Meet Samantha Simmons

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Samantha Simmons. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Samantha below.

Hi Samantha, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Curiosity and a sense of gleeful adventure is where my optimism comes from. Retaining a childlike sense of wonder helps me keep a pure and neutral outlook when delving into new subjects. The idea that “anything could happen,” paired with, “I’ll try it,” creates a space for optimism to flourish. Asking innocent questions like, “why?” or, “how?” can simply be the call to an adventure of a new subject, project, or even a new career path—and go to depths of a topic that one might avoid for fear of it “being a waste of time.” Did you always want to be an archeologist, adventurer, or an actor? Then take a class, listen to a recorded lecture, volunteer at a museum, or get an acting coach—and see where that takes you. Just the process of searching, digging, and sifting is rewarded with new gems of information that illustrate a more colorful world and new self-discoveries along the way.

Putting energy into something and seeing if you get energy from it, is a great way to select a new subject matter, or path to focus on going forward. Self-help audio books, frequency music, yoga, martial arts, meditation, and other mindful practices help to foster a space for this optimistic mindset to shine. Small wins and accomplishments in a day encourage further discovery and development of a subject or project. Setting aside time for fulfilling hobbies enrich life and create a healthier mindset to be able to take on the less-desirable aspects of the day-to-day easier. All of these aspects help me build and maintain an optimistic mindset.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I suppose I’m the weird gothic artist that fell into filmmaking. I received my BFA in Photography from CU Denver, and in 2020 I moved to New Mexico to follow the film industry and explore the performative side of the arts. Since I’ve always been interested in film (specifically fantasy and sci-fi), I’m now driven to use these skills for storytelling in cinema.

I grew up participating in my family’s martial arts school (The American Budo Judo College) learning judo, karate, jujitsu and weapon techniques. Since martial arts is a lifestyle, I have dedicated many years honing my skills and learning new ones. I’ve practiced katana, sai, bow, spear, throwing stars, archery, broadsword, and tactical firearm maneuvers. The challenge is to overcome the monotony to develop the muscle memory in order to retain the skill—and then keep that skill sharp.

Learning how stunt techniques adapt choreography for camera angles, I learned to translate my martial arts background better for cinema. I look forward to learning new techniques and skills for each project that I come across. The focus next is to play action or adventure characters that best pair with my disciplines in martial arts. I recently finished working on a dystopian sci-fi project, and I’m slated to play a detective in an upcoming horror film.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
A journalistic approach and a mindset of “do your research,” is a theme that carried over from college into my professional life. This idea has aided me to look before I leap. I prefer to ask experts and listen to testimony of those who have pertinent experience in the field of study, before starting a new project or path.

Prepare for success and prepare for failure. The goal is to be like water and to navigate around difficult situations—and avoid getting stuck in the rocks while the current of life passes you by. I wake up and find a way to be a better version of myself every day. The diligence to sharpen your skills (with research and practice), and a little bit of luck can help you prepare for those moments of opportunity to guide you to success.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me is to let me be a weird artist. They have always supported my artistic endeavors and fostered my creative growth. Thank you Karen and Kurt! Fine artists themselves, they both gave me the freedom to try new artistic mediums and develop my craft in an organic way. Fostering a safe artistic space, they provided me with everything from acrylic paints to vintage clothing to be able to creatively problem-solve and find my own unique path.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Kezziah Casias Green Alan Osterholtz

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