Meet Don Posillico | Filmmaker & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Don Posillico and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Don, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I began college thinking I wanted to pursue education. “Teacher” felt like the honest answer I offered at the dinner table. To stay connected with friends and family while away from home, I started a video blog and bought my first real camera, the Sony ZV-E10. I found editing to be my strongest suit—obsessing over each second of a timeline and always aiming to tell a story that would engage even my own toughest critic.

Before I knew it, more people asked me to help with their video projects. My college friends noticed my photos and vlogs, and within my first month on campus, I joined the communications department. As a student photographer and videographer, my work began appearing on the school’s social channels, shifting my hobby into something I started to take seriously. I began making short films as a way to explore my voice beyond casual YouTube content. I was eager to improve and sought guidance from the department’s mentors and film professors, especially Jeff Hing, Travis Khachatoorian, Johnson Cheng, and Ryan Engley. Their mentorship, along with my determination, gave me confidence in my storytelling abilities.

I invested in better gear, dived into film theory, and began offering creative services to local businesses. I even set up a makeshift studio in my dorm, with lighting arranged around my bed and backdrops covering every wall. I didn’t see myself as a professional yet—filmmaking was simply too enjoyable, and I loved creating images and films that moved viewers. I led several student films as director of photography and sought professional experience on set as a production assistant. Through those gigs, I built a network and eventually worked in the camera, grip, and electrical departments. I want to continue contributing on film sets, crafting more compelling and impactful stories.

Looking back, this journey isn’t just about developing technical skills—it’s about personal growth. I chose a creative path because, even though I hesitated at first, I knew this passion was a natural part of me. Transforming mundane moments into meaningful experiences through technique and storytelling has become the core driver of my professional life, and I’m eager to bring that energy to my next opportunity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have only realized this more recently, but I find that a lot of my work talks on themes of love and one’s self-image. I like to think that I am trying to set my work apart by incorporating my outlook on love and relationships from my personal life into my films, but I humbly admit that love is a broad field to work within. I want to apply my experiences and visuals to tell stories that others can relate to. I feel fulfilled in my work when I know that at least one person or group can understand. Conveying that connection that I’m looking for on screen is often a difficult job, but with the help of others, I can bring that vision to life.

I am still very new to a field where my cast and crew often have years of experience over me, but that’s what pushes me to keep pursuing my goals in film. The idea that there is still so much ahead of me motivates me to push the boundary and reach heights that I haven’t seen yet. I’m most excited to see what a new set teaches me, what message I want to send to the world, and to create things that haven’t been made before.

The hardest part about my journey has been gaining the courage to start. I used to think that because I didn’t have the high-end camera equipment (or the most vetted Letterboxd profile), I would never stand a chance in the film industry. I’ve come to learn that filmmaking is more about creativity and ingenuity than a budget (although having a budget doesn’t hurt). Not being afraid to be yourself and sharing your voice is what made me realize how powerful authenticity is in film.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this question because I’ve been trying lately to be more intentional about treating each day as a gift. I’ve been doing so by reviewing everything online and journaling about it on apps like Beli, Letterboxd, and AllTrails. That may already give you a sneak peek into what my weekends are like.

I’ve enjoyed exploring new hiking spots this past summer, and I would probably center my trip around going out into nature as much as I can. I especially love the nice mountain hikes and waterfall hikes – I would recommend Switzer Falls, Etiwanda Falls, and Sturtevant Falls. I like going for a morning hike or to catch the sunset.

As for food, I’m going to recommend some hotpot places – Chong Qing YaoMei Hotpot in Old Pasadena, PiChaiYuan Hot Pot in Rowland Heights, and any YGF Malatang (I’m always opting for extra spicy). And afterwards, I couldn’t help but get a brown sugar creme brulee boba (really anywhere). My go-to bubble tea place is called CHICHA San Chen (locations in Rowland Heights, San Gabriel, Alhambra, and Chino).

I also really enjoy going on photo-walks; these can be anywhere. I like taking my film camera with me, either on my hikes or in urban areas, and just shoot what catches my eye. The latest place I’ve taken photos at was Crystal Cove Beach, a beautiful place in OC to see the sunset.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m thankful to have so many pillars of support in my journey. I want to dedicate this shoutout first and foremost to my parents for encouraging me to do what I love. I am thankful to have had so many friends and family members be a part of my professional development, and I’m glad that I get to even work on set with a majority of them. I would like to thank the Intercollegiate Media Studies department at Pitzer College for providing me with the resources I need to create films, and to (the aforementioned names above), as well as Alessia Lupo Cecchet and Eddie Gonzalez for their mentorship. A large part of the work that I do has deep-rooted meaning to me, and so I’m extending my gratitude to everyone I’ve worked with who has made an impact on my work. To my friends: Jiaying Cao, Philycius Oey, Rachel Ma, Addy Laforge, Jaso Nguyen, Abbie Oh Arroyo, Michael Yu, Abi Conrado Sabido, Jack Rykert, Emma Choy, Trasy Huang, Kim Yingjie Jin, Joey Cacciarelli, and many others (this list could go on forever).

Website: https://donposillico.com

Instagram: @djposillico

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-posillico-9987a3220/