Born at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Patrik-Ian attended Brandeis University in Massachusetts and graduate film school at the prestigious University of Southern California School of Cinema andTelevision, where he wrote and directed a number of short films.

After a brief stint as a producer's assistant on Amblin Entertainment's television series, SeaQuest, DSV, Polk was immediately hired as a development executive at MTV's then-new Paramount-based feature film division.

In 1997, when Edmonds Entertainment called Patrik-Ian for suggestions of suitable candidates for a development executive, Patrik-Ian quickly submitted his own name for consideration, and after one meeting with Tracey Edmonds, was hired on the spot.

In the fall of 1999, Fox 2000 released the feature film, Light it Up. Patrik-Ian makes his feature film directorial debut with Punks, a gay-themed independent feature that he also wrote and produced.

In 2000, he was promoted to Vice President production/development for the conglomerate's new independent/specialty film company, e2 Filmworks, where he is responsible for developing and producing independent feature film projects.

Patrik-Ian is currently completing his latest original screenplay, a romantic comedy.