Meet Chara Ho | Filmmaker & Co-Founder of Zesty Nobody Studios

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chara Ho and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chara, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
There have a been a lot of quotes and affirmations that have deeply impacted me throughout this journey. Currently, one affirmation I’ve been finding a lot of comfort in is from the content creator @diimejii on IG (Oladimeji Ajegbile), and it says:

“I will stop playing small and hiding my brilliance from the world. I’m the greatest project I’ll ever work on and will not let my insecurities and negativity in his world hold me back.”

As a creative who’s constantly working to build their craft, their business, and navigate life in their 20s, there’s a certain pressure to have things all ‘figured out’. To build. To progress, and to have it all ‘together’. But I realized that as much as there is for me to learn and do, there’s also a lot to unlearn and undo. Choosing new mindsets, letting go of buried ideas of who I think I am.

Something that my mentors have often said in their advice, is to ‘play bigger’. ‘Think bigger’. And I realize that often times, self-doubt and limiting beliefs permeate from progressing towards where ‘d like to be.

This affirmation is an encouraging reminder to reframe my mindset and open my mind beyond what it often defaults to — instead embracing change, leaving the comfort zone, and feeling the fear, but doing it anyways.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an interdisciplinary artist whose work spans filmmaking, digital art, immersive experiences, and content creation. My artistic investigation primarily explores identity and belonging through a diasporic perspective.

My artistic journey started with music. I spent over a decade training as a classical pianist and had a summer job in high school archiving music (tapes, cassettes, CDs, music sheets, etc.) at a record label. Those early experiences sparked my love for the arts and storytelling.

I went on to study media production in university, where I met amazing friends and creative collaborators. Together, we’ve created a range of self-produced works, from short films to immersive multimedia installations. During that time, I also interned as a graphic designer for a big sports & entertainment company, which unexpectedly kickstarted my freelance career as a disciplinary creative.

Graduating into the pandemic was challenging, and it took time to adapt and let go of what I previously thought life would be like post-grad. However, I was grateful to continue freelancing as a graphic designer in sports & entertainment, while also PAing on film/TV sets, and working on my own indie short films . It was definitely a mixed bag of experiences and side quests, driven by my tendency to say”yes” to everything that came along (sometimes to a fault).

A few years later, I co-founded Zesty Nobody Studios with Carri Chen, who’s a really good friend and frequent collaborator. Our independent production company is where we channel our creativity in both branded and narrative content. Through film, interactive media and beyond, we aim to tell meaningful stories from underrepresented voices with authenticity and nuance.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with organizations such as Warner Brothers Discovery Access, Canon Canada, the Toronto Raptors (NBA), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), the Academy of Canadian Cinema & TV, and more.

Throughout this journey, the biggest lessons I’ve learned are to embrace the unknown. It was in moments of stepping outside my comfort zone that I experienced the most growth and opportunity.

The challenges I faced also taught me resilience and the importance of community. Limiting mindsets and self-doubt often made me get get in my own way — but surrounding myself with a creative community who will push, challenge, and uplift you, has taught me a lot.

I really believe that stories have the power to connect, heal, and transform — I hope to contribute to that in some way and create stories that foster a deeper empathy for ourselves and for one another — helping people feel seen and less alone.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
These are my personal picks, but there’s definitely something in Toronto for everyone! If I was showing a friend around the city, these would be my top picks:

• Toronto Islands: You take a ferry or water taxi over to the islands and spend the day biking around the lush fields, beach lounging, enjoying the amusement park rides, kayaking, or just sitting by the water with a book. It’s perfect because it’s right by the city, but you get to enjoy be immersed in the greenery and nature while being adjacent to the city.

• Distillery District: This historic district is really fun to explore and walk around — you can visit art galleries, boutique shops, and enjoy a drink/bite at the restaurants and cafes. Also a fantastic spot for photographers to capture portraits and photos!

• Kensington Market: This colourful and unique neighborhood is really special to me — there are so many unique and interesting vintage shops, street art, trendy cafes/restaurants, live music, and much more! My favourite memories have been seeing spontaneous dance parties in the street, and going to the Big Fam Jam at The Supermarket (a music venue/bar), where they have an improvised funk/soul shows created by members of the audience every Tuesday night.

• Riverdale Park: One of my favourite kind of hangouts are the kind where you and your friends bring a blanket to the park and just vibe or catch up on life. Riverdale Park is one of my favourite spots for this. It’s set on a big, gorgeous hill with a view of the Toronto skyline. It’s truly perfect for watching the sunset, having a picnic, playing card games or spikeball, and just enjoying the greenery.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am SO incredibly grateful for the community who have supported and shaped my journey. Friends, collaborators, mentors, and peers alike — their encouragement and love truly means the world.

One of the most instrumental communities that have shaped my creative journey was the Canon FUTURES program. It’s a mentorship program that completely expanded my mindset on what the possibilities are in the world of storytelling. The community of people (both the mentors and mentees) that I connected with through this program have been so incredibly kind, insightful, and generous. Before this program, I truly couldn’t fathom that it was possible to create the life of your wildest dreams as a storyteller. It was a privilege getting to be in community with these creators whose passion, drive, and trajectories completely shifted my perspective of what was possible as a creative. Shoutout to the Futures fam for being the inspiration they are!

Huge shoutout also to Mariah Owen, an incredibly kind and talented creative multi-hyphenate (producer-writer-director-actress and more!) whom I met through the Soho Mentorship x Creative Futures Collective. She’s the most incredible mentor who was so generous with answering any questions I had about working in film, or just life in general. Mariah’s truly a rare gem of a human being whose warmth and positivity shines a bright light in this world. I’m constantly inspired by her! I’m so grateful to the Creative Futures Collective for fostering this incredible community of creatives for us to learn from one another.

Website: https://www.charaho.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncharasmatic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charaho/

Other: www.zestynobody.com (Company Website)

Image Credits
Farrah Fawcett (Music Video) – Zesty Nobody Studios
Revelations (Short Film) – Zesty Nobody Studios
Crane (The Immersive Experience) – Chara Ho
Canon Futures Retreat – Eli Meadow Ramraj
On Set for “Farrah Fawcett” – Eli Meadow Ramraj
Canon Futures Gallery Exhibition – Canon Futures
Sewing Kit Concept Photo – Chara Ho & Carri Chen
Self Portrait – Chara Ho