Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sam Morales. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sam, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Honestly, from my family. Whenever things have gotten difficult, my mom and dad will usually shove the bad aside and focus on the good, which has been subsequently transferred onto me. If I’m honest, at times, it’s not something that comes easy. There have been many moments when things seemed bleak and I really wanted to give up. It was only by connecting with wonderful people I truly care about, my parents included, that I began to give it my all again and over time, things have gotten better. When we’re in our darkest moment, if we can find even the smallest light to hold on to, it can really help push us forward! Without optimism, I don’t think I’d be capable of doing anything!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Goodness, so much! I enjoy way too many things to really nail it down but I’ll do my best to summarize. Primarily, I work as a freelance video editor for various channels on YouTube with content ranging from video game highlights to animals & farming. When I’m not editing, I’m usually helping out on an indie animated production called “Far-Fetched” where I’m tasked with doing social media posts and general production management. Then last, but certainly not least, I am working on a few personal projects with a primary focus on my indie production called “Train of Thought” – a talk show with an underlying story about the struggles creatives often face. Each primary episode strives to put a focus on creatives and their personal journeys, both the good and the bad, to put a spotlight on what it takes to create something you love. The show is currently in production and I’m hoping the first episode will be able to come out sometime in 2025 so we can try some small crowdfunding endeavors and make future episodes easier to produce. It’s been a lot of fun to formulate new ideas and see them come to life, so here’s hoping we can do some really cool stuff with it down the line! I’m really hoping to share some of the story-focused episodes with the world!
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?
Looking back, I think three of the things that really helped me get where I am would include curiosity, networking, and creativity, of course!
If you’re looking to “level up” your curiosity, I can only recommend the easiest solution: asking more questions! When you don’t know something, never be afraid to ask for more information and grow your knowledge from there. I think many of us have been conditioned to mask our way through conversations about subjects we don’t fully understand to avoid the awkwardness of admitting we aren’t as knowledgeable as we would care to admit. That said, in my experience, people have been really supportive and open to explaining different ideologies. It’s funny how much joy a person can get teaching you something new!
When it comes to networking… it’s honestly a word I’ve come to hate. I use it because it’s the easiest way to communicate the idea of making connections in the professional space. During my time in university, I was constantly told to network with people and get them to like me so I could get more opportunities to grow. Which didn’t really stick with me because it felt sort of shallow. Schmoozing with people for the sake of money? Not my cup of tea. Instead, I recommend striving to develop a genuine connection of some form! Find some sort of middle ground you genuinely care about and chat from time to time. No need to be overly close friends but don’t form connections in the hopes of climbing the ladder. In my experience, people tend to trust those who are genuine and honest.
Finally, creativity! This is something most creatives have, it’s in the name after all. That said, it’s really common to struggle with BEING creative when you do it for long periods at a time. The best way, in my experience, to get your creative juices flowing and to stay motivated is to… stop being creative for a bit. Take a break! Go for a walk in the woods, get away from where you work, play a game or two! If you want to be more creative, indulge in other things for a bit and you’ll quickly find yourself flooded with ideas and eager to work. I love it!
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Goodness, yes. The most common struggle I face, which I’m sure many creatives run into, is having the necessary finances to pursue an idea. Currently, my show is self-funded. Meaning I take from my own paychecks to try and make my ideas come to life. It’s not a new concept by any means but one we all have to face when trying to develop an idea into something fruitful. This usually causes productions and ideas to “cook” for longer periods of time because of the limited resources the development has at it’s disposal. As a freelancer, it particularly makes things difficult as I’m limited by the number of clients I have at a time and, typically, they’re also self-funded individuals who are ALSO trying to get their ideas off the ground. It’s funny how that cycle exists, isn’t it?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://neutralgalaxy.com/
- Twitter: https://x.com/NeutralGalaxy/
- Other: https://bsky.app/profile/neutralgalaxy.com
https://x.com/TrainThoughtSho
https://bsky.app/profile/trainofthought.bsky.social
Image Credits
Adam Gimes/@geckit on Socials (Headshot)
For “Train of Thought” related gifs/images:
Initial Concepts by @June_buns, @robinfollies, & @SoanjaC
Animations by @Luximus17, @voltaictiger, & @puppyprotag
Clean-up by @voltaictiger, @puppyprotag, & @poizomix
Background by @geordenwhitman
Logo by @Lilroundpumpkin
Storyboarding by @cheesytrishy
Keyart by @toonedtoons
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
