education opportunities, the Greensburg native and 2014 Greensburg Salem High School graduate knew he wanted to stay in the area. A close family connection compelled Hughes to take a closer look at Saint Vincent.
“My brother (Nick Hughes, C’15) was about to be a senior at SVC,” Hughes said, “so I wanted to spend my freshman year being able to experience it with him as well.”
The younger Hughes started out as an undecided business major before he switched to communication. That decision was rooted in his experiences during his middle and high school days when he enjoyed making movies with friends and developed a keen interest in film. “I always wanted to make it a career,” he said, “I just didn’t know how to achieve that.”
After switching his major, everything started to unfold.
Hughes fondly remembers Film Studies with Dr. Ron Davis, a former communication professor. “It was such a blast,” Hughes said of the course. “Getting to watch and discuss movies for a whole lecture was a dream.”
Hughes then began tackling more hands-on courses instructed by David Safin, chair of the Visual Arts and Media Design Department in the College’s School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and was finally able to unlock what the film production profession could be.
“From day 1, [Safin] was always my No. 1 supporter and encouraged me to swing for the fences with my creativity,” Hughes said. “I carry that with me to this day.”
One home run for Hughes was a documentary he created while a student in one of Safin’s courses. The communication major created a documentary about a friend who had battled through cancer and still recalls the filmmaking experience as memorable and gratifying.
“Alongside that, I was able to do an independent study and create a short horror film,” Hughes added. “To this day, horror and documentary filmmaking are the most prevalent pieces of my career.”
In addition to his in-class instruction at the College, Hughes interned at nearby Kennametal for a few semesters as a video editor. The experience helped him lock in his skills on the post-production side of things to a higher degree.
Mindful of the importance of internship programs, Hughes utilizes SVC interns at Skene 19 Films thanks in part to his continued professional relationship with Safin, a connection for which the former SVC student is most grateful.
“By serving as a mentor for several of our current students, he demonstrates that creative careers are possible with vision, persistence and determination,” Safin said.
The longtime Saint Vincent professor still recalls the moment he met Hughes, believing from the start that the young student was a natural filmmaker with limitless potential.
“He always approached his creative work with maturity, discipline and imagination that went beyond his years,” Safin said. “His professional success is a natural continuation of the passion he showed as a student.”
Passion continues to guide Hughes as alongside his work at Skene 19 Films, he loves to write and create his own short films.
“I have always been drawn to horror as a genre because it is the one genre where it can be anything and it never feels out of place,” he said. “It’s an ideal creative playground.”
Hughes released his short film, “What Hides in Us,” on Halloween in 2025. The work was an official selection at the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival; Spooky Empire Horror Film Festival in Orlando, Florida; The Pittsburgh Moving Picture Festival: Thriller Picture Show; and HorrorConUK Festival of Horror.
He recently wrapped up his latest short film, “TrueLink,” in May 2026. The film will be making its rounds in the festival circuit and will release in October 2026.
