He later enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1932 in the newly established Cinematography & Motion Picture Production Department.

In 1935, he arrived in British India with his college mate Michael Ormalev at the invitation of another USC student - Manik Lal Tandon of Bombay.

Thus Dungan made his directing debut with Sathi Leelavathi which was also the first film of future-Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. G.

[6] Dungan is credited with introducing modern make-up, the mobile camera and cabaret dance numbers to Tamil Cinema and moving it away from the influence of stage plays.

There he started his company - "Ellis Dungan productions" and for the next thirty years made documentary movies for the Hollywood producer Duke Goldstone.