While studying cinema at USC, John McDonald received critical acclaim with Cotton Eyed Joe, his first internationally-recognized documentary. He produced, directed and co-wrote The Youngest Victim, a documentary that aired as an ABC Prime Time Special and won numerous awards, including an Emmy. As a cinematographer, he shot the Oscar-nominated documentary short SQUIRES of San Quentin. McDonald is currently completing two feature documentaries: On the Day, which is about an all-star bagpipe band and Children of the Pear Garden, which is about the dying art of Chinese Opera.