About Sam!
Animator - Storyboarder - Writer - Graphic Designer
Heyo I'm Sam and based in Orange County. I'm a Senior at Laguna College of the Art and Design, majoring in Character Animation and minoring in Creative Writing. Currently I am in the production phases of my Senior Thesis Film to be completed in Fall of 2026, but scheduled to premiere in Spring of 2027.
I went through a French international school system for the first half of my education, so I'm fluent in French and English despite not being French and in America. It set me up with a drive to always seek out other persectives and reinterpret the way I think. Early on, I nurtured my love for math and science subjects, impelled to tutor my peers who struggled. Yet, I couldn't ignore my gravitatation towards artistic expressions that offered me a sense of freedom. Animation became my happy in-between for technicality and creativity. For me, it's like solving fun puzzles!
I have a Certificate in Graphic Design in which most of my early creative work experience comes from. However, Animation is where my true passion and drive is.
My goal is to work as an animator; however, I also have interests in storyboarding, background layout, 3D modeling and production management.
Most of all, I just want to offer my skill to help others tell their stories!
Artistic Philosphy
Fascinated by both STEM and the ARTS, I ultimately chose the arts.
I acknowledge that some people can be miraculously born with pure natural talent, but that notion often feels like it dismisses the amount of passion and hard work people put into learning and growing. People always tell me I have pure natural talent, but really, I just saw a challenge in something that didn't always feel natural to me —where I have to contemplate every mark I make with research. Some things are harder for me than others, but that will never stop me from trying to get better at it. My decision making will only get faster, and that's what makes skills look natural.
Art is a skill you hone forever. A skills with so many variation of expression.
But ultimately, why ARTS over STEM?
I often lean into order and rules bound by math, it's what I feel is natural to me. But I always admired the freedom of expressionism and the complexities of human emotions. What's natural to me isn't what I am ultimately drawn to. You can't exactly tell a story through math beyond why Sammy bought 1,000 lemons at the grocery store, but that won't stop me from trying one day! Pictures worth a thousand words, or a thousand words worth a picture. I see value and think in both ways. No matter the words I use, or the imagery and movement of my artwork and animaiton there is a reason to it.
You have to know the rules to break the rules.
I believe there is no right way to do art. Art for art's sake, entertainment, or a purpose. But what's important to me is pushing for social change through commentary and breaking the boundaries. Telling the unconventional stories in a world where I rarely see myself and so many other people represented with the complexity deserved to exist in this world.
Creativity may not come naturally to me, but I fight for it. I am breaking the natural rule of myself for the sake of art, and so, I devote myself to helping others with this skill I'll hone forever.
