Sam K. Hale - Producer/Director

SAM KOJI HALE is an award-winning filmmaker, designer and puppetry artist.  Sam directed his first short film for Handmade Puppet Dreams called “Yamasong” which screened in over 30 film festivals. It was embraced worldwide at sci-fi/fantasy genre festivals like Fantastic Planet, Fantastic Fest and Dragon-Con Independent Film Festival, where it received Best Animated Fantasy and Best Animated Film in 2010.  Other recognitions include nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Sound at the World Music and Independent Film Festival, as well as the 2014 UNIMA Citation of Excellence in Puppetry, the highest award given in the field of puppetry arts.

 

With over a decade and a half of animation and film experience, Sam has produced eight short films for Heather Henson’s Handmade Puppet Dreams series, including award-winners Kevin McTurk’s “Narrative of Victor Karloch” and Toby Froud’s “Lessons Learned,” to name a few.  Sam's other credits include art director for the Cartoon Network show Annoying Orange, Disney Jr's Bite-Sized Adventures of Sam Sandwich (lead VFX artist) and Disney’s Team Smithereen (associate producer).  Sam has recently completed the feature-length “Yamasong: March of Hollows,” continuing the adventure originally introduced in the HMPD short film, which is now available on DVD and VOD.