We recently connected with Samantha K. Tan and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha K., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

It takes resilience, a lot of patience, and believing in yourself.

I didn’t come from a family in film and entertainment. Growing up, my mom worked part-time at a nail salon and TJ Maxx, and my dad worked at a medical lab. My other family members were made up of small business owners and doctors. Everyone had a traditional or a stable job. When I told my family I wanted to study film in college, they freaked. Who in their right mind would want to be a starving artist? But I didn’t care what everyone said.

When I got accepted into Temple University in 2016, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: to major in film and to attend their LA Study Away program during my last semester of senior year. As soon as I got to college, I spent my weekends and summers on set, meeting new people, teaching myself how to use a camera — learning anything and everything about filmmaking. I worked on a lot of projects for free because I just wanted to learn. I believed that each experience, good or bad, would teach me anything I wanted to learn about filmmaking or even myself.

Of course, I had moments where I felt like I should choose another career path, or that maybe this isn’t the right field for me. But my love for film, passion for producing, and the AAPI stories I wanted to tell overpowered these thoughts. By my junior year of college, I produced a plethora of projects — music videos for record labels, short films, web series, and documentaries. There was a time where I was even producing about 6 projects at once, and I still kept my grades up! I just kept going and going.

When I graduated in Spring 2020, I immediately moved to LA despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Later that year, I started freelancing on commercials and features as a Production Assistant. And a year later, I started working as a Line Producer’s Assistant for Max’s The Flight Attendant Season 2 and The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 2. I also continued to produce and write my own projects. My dramedy TV series, Ambitious, partnered with 3 Left Handed Women and El Ride Productions to rewrite and reshoot the series. Featured on Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety, Ambitious was also accepted into the 2022 Sundance and The Asian American Foundation Fellowship & Scholarship program. I also co-wrote and produced Megan Lee’s En Pointe which premiered at the Academy Awards and BAFTA Qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival in July 2023.

If I deeply cared about what others thought of me or did what my family wanted me to do (which was to pursue business), I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today.

As an aspiring Showrunner, I’m consistently working towards transitioning into the writers’ room. I’m constantly creating, writing new pilots or shorts, and being intentional with the projects I produce and write. I honestly wouldn’t have gotten this far if I wasn’t patient with myself or believed in myself during this long and difficult journey that a lot of creatives have to go through. I always tell myself that I have to be my own cheerleader and I just have to keep going.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an emerging writer and producer who is based in Los Angeles.

As a Vietnamese-Chinese-American filmmaker, I’m devoted to writing and producing narratives that showcase the beauty and complexity of BIPOC histories and voices, specifically the AAPI community, all while challenging societal norms and empowering female and LGBTQ perspectives.

My dramedy indie TV series, Ambitious, follows a Vietnamese-Cambodian-American girl who navigates her new life as a college dropout despite her immigrant mother’s wishes and plans for her. The series demonstrates college pressure, interracial relationships, family expectations, and sexual identities. I’ve worked on this project since 2018, and I’m incredibly grateful to witness how much this project has grown since then. You can learn more about our 2022 Sundance Fellowship project and support us at thisisambitious.com

I love writing and producing stories where BIPOC characters are not entirely defined by their cultural background. There’s more to them than how they look, the way they talk or where they came from. There’s plenty of exciting, deeper layers to uncover and play with. I want to be loud about my ideas. I want to be bold with the stories I want to tell. I want the AAPI community and the younger generations to see themselves on screen… To be brave, to take risks, to grow up with role models, and to be more open and loving to others and to themselves.

Currently, I write drama-comedies and mockumentaries, but I’d love to collaborate and find a writing partner to expand my genres!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Being open, caring and passionate. There’s nothing more important than that.

This field isn’t easy. The hours are long and the work can be super draining… On a lot of projects I’ve produced, I’ve always made it clear during an interview that I value self-care, transparency, and accountability. If you’re confused, need a deadline extension or even a break, it’s always better to communicate that sooner rather than later. Creating that open space for an employee or partner to respectfully share these thoughts is key.

Life happens and I get it. No hard feelings, but we also need to get work done. I’ll always try my best to come up with a solution that works for both of us.

After a project gets pitched to me and I accept it, I always treat it as if it’s my own “baby.” I’m all in and I put my 150% into it. When a problem arises, I won’t stop until I’ve exhausted all options because that’s just the type of love and attention the project deserves.

As a producer, I have the responsibility to take care of this project and to bring it to life. When a fire starts, I’m the one who has to be ready to put it out. Passion comes in handy, especially if it’s a low indie budget film. Between recruiting cast and crew and gathering any resources that I can get, I have to show some fire — passion for the project. If I don’t believe in the project, why should I expect others to believe in it too?

Just don’t give up.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Yes, it’s exciting to see your finished film on the big screen, but I’d say wrap day (last day of filming) is the most rewarding.

I always feel like I’m in a dream. You’ve spent days, weeks or even months on a project. Times were fun but also very stressful. You feel like your entire being has been challenged but it’s also so fulfilling to learn what you’re capable of.

You’ve made a show that everyone loves and enjoys. You’ve made art that connects with people all around the world. You’ve made new friends.

It’s such an amazing feeling to be surrounded by cast and crew who are just as passionate as you, and who you later see as your second family.

Contact Info:

• Website: samanthaktan.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/samanthaktan
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/samanthaktan
• Other: imdb.com/name/nm12306148/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits
Jenny Choi, Robert Mojica, and Lucas Summers