Debbie Su is putting in the grind to become a filmmaker in Hollywood. “I’ve been telling people that my ultimate dream is to win an Oscar for something that I made that has a proper representation of Filipinos. And while that’s true, I’m also an artist who really just loves being part of the creation of things. So if I can just keep creating beautiful things that matter and not have to worry about money, I’ll be happy,” shares the 28-year-old.
Her family moved from Cagayan de Oro to Manila when she was eleven. Through a scholarship at the Ateneo de Manila University, she completed a degree in Information Design minor in Creative Writing in 2018.
But all along, her heart was set on filmmaking. “When I was younger, we had the Lord of the Rings disc set with the behind-the-scenes features, and I would watch the behind-the-scenes way more than the actual movies,” she recalls.
To her parents, filmmaking didn’t seem like a realistic career path, so they encouraged her to pursue something more stable before trying to get into what she really hoped to do. “I wanted to be a doctor at first, but then I fell in love with photo editing, so I decided to just do that and then hopefully work my way into animation and then into filmmaking,” she reveals.
After graduation, she quickly put her graphic design skills into use and fortunately bagged well-paying gigs. She saved all her earnings which allowed her to study Cinema Production in the US. Initially at Laney College, Oakland then she switched to Los Angeles City College (LACC). “I chose LACC because it’s in the heart of Central LA, you can see the Hollywood sign from there!” she exclaims.
Debbie Su with the logo she designed for Los Angeles City College’s first-ever student film festival, which she spearheaded together with Cinema/TV Professor and Department Chair Dr. Krystle Klein and other student leaders
With the school’s proximity to the creative scene and the faculty’s connections, Debbie was able to access significant opportunities. She served as a production assistant at Film Independent, a nonprofit championing creative independence and inclusion, and has also been included in the pool of production assistants eligible for Disney productions.
Debbie Su with Dr. Krystle Klein, Cinema Chair at Los Angeles City College and a veteran producer with credits on ABC, NBC, Bravo, OWN, and VH1
Best of all, LACC enabled her to obtain a grant from the Golden Globe Foundation. The money she received allowed her to spend a little more on RIP in Peace, a film she wrote and directed for her Advanced Production class. The 13-minute dark comedy about grief is still on its film festival run and not yet available for public viewing, but it has already drawn recognition. It was nominated for Best First Time Female Filmmaker and Best Dark Comedy at the Indie Short Fest 2025, was a semifinalist at Venezia Shorts Italy 2025, earned Honorable Mention at the Hollywood Shortsfest 2025, and was an Official Selection at the Independent Shorts Awards 2025.
Debbie Su framing a shot for her film “RIP in Peace” with cinematographer Tristian Ibarra Martin who currently works with Chris Herr of BLKBRD
Debbie’s other creation, developed under her directing professor Xavier Neal-Burgin, an Emmy-nominated writer and director, is a three-minute short about homesickness titled America is Amazing, Mom. It won Best Cinematography at the Dreamanila International Film Festival 2024 and was an Official Selection at the FilAm Creative Film Festival 2024.
Debbie Su giving notes to the leads of her film “RIP in Peace” Actors Amitesh Prasad and Kate Holdaway both have starred in an episode of the TV series, Grimm
These accolades come as no surprise as Debbie consistently delivers outstanding pieces. “Every semester, my classmates voted for one of my films to be part of the top three that we screened, that was like the first time in the school’s history kind of thing,” she beams.
Her talent did not go unnoticed by David Zucker, who is regarded as one of the most influential forces in spoof comedy. He co-created Airplane! (1980), a landmark spoof film that became a critical and commercial hit and remains one of the greatest comedy films of all time. He directed The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), and co-wrote and produced its sequels, as well as directed Scary Movie 3 (2003) and Scary Movie 4 (2006). His distinct parody style set the blueprint for modern spoof films.
What began as an internship for Debbie has turned into a key seat on David’s team launching MasterCrash, a new learning platform he created. In MasterCrash, David opens the vault to his extensive career in comedy to share the 15 essential rules he created for writing, directing, and editing spoof. It is a masterclass in the fast-paced style he helped pioneer. The program includes Q&A calls with David, surprise celebrity guest sessions, and access to a community of comedy enthusiasts eager to connect and collaborate.
“Debbie is a crucial member of our MasterCrash team. She has a knack for production and direction and doesn’t settle for less than excellent, from pre-production, filming, and post-production. She spearheaded finding the right crew members to get this filmed and she has done fantastic work with the editing. MasterCrash is a close collaboration with Debbie and she has always been an integral and indispensable part of the MasterCrash leadership team. I look forward to elevating this course and working on its evolution with Debbie,” David claims.
Actor Juani Manzo, award-winning writer Ellie Shoja, and spoof comedy legend David Zucker on set for the MasterCrash comedy course, with Debbie Su directing and producing
“I’m a producer and director on the course. I co-produced the videos with David. We planned out the course, went through pre-production, and then my crew shot all the content for the 15 rules videos. And I am also the lead editor,” Debbie elaborates. “David has a movie in early pre-production Star of Malta and I’m excited to work with him on it,” she adds.
She is also producing and directing a web series called Enmeshed, which is going through its fundraising stage. She co-produced the pilot episode with creator Rix Messenger and is currently co-producing and directing the other five episodes with her as well. The pilot episode features Kim Rhodes, known for her roles in Suite Life of Zach & Cody and Supernatural.
These are thrilling times for Debbie as she showcases her talent, sharpens her craft, and gains invaluable guidance from industry greats. With the future wide open, I can’t wait to see the amazing things ahead of her.
