Welcome to chipAway productions
Bring the magic of filmmaking to your boardroom, classroom or event with chipAway Productions! Since 2009, we’ve been a powerhouse in the industry, producing several features and short films that shine in festivals. Always bustling with new projects, we combine professional production, personal attention to detail, and extensive consulting services with a robust educational component.
We are Donald Preston Cato and Katha Cato, partners in filmmaking and in life, and we lead the charge. As experienced educators—Preston in film production and Katha in Youth Development—we set high standards and inspire our students to excel. We’ve produced 96 short films with K-12 students and are deeply committed to community projects that help to bring unheard voices forward.
We also spearhead the Queens World Film Festival, producing top-tier industry events, interactive performances, public art exhibitions, and educational programs both in classrooms and online.
For your next project, consider bringing in our full-service team to deliver excellence.
Client List
Filmmaker/Producer highlights from over 130 projects
Queens World Film Festival
Artistic Director 2011 – Present
Curated over 1,800 films, consistently ranked in top 100 festivals.
Queens Theatre in the Park
Once – Short Documentary 30 min and Promotional Video (2020)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Post Production Supervisor
Common Point Queens
Common Ground: Survivors – Feature Documentary (2019)
Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Sound Design
Multiple Projects as Teaching Artist including
Rebranding Video 2018 and 13 youth voice productions (2014 – 2019)
Vincent Cross
Alone – Music Video (2018)
Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Sound Design
Video rated #2 on the Traditional Movie Charts
Henry Street Settlement
Teacher as Student – Winner Best Director/Best Actor DYCD Student Film Festival (2015)
The Magic Pencil – Best Student Film at Chain Film Festival (2014)
Mr. Food – Guest screening with the Harlem Children’s Festival (2014)
Director, Producer
ChipAway Productions
Dead Man Rides Subway – Short Experimental (2014)
Grand Prize, Roxy Underground Film Festival
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Paul Kelly Productions
My Day – Narrative Short (2013)
Cinematographer, Editor and Sound Design
Multiple festivals with multiple wins for Best Actress
Richard Uhlig Productions
My Kansas – Documentary (2013)
Co-Director, Co-Producer, Cinematographer, Post Production, Editor
Seen on PBS, multiple festivals with multiple wins
Henry Street Settlement/ Boys & Girls Republic
Pepsi Refresh Contest Video (2011)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Play Rugby USA
Pitch films and Short Documentaries (2005-2008)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Why I Play Rugby – Short Documentary (2010)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Winner The Invictus Award (National Youth Rugby Competition)
Far Western Industries
Cowboy Joe – Short Documentary (2010)
Tribute Video for induction to Arizona Rancher Hall of Fame
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Annie Dinerman, Composer Musician
Music Videos (2009)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Multiple Festivals
Sandstone Marketing
French Kiss Melons – Branding Video (2009)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Be My Oswald, LLC
Be My Oswald – Narrative Feature (2006)
Producer, Writer, Director
Multiple festivals and multiple awards including Best Feature, Founder’s Choice, Best in Venue
Henry Street Settlement
3 Voices – Short Documentaries (2007)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
HBTV, New York, NY
For Play Improvised Theatre, Off-Off Broadway (1988-1990)
Producer, Set & Lighting Designer, Blackout Director
Winner: Manhattan Association of Cabaret (MAC) Award: Best Comedy Group
Winner: Backstage Bistro Award: Best Director
David H. Brady Productions
Dixie Lanes – Narrative Feature starring Karen Black, Hoyt Axton, Moses Gunn (1986)
Co-Writer, Director
Theatrical release in 40 countries (1988) CBS Movie of the Week (1989, 1990)
Columbia Pictures
Stand By Me – Narrative Feature (1985)
Local Extra Casting Assistant
AquaFitness Inc, Eugene, Or
The Water Machine – Sales Film (1985)
Writer, Director
Universal Television
Murder She Wrote – Episodic Television (1985)
Eugene, Oregon – Local Casting Director
Gallo Wine Corp, Napa, Ca
Bartles & Jaymes Wine Cooler – Commercial (1984)
Northwest Casting Assistant Director
Filmways Productions
How To Beat The High Cost of Living- Narrative Feature, starring Jessica Lange (1980)
Local Extra Casting Assistant
The Sun Shop
Animated TV commercial 35mm & 16mm (1979)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Oregon Public Interest Research Group
Recycle This – Short Documentary (1979)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Eatable City Productions, Richard Britz
Behind Silk Curtains: People’s Republic of China- Documentary Short (1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Candidate Jim Weaver for Congress, Lane County, OR
Political TV ads (1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
National Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB)
Animated segments for National Network Broadcast (1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
NPR Public Radio, Lane Community College
TV spots for KLCC Radio (1976 & 1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
City of Eugene, Oregon
Skinner’s Beaut – Bicentennial Film Documentary (1977)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
World Premiere: Chautauqua Institute, Chautauqua, NY
Tribute to Margaret Mead by World Futures Society
Longs Longlife Wormery, Eugene, Oregon
A Worm’s Tale – Sales Documentary (1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Promoted sales to $750,000 worth of worms
Burger Express, Inc.
Regional TV Spots (1978)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Tomco Inc, Marcola, Oregon
Mill Right: Short Documentary (1976).
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Jason Colson, Australian Master of Canoe & Kayak
Canoe Down the Mackenzie River – Short Documentary (1975)
Writer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Teaching
Digital Film Academy, New York, NY
Directing 1& 2, Screenwriting 1 & 2, Film History, Documentary Theory,
Project Proposal 1 & 2 (2004 to present)
Queens World Film Initiative, Inc
IS 145, PS 69, IS 300, JHS 149
Youth Video Production Program Director & Instructor (2009 to present)
Henry Street Settlement After School & Camp Services
Youth Video Production Teaching Artist
UNMS, Castle Middle School, Henry Street School for International Studies
301 HSS Youth Council
After School Video Production (2010 to 2018)
Common Point Queens
Teaching Artist: Video Production grades 5-12 (2015 – 2020)
Renaissance Charter School
Teaching Artist: Video Production grades 5-12 (2010 – Present)
OWN Charter School
Teaching Artist: Video Production grades 5-8 (2006 – 2009)
Frank Sinatra High School for The Performing Årts
Teaching Artist: Video Production grades 9-12 (2008, 2009)
University of Oregon, Department of Landscape Architecture
Teaching Fellow: 3rd & 4th year Design Studio (1974-1975)
Teaching Fellow: Construction Design (1974-1975)
University of Oregon, Department of Fine Arts
Teaching Fellow: Visual Continuity (1975-1976)
Teaching Fellow: Motion Graphics Film Making (1975-1976)
University of Oregon, Landscape Architecture & Fine Arts, English, Theatre & Film Studies
Instructor: Landscape Film Series & Seminar (1974 – 1975)
Landscape Architect 1972-1973
Sasaki Associates, Landscape Architects
Boston Massachusetts
Senior Designer/Project Manager for the firm’s following clients
Consortio Costa Smeralda – Hotel & Resort, Sardinia, Italy
Sea Pines Plantation – Hilton Head Island, SC
First Church of Christ Science – Christian Science Center, Boston, MA I.M. Pei, Architect
John Hancock Life Insurance – John Hancock Tower, Boston, MA I.M. Pei, Architect
Deere & Company – Administrative Center, Moline, IL, Eero Saarinen Associates, Architects
Baxter Corporate Headquarters, Deerfield, IL Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Architects
Norfolk-Ghent Redevelopment – Waterfront Historical Redevelopment, Norfolk, VA
Moriece & Gary, Landscape Architects 1970-1972
Cambridge Massachusetts
Lead Designer/Project Manager for the firm’s following clients
Gloucester School Dist, – Gloucester Middle School, Gloucester, MA E. J. Tedesco, Architects
Arverne Housing Authority – Arverne Housing, Far Rockaway, NY, NYCHA Architects
Massasoit, MA – Massasoit Community CollegeMassasoit, MA
Freelance Landscape Architect
US Army Corp of Engineers,McClusky Canal, South Dakota (1976)
Landscape Architect
National Forest Service Willamette National Forest, Eugene, OR (1976)
Visual Resource Manager
City of Lansing Parks & Recreation, Lansing, Michigan (1968-1970)
Public Park Designer
North Lansing Drop-In Center, Lansing, Michigan (1968)
Co-Director, Designer, Project Manager
Art Commissions and/or Publication
Photo essay: Mason Williams, Musician Composer,Chad Mitchell, Chad Mitchell Trio, Musician, Photo essay: Hoyt Axton, Musician Composer, Photo essay
Public Art Piece: City of Eugene Monumental Sculpture Art Winner: The Big Window
Still Photography: Refocus, Ames, Iowa, Grand Prize Winner
Editor & Publisher: Boston Society of Landscape Architects Review
Director & Programmer Eugene Filmmakers Cinematheque (1977-1980)
Distributor: Chinese Films (1979-1982)
Book Design Consultant: Bicycle Transit Handbook, MIT Press,
Entrepreneur: Garbagio’s, first US consumer owned co-op, recycling & garbage company
Performance Artist: Open Gallery, Eugene, OR, Winner: Mystery Event
Installation: Open Gallery, The Floating Museum in collaboration with Lynn Hershman-Leesan
Photographer: Promotional Stills for NYC theatre artists (New York Times, New York Magazine, Back Stage & NY Post)