We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mohammad Shahhosseini. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mohammad below.
Mohammad, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
Great question! It’s hard to pick the single kindest thing anyone has ever done for me, but one small act of kindness that really stuck with me happened while we were traveling in Presidio County, Texas, for a short documentary project. After a few long, exhausting days of filming, we were back at the airport getting ready to fly out. I remember my colleague Tom calling me and saying, “Hey Mohammad, which gate is yours? I’ve got something for you!”
A few minutes later, he showed up and handed me a T-shirt — a small souvenir he’d picked up in a tiny town in Pecos County, Texas, called Iraan, which had a population of just 1,055 according to the 2020 census. He remembered that I’m from Iran, a country in the Middle East with a population of around 90 million! and thought this would be a fun, thoughtful gift. The shirt had an extra “A” in it — Iraan, Texas — but that didn’t matter. What touched me the most was the thought behind it.
In the middle of rural Texas, it felt like a tiny, surprising reminder of home. It was a simple gesture, but in that moment, it felt incredibly warm and human — and it meant a lot.
Mohammad, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a video producer and documentary filmmaker with over a decade of experience in visual storytelling, working at the intersection of creativity, communication, and social impact. I currently manage video production and motion graphics at an international environmental nonprofit, where I help bring complex climate and environmental issues to life through short documentaries and explainer videos.
My path into this field wasn’t a straight line. Before college, I took a summer job as a proofreader at a magazine — and that’s where I first discovered my passion for storytelling, language, and meaningful communication. I initially enrolled in mechanical engineering, but it quickly became clear that it wasn’t the right fit. I was far more inspired by imagery than equations, so I shifted my focus to photography — and that’s where my creative journey truly began.
As I gained experience in both photography and video, I co-founded MiM Studio in Iran with two of my closest friends. We were a small, ambitious team, and despite our youth, we quickly found our voice. Some of our early work gained wide recognition online, which led to opportunities to produce content for national television. That experience taught me the power of authentic storytelling, as well as the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and creative problem-solving.
In 2017, I moved to the U.S. to pursue an MFA at Penn State University. While there, I worked at WPSU, the local PBS affiliate, where I gained hands-on experience in public media and deepened my understanding of the U.S. production landscape. After graduating, I joined a leading international environmental nonprofit as a senior video producer and now serve as manager of video production and motion graphics.
Throughout my career, I’ve created content across a wide range of formats — from explainers to award-winning short documentaries — always with a focus on clarity, emotion, and impact. Whether I’m translating complex policy into a compelling story or helping communities share their lived experiences, I strive to make work that’s engaging, accessible, and rooted in empathy.
What I’m most proud of is using storytelling as a force for good — raising awareness about environmental challenges, amplifying community-driven solutions, and helping people feel seen and heard. I approach every project with thoughtfulness, creativity, and a deep commitment to meaningful, mission-driven storytelling.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative is witnessing an idea turn into something real, something tangible that lives in the world and connects with people. Sometimes it starts with a story that’s been quietly sitting in your mind for a while, and other times it emerges through a conversation, a detail, a lived experience, or a perspective that sparks something. And then, through collaboration, research, writing, and visual storytelling, that idea slowly takes shape.
There’s a unique kind of fulfillment in helping a story that might otherwise go unheard find its voice, and then watching that story resonate with others. Whether it’s a short documentary, an animated explainer, or a social video, the process of shaping something from nothing and knowing it might inform, move, or inspire someone, is incredibly meaningful to me.
In a world overwhelmed with noise, helping bring an overlooked story into focus feels like a quiet, purposeful kind of resistance, and a reminder of what creativity can do when it’s grounded in empathy and curiosity.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
That’s a great question. I can’t think of a specific tool or platform, but what I wish I had understood earlier in my creative journey is the power of personal storytelling. There’s a saying that “the more personal a story is, the more universal it becomes”, and that’s something I’ve come to truly believe.
Like many filmmakers and artists starting out, I used to chase trends and search for big, extraordinary stories. But over time, through experience and conversations with others in the field, I realized that a story doesn’t need to be dramatic or “special” in the conventional sense. Sometimes, the most moving and relatable stories come from the simplest, most ordinary parts of someone’s life. When told with honesty and care, those moments have the power to connect deeply with people.
I wish I had embraced that perspective earlier. Focusing more on the stories around me, the ones that were accessible and grounded in real life. That shift in mindset has made me a better storyteller and a more attentive listener.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shahhosseini.info/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mo.shahhosseini/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mo.shahhosseini/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-shahhosseini/
- Twitter: https://x.com/shahhosseini_mo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MohammadShahhosseini
Image Credits
Photo 1: Jackson Wild Summit – Q&A following the premiere of the short film A Trapper’s Turn. Photo courtesy of Jackson Wild.
Photo 2: Jackson Wild Summit – Q&A following the premiere of the short film A Trapper’s Turn. Photo courtesy of Jackson Wild.
Photo 3: Behind the scenes of Coastal Hope Reborn by Environmental Defense Fund. Photo by Shanti Menon.
Photo 4: Redwood National Park. Photo by self.
Photo 5: Behind the scenes of a promotional video for Environmental Defense Fund. Photo by Rick Velleu.
Photo 6: Coastal Hope Reborn on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fQMDu7IpTvk (Thumbnail courtesy of Environmental Defense Fund)
Photo 7: U.S. Federal Climate Investments explainer video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mGHVn7xIDiU (Thumbnail courtesy of Environmental Defense Fund)