Q&A: Finding Beauty in Simplicity, Ana Peralta Chong Talks Storytelling, People & More
BRILLIANTLY FUNNY, STUNNINGLY HONEST, AND WITH AN INSANE AMOUNT OF TALENT — Ana Peralta Chong will win an Oscar one day. It’s only a matter of when. Peralta Chong is like all of us: she loves her mom, wastes money on expensive coffee, and has experienced the hell of working in the hospitality industry. However, Peralta Chong is not only a visionary experimental director but a genuine human who brings out the best of whoever is lucky enough to be around her.
Whether referencing anime with boyband or creating a fairy tale in Topanga with Stephanie Poetri, Peralta Chong’s music videos are on another level. Her visuals are breathtaking, and you can tell that each project is well-crafted and made with passion.
Read below as Luna sits down to talk to Peralta Chong about her journey thus far.
LUNA: Thank you so much for sitting down with me today! Let’s start at the beginning: When did you want to be a director?
PERALTA CHONG: When my family and I came to America we learned English by watching movies in English. My dad loves movies. On Thursdays, we would go to Blockbuster and spend time picking one out for our family. I guess that's how I became so emotionally attached to it. I started making music videos on iMovie during the mashup era around 2015, and I was uploading these crazy videos to YouTube and I remember being so amazed at the ability to cut sequences to the beat of a song. I thought to myself, “Wow, technology cannot get better than this.”
LUNA: You’re originally from Ciudad Obregón. How much has your cultural background influenced your work?
PERALTA CHONG: I feel like I’m still trying to develop that. People don’t realize how tricky directing can actually be with the process of landing work or even the financial stress that comes from having a personal project. I’d love to develop the nuances of my home country and implement them in my work, but I have yet to go due to my immigration status in the U.S. Hopefully I can go there soon. I know the moment I can go back to my home country again I’ll make my best work yet.
LUNA: How long have you lived in Los Angeles?
PERALTA CHONG: I’ve lived in LA for four years now, but I don’t count 2020 or 2021 since we were in the pan pan and locked in the house.
LUNA: Well, you’re an amazing director! I especially love your collaborations with boyband. Your videos are so visually stunning. How did that partnership come to be, and how do you create your visual worlds?
PERALTA CHONG: With boyband, he came to me and showed me this amazing EP but needed help developing himself visually. It’s interesting with him because he fits in the alternative space but with a newer ambiance. His influences stem beyond that label though — he can surprise you with a rap demo and then flip it into a nightcore remix. For all of my videos, I try to keep a simple concept but have a stylistic approach to the environment. I love maximizing basically nothing. For boyband, the heart of the project was the anime “Fooly Cooly” and grabbing pieces from it and putting them in a new environment (the scooter, [the character] Haruko Haruhara, black and white silhouettes).
LUNA: Recently, I saw you did “Bad Haircut” with Stephanie Poetri feat. JVKE — How did that project come to be and what were some fun moments/challenges along the way?
PERALTA CHONG: It was something new for me because I’m mostly fond of directing alternative or more experiential–leaning projects, and “Bad Haircut” is very enchanting and [is from a] singer-songwriter. Immediately, I wanted it to be a fairy tale in Topanga, California. That one was very special because I got to work with a director of photography I’ve wanted to work with for a long time, Ava Rikki. This was my first time working with a female DP, but most importantly working with Ava Rikki, a name you should probably get used to seeing.
LUNA: I know you have a production company, moremilieu. Why did you choose to start one?
PERALTA CHONG: I really wanted a production company to funnel videos with a lower budget or self-budgeted back to myself.
LUNA: What media inspires your work?
PERALTA CHONG: Oneohtrix Point Never is one of my biggest inspirations of all time. That simplicity factor is done so beautifully. Artists like Przemek Pyszczek also inspire me, and physical green and blue environments.
LUNA: Something I read about you in VoyageLA is that you specialize in people. What’s your favorite thing about people?
PERALTA CHONG: I think my favorite thing about people is finding out what makes them spark. I love finding what makes people light up. Giving them a compliment, or even if it’s remembering their name — it’s the small things. We as humans get to have identities and communicate with each other, so why not maximize it.
LUNA: I always try to leave on a good note: What’s bringing you joy right now?
PERALTA CHONG: What is bringing me joy is that I’ve made it to 25. I’m happy and I’m grateful to have made it here. Grateful to be alive and here, talking to you.
CONNECT WITH ANA PERALTA CHONG
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weekly tunes playlist has been updated! new tracks from @furtradeband, @pecqband, @garryfool & more! check it out! https://t.co/ToFU0R6YGo -
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RT @oliviaborch: new @LunaCollective out todayyy shot by @alltookev ✨ @P1H_official editorial design by me ! https://t.co/cvSCKsWB5D
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RT @rlyblonde: @AnnieDirusso for @LunaCollective shot by me #35mm #portra800 https://t.co/0UUJSCBGcH
