‘The Walking Dead’? A Filipino ani­mator is behind all that. At the start of his career in the Unit­ed States, Tony Ocampo spent one month drifting from one company to another trying to get a job as a visual graphic artist. Now, the former GMA Network vi­sual artist is scooping up citations including three as Best Visual Artist of the Visual Effects Society and an Emmy Award nomination.

Ocampo, who did special effects for popular American TV series such as “Supernatural” and “Heroes,” said in a “24 Oras” report on Tuesday that nothing short of divine sign told his mother that he was to live his life as an artist.

“By six or seven years old, I drew hyper-realistic hands praying and my mom told me that was it for me, I should follow my path,” said Ocampo, who graduated from the University of the Philippines with a Fine Arts degree.

Stargate Digital was the first company that employed upon leaving the Philip­pines for the US in 2000. To encourage students or professionals who might ex­perience the same pang of hopelessness he felt upon migration, he said follow­ing their dreams would always motivate them to get through this period.

“It always seems impossible, until you’re there,” said Ocampo. Ocampo currently works as the Lead Visual Effects Animator for the US TV hit series “The Walking Dead.” (Rie Takumi/ KBK, GMA)