Teaching and Youth Development

Donald Preston Cato is a passionate and gifted teacher who inspires students of all ages to bring their authentic selves to the filmmaking process. With a creative approach, he encourages students to craft their own stories, write screenplays, and collaborate with peers throughout every stage of production. The films his students produce span genres and often defy traditional categories, showcasing their unique voices and talents.

In the early 2000s, Cato became a sought-after Teaching Artist in After-School programs, mentoring young people through the pre- and post-production process on over 110 short films, many of which earned recognition at film festivals. He also co-founded the Queens World Film Festival, the oldest and largest film festival in Queens, New York. Cato’s work with youth, particularly in New York City, includes partnerships with the Henry Street Settlement and its Youth Services After-School programs, where he helped create opportunities for students to share their stories through film.

Whether teaching in inner-city youth centers or international film schools, Cato equips students with the skills to produce independent films that reflect their unique visions. His legendary red pen refines screenplays to meet industry standards while maintaining each student’s authentic voice. On set, Cato provides hands-on experience, allowing students to take on multiple roles, guiding them through every stage of production. His dedication ensures that students not only complete their films but also share them with audiences, often for the first time, empowering them to bring their creative visions to life.

Digital Film Academy (DFA) New York, NY (2004 to 2023)
The DFA was a for-profit art and design college in Manhattan, NY and Atlanta, Georgia that offered a 16-month Associate Degree in digital filmmaking, as well as a 12-month conservatory program. The school was sold in 2023 and changed it’s focus to Game Design.

Courses Taught:

  • Beginning and Advanced Directing
  • Beginning and Advanced Screenwriting
  • Film History
  • Documentary Theory
  • Thesis Proposal
  • Thesis Workshop
  • Producing & Production

Henry Street Settlement After-School & Camp Services (2010 to 2018)
Henry Street Settlement’s mission is to open doors of opportunity for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social service, arts, and health care programs. The organization is distinguished by its commitment to listening to and learning from our neighbors—and then acting to meet the most pressing needs of our community.

To meet those needs, they offer more than 50 programs to people of all ages including the Abrons Arts Center/Visual and Performing Arts, Employment, Education, Athletics & Enrichment, Older Adult Services, Health & Wellness, and Transitional & Supportive Housing divisions. While Don worked mainly through the Abrons Arts Center and the Youth Services divisions, he also worked with HSS clients through their Athletics and Older Adult Services.

Don conducted film and video workshops in the following sites:

Henry Street School for International Studies
United Neighborhood Middle School
Castle Middle School
301 HSS Youth Council
Boys and Girl Republic
PS 134, PS 20, PS 110,
Junior High School 22, Junior High School 56
Seward Park High School

chipAway Productions After-School Video Production (2009 – 2020)
Donald Preston and Katha Cato paired up to run video production residencies through Henry Street Settlement, Commonpoint Queens, Goodwill Industries, Long Island City YMCA and the Queens Community House. Through these residencies, both Catos functioned as Teaching Artists, Directors, and Co-Writers, while Don took the lead on supervising the actual photography and editorial process. These residences produced over 40 short student films ranging from 3-15 minutes which were screened for the school community to enthusiastic audiences.

  • Schools Served: IS145Q, PS69Q, IS300Q, MS145Q, PS/MS 200, Own Charter School, Renaissance Charter School, The Buckley School for Boys, John Bowne High School.
  • Other projects include Commonpoint Rebranding Video, Hybrid and Virtual Video tutorials, Welcome Back videos for 2021.

Queens World Film Festival Young Filmmakers Programs
Since the festival’s inception in 2010, Donald Preston Cato and Katha Cato have provided local schools with immersive video production residencies that produced 45 films, many of which were screened at the Museum of the Moving Image as part of the Queens World Film Festival.

  • Schools Served: Frank Sinatra High School for The Performing Årts, PS 69, OWN Charter School

University of Oregon (1974 – 1976)

  • Graduate Teaching Fellow in Department of Fine Arts (1975 – 1976)
    Visual Continuity, Motion Graphics
  • Graduate Teaching Fellow in Department of Landscape Architecture (1974-1975)
    3rd & 4th year Design Studio & Construction Design
  • Graduate Teaching Fellow in Landscape Architecture & Fine Arts, English, Theatre and Film Studies (1974-1975)
    Landscape Film Series & Seminar