Donald
Whittier
Donald approaches filmmaking by first knowing the story, then working through its many possible elements. This happens in different ways for him: it can be through the traditional industry standard of formal script breakdown or by outlining the story and then defining the scenes to shoot with the creative team to move the project forward from day to day. He builds a team that can bring the story to fruition within the resources available, turning his vision into a feature film.
Though Donald envisions each of his projects and the energy of each potential film, his filmmaking is not auteur in nature. He believes in an intensely creative and collaborative process, seeking and valuing input from everyone involved. He works with smaller crews by nature of this process and budget, avoiding the hindrances of “asking permission” by fostering a dynamic environment where creativity can flourish.
Donald is deeply committed to making the filmmaking process enjoyable and ensuring that all involved, regardless of the end result, feel that being part of his projects has enhanced their lives. His passion for collaboration extends beyond borders — he has helped multiple international film and commercial projects come to Mexico for production, leveraging his expertise to ensure these projects achieve top-notch production value while benefiting from Mexico’s cost advantages.
In his younger years, Donald was a world-class Tae Kwon Do fighter; the methodical and at times painful preparation building up to “leaving it all on the mat” continues to define his daily routine. This philosophy, captured in the title of one of his favorite movies, “You Can’t Take It with You!”, reflects his belief in living life to the fullest. He is happiest running at a frenetic pace and believes that storms of activity are the mother of creative and unexpected solutions, and that the greatest indignity to the human spirit is boredom. His films and pilots have screened in multiple film festivals over the years, earning him a handful of awards.