Meet Samantha Ho | Story Artist & Animation Student

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

Hi Samantha, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
My biggest source of inspiration is my family. They help me grow as both an artist and a person.

My parents have always been my biggest supporters. Being an immigrant from the Philippines, my mom had to work hard so that I could have a good education and pursue my dreams. Something that I really admire about my mom is that she never fails to pick herself up after rough days and that she is endlessly patient. Being a nurse, my mom deals with many people daily and English being her second language can make it difficult. But despite all that, she never fails to persevere with a smile. She has always been my biggest supporter and encouraged me to continue doing what I love. I am eternally grateful to her, for I believe that her encouragement propelled me down the path I’m on today. My dad, being the big movie buff that he is, exposed me to a lot of different films growing up. He would always sit me down on the couch and make my brother and I watch movies, albeit reluctantly sometimes, from his obscenely large DVD collection. Though I might not have appreciated it fully when I was younger, my dad’s love for movies influenced me a lot. I would attribute my love for movies to him and I think that he inspired my desire to pursue a career in animation. When I come home from college, we try to watch a new movie every night. Though we may haven’t always seen eye to eye, my dad has always been incredibly understanding. I grew up in an academically competitive environment and my dad emphasized the importance of taking my education seriously. My dad is a doctor, and with both my parents in medical professions, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be like them. My dad dashed those fears when he was ecstatic about my interest in pursuing animation much to my surprise and has been an incredible supporter of my interests since. I’ve always looked up to my brother because he is a relentlessly kind and curious person. Though we weren’t always close, we bonded over living independently in college. He has been a pillar of support for me who never fails to pick me up when I feel down or give me a healthy dose of life advice when needed. Navigating adulthood as a twenty-year-old is confusing, but I am grateful that he can help guide me through it all. I am grateful to have such understanding and encouraging people supporting me. These people mean the world to me and have done a lot to help me get to where I am today. They inspire me to be the best version of myself and drive me to continue pushing forward in my artistic career. I hope to be successful in my career one day so that I may one day show them that everything they did for me paid off. I want to make them proud because I am proud to call them my family.

Something else that really inspires me is my culture and heritage. Growing up second (ish. My dad grew up in America, my mom was born in the Philippines) generation, I didn’t get to fully explore my culture growing up. I learned Mandarin, and went to Chinese schools, but since I have much of the culture at home I never felt quite connected with my roots. Recently, my family traveled to Taiwan and we got to see some places where my dad and relatives used to live. It was an amazing trip that piqued my curiosity and sparked my interest in learning more about my heritage and culture. I hope I can better appreciate my roots and the beauty of the Filipino and Chinese cultures. One of my dreams is to travel more, I want to visit the Philippines so badly! My brother started learning Mandarin recently (he didn’t go to Chinese school for some reason growing up) and it has been fun to use my Chinese skills to chat with him.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I was a summer camp instructor teaching 2D animation to students 7 to 12 years old, I witnessed first-hand what it means to be creative. I was blown away by their will to push the creative bounds with each project. Bouncing balls became adorably round jumping foxes, and walking stick figures became sassy strutting princesses. They accepted new information with delight, living in the moment rather than worrying about any obstacles that they might face. Even the most ordinary experiences were met with a sense of awe and joy. While I taught them to animate, their imaginations and growth mindsets taught me how to be a stronger creative. From this experience, I learned the value of learning from others, no matter their age or background. From anyone, you can learn something of value.

My goal is to become a storyboard artist. Though I am still a student and have a lot to learn, I am incredibly excited to continue creating and I hope to one day work in the industry that I am so incredibly excited about. Something I’ve learned on my journey so far is the value of connecting with others and meeting other artists. I have had the opportunity to make some amazing people whom I have the honor to call friends and mentors who inspire and drive me to be a better person and artist. Learning from others helps me continuously discover new, exciting parts of myself. I have come to appreciate the culture and community that comes with being an artist and though I got into the profession for the craft, it is the people who motivate me to continue to pursue a career in animation.

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.
I am a sucker for amusement parks, so I would want to go to Disneyland for sure. I love the ambiance, the happy Disney vibes are unmatched. I really like the vibes of the Getty Villa, it’s a cute place to walk around. I really like Noodle Street and 85 Degrees Bakeries. I’ve only ever been around the Pasadena and Burbank areas, so I’m not super well versed with the areas!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shout out Christina Park and Pat Deogracias, who are dear my friends and mentors. They are incredible story artists who I love and respect. They have contributed to my growth as a well-rounded storyteller and are people who I learned a lot from. When I first got interested in storyboarding, they were the ones who encouraged me to continue pursuing it. Beyond that, they have been so supportive and helpful with my projects and career. They are relentlessly kind, caring and talented people who I know are going to do great things in the animation industry. I know I can always count on them for help and I am so honored to call them my friends.

Website: https://samanthaho.weebly.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-ho-art/