Meet Yohahn Ko | Filmmaker & Video Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yohahn Ko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yohahn, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I grew up in a bleak apartment watching movies and making home videos with my friends. We would immerse ourselves in these fantasy worlds where my apartment complex transformed into a stage for wacky, epic adventures. What I loved most about filmmaking then (and still do now) is making people laugh through a narrative I made up or inspiring someone with a story I felt compelled to tell.
I had a typical Asian American college experience and by typical, I mean lying to my mom and myself that I wanted to become a physical therapist. I would say things like, “Oh yeah, I love helping people with low back pain.” However, I believe that filmmakers always have this innate feeling in their gut that draws them back to cinema. Most filmmakers are very dramatic… and I’m no exception. One day I sat my mom down and told her that I needed to make films or I would die. That dramatic gesture saved my soul.

I am pursuing a career in filmmaking today simply because I have stories to tell. I have plenty of scripts that are written but have yet to be brought to life, and even more stories in my head that I haven’t written out. I’ll continue creating, producing, and entertaining as long as I have these impulses just as I did when I was a kid in that dull gray apartment complex.

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career?
Everyone and their mothers have discouraged me from pursuing a career in filmmaking because it was deemed to be too “risky.” On the flip side, I believe that I avoided an even bigger risk: becoming a miserable, lowly rated 2-star physical therapist on Yelp.

Yes, it’s true that a creative career comes with many uncertainties; there’s not a traditional career path where you go to film school, become a director, and then become a partner at Warner Brothers. Instead, a career in film is a murky path filled with bats flying overhead where you have to figure everything out by trial and error, and by taking chances on unknown opportunities.

For example, I randomly posted on social media about wanting to make a short film with some expiring 16mm film. Out of the blue, I was contacted by Filipino-American singer-songwriter AJ Rafael to make a music video. The project exceeded our initial budget because film is expensive to shoot on. But since I believed in the project, I invested whatever was left in my savings account at the time to make sure that we saw it through. That project has since paid dividends and kickstarted my career in directing music videos for Asian-American artists.

Taking risks such as investing in your own projects may seem scary at first, but in my experience, facing your fears and betting on yourself is the best way to grow both personally and professionally.

How to know whether to keep going or to give up?
Filmmaking is like climbing a treacherous, snowy mountain. You are trying to reach the pinnacle of your craft and there is a lot that goes into it such as immense manpower, expensive equipment, and a great deal of planning and problem solving.

It is an all-consuming process physically and mentally and each time you reach a snow-cap peak aka make a film, you usually receive a lousy return on investment or hear the sweet sound of crickets at best.

People will question why you are so invested in climbing a rock. However, if you love the climb enough… if you love creative problem-solving… if you love telling stories on film and moving people emotionally… then that should be enough reason to keep going.

Filmmaking is less about talent and more about persistence. The longer you hone your craft and stay in the business, the higher your odds become of getting your big break, making movies for a mainstream audience, and having your creative voice heard.

That is why I believe it’s important to do whatever it takes to stay in the game as long as possible, even if that means working a second job or living on a budget eating ramen. Most people burn out either financially or emotionally, especially when you have to deal with the pressures of adulting (marriage, having kids, folding your own laundry).

I’ll continue to climb this blizzardy mountain provided that I can close my eyes and imagine all the fun possibilities that I could capture on-camera with my friends or until the day I run out of movie ideas and finally feel okay letting go.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shout out to all my mentors who have taken the time to listen to me and be my GPS on this long and windy road – I would be idling somewhere on Google Maps without them. Secondly, shout out to my friends (Richard, Neil, Martin, Aileen, Mark, Andy, Kealani, Alex, Mike, Darryl & Hillary, and many more) who constantly encourage me and give me the confidence to make dope, meaningful films. And lastly, I’d like to thank all the incredible artists I’ve worked with for trusting me and giving me opportunities of a lifetime – it’s been a blast so far!

Website: https://www.yohahnko.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yohahnko

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yohahnko

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2ndcinema

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YohahnKo

Image Credits
Photo 1: Ivan Ng, BTS Photographer (“Stay for a Little While” MV) Photo 2: Andy Chen, DP (“Stay for a Little While” MV) Photo 3: Joshua Pausanos, DP (“Waking Up Sucks” MV) Photo 4: Joshua Pausanos, DP (“Waking Up Sucks” MV) Photo 5: Joshua Pausanos, DP (“Waking Up Sucks” MV) Photo 6: Ivan Ng, BTS Photographer (“Robot” MV) Photo 7: Kenzo Le, DP (“Robot” MV) Photo 8: Patrick Sean Gibson, Animator (“Robot” MV)