Today we’d like to introduce you to Mo Yang.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in South Korea, raised in Argentina, and now live in Los Angeles. My name is Mo and I’m a storyboard artist and original content creator. I’m excited to share with you my life story so far. I’m hoping that my humble tale of rejections, failures, and successes inspires you to keep Moving Forward.
When I was six years old, our family moved to Argentina. I have many great memories, from the thick asados, the tango music and my most significant memory of all… the first volume of DragonBall Manga. Without question, it was love at first sight. I found myself endlessly flipping through those pages; being transported into new worlds; meeting new characters, and caring for them as if they were real friends. DragonBall wasn’t just a comic book to me, it was a calling to create my own meaningful stories and share them with the world. At that very moment, I decided to become a comic book artist.
Fast forward fifteen plus years and I was still holding onto this dream, relentlessly creating and submitting my original comic books to publishers left and right. Unfortunately, the submissions I sent got me nothing but rejection letters. It felt like being stuck in moving sand; the harder I tried, the deeper I sank.
Then, one day I came across a competition. A publisher named Tokyopop was holding a contest called, “Rising Stars of Manga”. The first prize was some cash, but more important to me, the opportunity to work at Tokyopop. I began to daydream of winning first prize, working with Tokyopop and publishing my own comic books. This would mean that, at last, I would fulfill my calling and share my stories with the world. It all seemed perfect.
I submitted my original comic to Rising Stars of Manga. Weeks went by and I was losing sleep waiting for the result. Then, one day, a big fat envelope arrived in my mailbox. I opened it, and I was greeted with a familiar letter… of rejection. My eyes teared up. I could not stop the feeling of negative emotions and ended up crying like a baby. Rejections were always hard, but this Tokyopop rejection hit harder than most. Yet I patted myself on the shoulder, picked myself back up, and I set about drawing my next comic book for the following Rising Stars of Manga contest.
Tokyopop held many more Rising Stars of Manga contests, and I submitted to every single one of them. However, I was always greeted by the same fat envelope of rejection. But one sunny day, on the fifth attempt at the Rising Stars of Manga contest, I finally won a prize. Lastly, after a lifelong dedication to my craft, I was now recognized and acknowledged by the fans.
Tokyopop invited me to their office and I sat waiting in the lobby like a kid waiting to meet Santa Clause. “Excited” doesn’t even come close. There, I met many great editors and was offered work to develop many of their comic books. These titles included Hellgate London and Star Trek the Manga. This was heaven on earth, but when I learned what I’d be getting paid as a rookie comic book artist, reality punched me in the face. The paychecks weren’t enough to even pay for my meals! Still, I had to suck it up. Plus, I’d traveled way too far to simply stop or turn around. There was no going back. There was only one way: Forward.
At Tokyopop, I met a good friend, a fellow artist named Steve. During our many conversations, he introduced me to Storyboarding. I remember he said, “Do you know there is a job where you can draw a lot sketchier and get paid a lot more?” This got my immediate attention. So I followed his guide, created a storyboard portfolio and started sending that out. Again I was met with many rejections but I’d already realized that this was normal. You couldn’t take them to heart, and doing so would only defeat you. I no longer lost sleep over them. After many attempts, I landed a job and officially became a professional storyboard artist.
As a storyboard artist, I had the honor to have worked on well-known projects such as Nike, Adidas, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, Clash of Clans, Ford, Toyota, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, Spiderman Turn Off the Dark, Pokemon TagTeam, How to Train Your Dragon VR, and many more.
One day I realized that it had become common for aspiring artists to come to me for advice on drawing and on storyboarding. Some would email me without any form of previous introduction or meeting, and many sent direct messages asking for my help and ideas. So I paused, almost for the first time in my life, and when I lifted my head to look around, I realized that 12+ years had gone by working as a storyboard artist. I was at a point where I could share my experiences with other aspiring artists that wanted to walk this same path.
I wanted to help everyone who came to me, but I knew that with my limited time, that would be impossible. So instead, I took alternative action. I created an online Storyboard Masterclass, available 24/7. It shared EVERYTHING I’d learned as a storyboard artist working in Hollywood and would help guide aspiring artists on their journey. This new role of a teacher was so rewarding, not because of the status I got, but because I could add value to other artists and see their lives transformed positively.
For the first time, I felt like I’d reached a point where I could take a break, stretch my legs and relax. Perhaps I could even enjoy a Pina Colada by the beach and tell myself, “You’ve made it Mo, so give yourself a hug and enjoy the sunset.”
Normally, this is where “happily ever after” would appear. But not in my story because a new chapter is just starting. Yes, I’ve gained success as a storyboard artist, but my journey continues because I made a very important promise to a kid thirty plus years ago. That kid was holding a copy of DragonBall manga and staring at it in wonder through sparkling eyes. I made this vow to myself – to become a comic book artist and share my stories with the world.
So moving forward, I’m in the process of launching a Kickstarter campaign for an upcoming original comic book. Ultimately my goal is to create a comic book publisher that build bridges between East and West through the magic of storytelling. I intend to both transcend cultures and unite people through this medium. This is both my passion and my calling.
I accept that this road will again be littered with rejections and failures, but now I welcome them. I know now that rejections and failures are not roadblocks, but rather stepping stones on the path towards success. They are also essential life teachers that help build character, test one’s passion level and help develop resilience and grit.
Plus, I’ve traveled way too far to simply stop or turn around. There is no going back. There is only one way: Forward.
Best,
Mo
Has it been a smooth road?
Success is never a straight line.
To me, the biggest obstacles one faces is their own limited beliefs.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Storyboard Masterclass was created with one purpose in mind: To transform aspiring artists into professional storyboard artists. What sets this class apart from any other online class is that I share, not just the fundamentals on storyboarding, but also how to break into the entertainment business.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Los Angeles is the perfect place for people with big dreams. And if you are an artist like myself, the city of Angles is the place to be because you can find artists and writers on every other coffee shop to mingle. You’re not the exception here. You’re the norm.
Pricing:
- Storyboard Masterclass: $375
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iammrmo.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/iam.mr.mo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialmrmo/
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