Tara Hou
Visual Designer/Animator/Producer
base in Los Angeles and Shanghai
E-mail: zehaohou@usc.edu
Instagram: @taradeerr
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Visual Designer 06/2024 - present
Freelance Los Angeles, US / Shanghai, China
2025 McDonald’s TV commercial - Animator (on live action)
2025 POCO (by Xiaomi) smartphone TV commercial - Animator
2025 Chenyu Hua, Mars Concert Tour - Visual Designer / Animator
2025 Sulong Wang, The Greatest Showman Concert Tour - Visual Designer / Animator
2025 Lay Zhang, Rock the Heavenly Palace Concert Tour - Animator
2025 Jude Chiu, Back to the Flesh Concert Tour / Lyrics Music Video / Cover Art - Visual Designer / Animator
2024 Chenyu Hua Mars Concert - Visual Designer / Animator
2024 Sulong Wang, Hundred Thousand Volts Concert - Animator
Storm Film 04/2023 - 12/2023
1st AD / Producer Shanghai, China
McDonald’s 2023 Children’s Day Campaign TVC - 1st AD / Producer / Co-script writer
McDonald’s PUBG Mobile Summer Limited Edition, TVC - 1st AD
McDonald’s Disney Happy Magic Meal, TVC - 1st AD
McDonald’s 1+1 Custom Meal, TVC - 1st AD / Producer
McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, TVC - 1st AD
McDonald’s Qinwen Zheng Grilled Chicken Burger, TVC - Pre-production Coordinator
Dilraba x Kronenbourg1664 Beer TVC - 1st AD / Producer
LeapSnake, Shanghai Kuole Network Technology Co. 09/2021 - present Partner Shanghai, China
Currently not involved in company operations, remaining a partner only.
Previous responsibilities included but were not limited to:
Collaborated with other partners to develop the company’s business plan and growth strategy.
Led the planning and production of all marketing related initiatives.
Coordinated with external video, audio, and recording studio resources.
Our clients : Porsche, Disney, McDonald's, KFC, China Resources Group, PUBG, Luckin Coffee,Huawei, Vivo, Audi, LOEWE, 1664……
(Mainly focused on commercial audio projects)
Visual Signal.Tao Culture & Media Co. 01/2021-08/2021
Producer / Post-Production Coordinator China
HONOR 50 TVC - Executive Producer
Vivo X70, Function TVC - Producer / Post-Production Coordinator
Vivo X70, Appearance TVC - Producer / Post-Production Coordinator
Vivo OriginOS New Year TVC - Assistant Producer / Post-Production Coordinator
HONOR Women's Day Campaign - Assistant Producer / Post-Production Coordinator
Shanghai Fun Factory Culture & Media Co. 11/2020-01/2021
Content Director Shanghai, China
Prepared for the programs, responsible for preparing artist release forms, and managing pre-interviews with artists.
Organized content and coordinated with screenwriters to ensure cohesive material for the show.
Focused on written content, ensuring accuracy and relevance for the comedic framework.
Roc Studio 04/2019-04/2020
Behind-the-Scenes Photographer/Videographer Shanghai, China
Responsible for the conceptualization and execution of promotional materials for iPartment V.
REDnote(Xiaohongshu) 07/2018-04/2019
Video Editor Shanghai, China
Edited promotional videos for in-house and agency products at the company’s imaging video studio.
EDUCATION
University of Southern California 08/2025-present
Major: MFA in Expanded Animation Research + Practice (XA) Los Angeles, CA
Arizona State University 01/2016-05/2018
Major: Bachelor of Arts in Film Tempe, AZ
Honors: F.Miguel Valenti Award for Ethics in Filmmaking, The Director’s Award for Vision and Voice
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7 x Tara
Thank you for making it this far.
Now, meet the Tara Squad.
Tara #5's transformation
