Tom Donald adds Tokyo honor to growing list of awards for Never Say Die
Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc.
(415) 676-7007 | news@davidperry.com
Tom Donald adds Tokyo honor
to growing list of awards for Never Say Die
Telly and festival honors spotlight a Bay Area filmmaker and musician whose career spans advertising and independent production
3 October 2026, San Francisco, CA: Bay Area filmmaker, musician and producer Tom Donald’s Never Say Die has earned its latest honor from the Tokyo Film & Screenplay Awards 2026, extending a run of recognition that includes a Telly Award and Best Music Video at the Los Angeles Film & Documentary Awards. Other honors include recognition from the Toronto Film Awards, Los Angeles Movie & Music Video Awards, Hollywood Stage Script Competition and Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards.
“First and foremost, I’m proud of what the company and our team have accomplished,” said Donald. “We all know there are many wonderful filmmakers out there, so I would say that while I’m happily surprised Never Say Die did well, I always knew that we made a good film.”
The film screened September 9 at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre during the opening session of the 24th Oakland International Film Festival. Its official selections also include Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, the New York City Independent Film Festival and the Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival.
Behind the 3-minute, 32-second film is a creative career spanning decades of music, advertising and filmmaking. Donald, who turned 80 on September 6, drew on those experiences to write a song and make a film about mortality, persistence and taking full advantage of life’s opportunities.
“I think the real message of Never Say Die can apply to anyone, at any age. Take full advantage of your life and the opportunities that present themselves along the way,” said Donald.
From Rock And Roll to Advertising:
Donald began as a musician with ambitions of becoming a rock star. Recording led him to writing and producing jingles, which introduced him to advertising agencies. His agency career included Foote Cone & Belding and Saatchi & Saatchi; writing for television led naturally to directing commercials. He subsequently established Tom Donald Films and later developed hiTrecords, his current content creation company.
Those transitions gave Donald experience in composing music, writing for audiences and telling stories through moving images. Never Say Die brings those disciplines together in a personal project whose lyrics grew from reflecting on his life and whose music began as he tried out chords at the family piano.
Having worked in recording studios with tape machines he remembers as “the size of a small refrigerator,” Donald welcomes the possibilities of making records and films on laptops. The equipment has changed dramatically; his commitment to a good story has endured.
“But regardless of the means with which a creative offering is made, the story is always the most important element,” said Donald. “All of us grow up with a desire to hear a good story.”
Donald also spent ten years teaching film at a San Francisco film school, where he emphasized collaboration from the first day of class. He credits the friends and family who helped make Never Say Die and shares the pride in its recognition with the team behind it. Today, Donald continues to work in his studio each morning, playing piano and other instruments, working at his computer and exploring ideas scribbled on yellow legal pads. The awards have arrived while he is already considering what to make next.
“One of those hunches will likely rise to the surface but what I can say almost unequivocally is that as much as I love Never Say Die, the next project will be completely different,” said Donald.
For interviews with Tom Donald about Never Say Die, his career across creative industries and the craft of making music and film, contact David Perry & Associates, Inc. at (415) 676-7007 or news@davidperry.com.
About Tom Donald
Tom Donald is a Bay Area filmmaker, musician, producer and advertising creative, and the founder of hiTrecords. His career includes agency work, commercial directing, independent film and music production, and a decade teaching film. He continues to develop new projects through hiTrecords.
About Never Say Die
Never Say Die is Tom Donald’s award-winning film and music project exploring aging, mortality and the determination to remain engaged in life. The 3-minute, 32-second film has earned a Telly Award and festival recognition in the United States, Canada and Japan.
More information: hitrecords.co | YouTube | Step It Up
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