Debbie Su: Shooting for Her Dreams
- Dec 4
- 3 min read
By Nana Nadal
Debbie Su grew up in a provincial city in Mindanao, the southern part of the Philippines. These days, one can find her in Los Angeles, establishing herself in the film industry. The 28-year-old is a producer and director at MasterCrash, a learning platform created by David Zucker, who is regarded as one of the most influential forces in spoof comedy. She also lends her filmmaking talents to music artists, restaurants, and cafes.
As far as Debbie can remember, movies have always inspired her. At nine years old, after seeing “Letters from Iwo Jima” and “Flags of Our Fathers,” she discovered the power of shaping perspective through films. And through the behind-the-scenes footage of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, she learned how it takes many teams to bring a story to life. From there, she set her sights on crafting her own films and joining the film industry.
While her path was evident early on, it came with obstacles. Her parents, while supportive, encouraged her to learn a more practical profession, so she put aside her passions to follow their wishes. She passed the entrance exams to the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University where she took up Information Design. She was awarded a 75% scholarship, which she maintained throughout her studies. “As a scholar, I had to do service hours so I was juggling that with classes, homework, extra-curricular activities, and traveling through standstill traffic. My allowance for the week was a sixth of what my classmates had. I would sometimes join my friends when they would eat out, but I wouldn’t buy anything,” she relates. “But that experience made me a fighter. And I’m grateful that my parents looked out for my education despite the difficulties.”
After graduating in 2018, she spent the next couple of years freelancing. When the pandemic hit, she landed a remote job as a graphic designer. She was quickly promoted to manager and was able to save money to finally work towards her true aspirations. “Hollywood was the dream. I grew up with a lot of movies and shows that originated in Los Angeles, so it was a clear choice to go there to learn from the greats,” she says.
Taking up Cinema Production at Los Angeles Community College, she found herself playing catch-up. But what she lacked in experience, she made up for with hard work, and her talent soon became apparent to her teachers and peers. This opened doors for her, and through the school she earned a grant from the Golden Globe Foundation for her film “RIP in Peace,”
which is currently on its festival run and has already received some recognition. It was also through the school that she had the chance to meet writer/director David Zucker and within months, become a producer and director on his MasterCrash course on spoof comedy.
Through her journey, she has met people who align with her level of standards and continue to collaborate with her. “I feel like every time I was passionate about doing a project, I didn't really have a safety net yet I kept finding a community that held me up.” Against all odds, she kept the faith that everything was going to work out. “This is getting into the spiritual side of things but I always felt like I was called to do this, to the point that I feel like all these struggles in this journey is like a memory. It's like just me reading the story of how I got there and not so much wondering if I'm going to get there,” she concludes.
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