Who is Chonk Moonhunter?

03/07/2003

	(L photo by Karin Anna Cheung, R photo by Alex Marquez)
	Who is Chonk Moonhunter? What is Chonk Moonhunter? The enigmatic Curtis Choy surfaced on the set of BETTER LUCK TOMORROW as Production Sound Mixer. From behind his hand-crafted sound cart, shelves of level-adjusting equipment, microphones and rows of cable, his are the first ears for the entire film. One glance at his resume, though, will tell you that his depth of experience in filmmaking and "Asian Amerikan" media go far beyond just sound.
	Chonk Moonhunter is the name of Curtis Choy’s production company, through which he has directed and produced such distinguished works as The Fall of the I-Hotel—a film documenting the struggle between big business, politicians and the elderly residents of San Francisco’s International Hotel, who inspired a grassroots movement. Also, Dupont Guy: The Schiz of Grant Avenueexplores the nebulous space between Asia and America which members of the Asian American/Pacific Islander diaspora have inhabited for decades, if not centuries.
	So where does the name "Chonk Moonhunter" come from?
	"Chonk Moonhunter" is a concept, not a person, place or thing. CHONK describes that which is ‘Chinese-American’, without the schizo hyphenation or any allegiance to China or America. MOONHUNTER is a shortening of ‘Iron Moonhunter’, the chinamen-built railroad stolen from Transcontinental Railroad parts to remove them from the miseries of loveless, racist Amerika and transport them home to China. Chonk Moonhunter is my production company name, deliberately designed to burden me with its explanation, thus promulgating chonk mythology hither and yon. I have been called chonk, moonhunter, and moonman.
	In terms of Asian American film and media, Curtis has been around the block and back. Growing up in Oakland amidst the turbulent upheaval and activism of the 1960s and ‘70s has had a large influence in his work.
	My interest in Asian American work began in the early 1970s, when ethnic studies began and was not part of the system; when there was a Kearny Street Workshop on Kearny Street in San Francisco; where artists of all disciplines gathered under the International Hotel to create work, hold workshops, and open exhibits and gallery space, and promote the civil rights and the anti-Vietnam war movements. The words "change", "alternative," and "revolution" [really meant something]. It was in this atmosphere that we naively thought we could change the world for the better [and] I grew up hoping to nullify the 2,500 movies (that's Frank Chin's estimate) that portrayed us wrongly. Why did you get involved with BETTER LUCK TOMORROW?
	I recognized BETTER LUCK TOMORROW as a fresh story that was intrinsically Asian Amerikan without having to boast about it or hitting anyone on the head with a billboard. The characters were presented as normal people in unusual circumstances that happened to not fulfill any stereotypical archetypes, the kind of onus that my generation was never able to shake.
	I think [Asian American film] is an outmoded concept. BETTER LUCK TOMORROW (in old school terms, an "AA film") distinguishes itself with having gone past that construct.
	Other films Curtis has worked on include Chan is Missing, Joy Luck Club, Three Seasons, and Catfish in Black Bean Sauce. What led him down the road of becoming a soundman?
	As I was making my own films, I was doing sound for other filmmakers. After a while I realized that that was really how I was earning a livelihood. So I’ve continued building on it since. When I heard Justin was looking for me to work on BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, I tracked down his number and gave him a call.
	And that was that. Curtis drove down with his sound mobile and roughed it alongside the rest of the crew and cast in fine indie form.
	So just what is sound design, exactly?
	What I do is try to capture the clearest and best quality sound possible during a shoot. Individuals like Walter Murch and Richard Chew really have shaped the field as true sound designers. But today, the concept of sound design is a misnomer, really. Most of the time on bigger budget films, so many people have worked on the sound during production and post-production that it’s hard to say who’s sound you’re actually hearing when you’re seeing a film in the theater. In the case of something like Star Wars, for instance, most of the sound has been redubbed in a nice, quiet studio after editing. On independent films, though, there’s a greater chance that what you hear in the theater is what someone like me recorded.
	A lot of European films use sync [original] sound, but that’s really difficult in the U.S. because there’s so much background noise generated by traffic, airplanes, generators, etc. At least you can always replace sound, but not picture. Well, with digital technology now that’s only a half-truth.
	Curtis’ experience runs the full gamut from corporate commercial work to independent film, from prime time to public television to big budget features. He has just about seen it all, but he remains remarkably unjaded.
	I know this sounds self-righteous, but I see a duty to aid, abet, and encourage people like Justin to go past the old Asian-American bullshit (which some people call me a pioneer of), which is why I'll entertain any incoming script, and show up and do the work if called.
	For more information on Chonk Moonhunter Productions or to receive a catalogue, call (415) 892-9961 or email chonkmoonhunter@yahoo.com