Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariana De Leon
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in a small suburb in northern New Jersey where academic excellence and flexing Ivy League merch were highly valued. Luckily for me, I failed Algebra 2, so I was never a threat to anyone’s spot at Harvard. Instead, I loved everything creative: I grew up dancing my whole life, made crafts religiously with my sister, filmed everything with my dad’s Blackberry and old camcorders, and made edits on Windows Movie Maker. Dance shaped my love for the arts at a young age, but it wasn’t until the 2010’s Youtube era of beauty vloggers and comedians that would push me to even consider a career in the entertainment industry. In high school, I became very involved with the television program where I was able to hone in on my need to produce live shows and digital media content.
I attended Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, initially for Broadcast Journalism. After a semester, I quickly learned that the news wasn’t the space I wanted to be in, but I didn’t really know what producing film entailed until I applied to the Producing program. I found my passion as a leader behind the scenes: managing projects, collaborating with teams, and bringing visions to life were exactly what I was meant to do. Eventually, I found my role as a creative producer and choreographer. I love building different projects from the ground up and seeing them come to fruition. I’m currently freelancing in production, dance, and working at a photography studio! I have some music videos, events, and commercials in the works that I’m excited to share.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Moving to LA was a struggle that I was willing to endure if it meant doing what I love. I was adamant about having a job before coming here, and thankfully I secured a freelance position working front desk at a photography studio. I got a one-way ticket from New Jersey with no apartment in Los Angeles, so I couch-surfed and lived out of my car for 2 months. People thought I was crazy, but honestly, I had it down to a tee … I even came with my own pantry. However, I’m so fortunate to have family and my best friends who welcomed me into their homes. Freelancing is also tough given the inconsistent nature of it all, especially in the film industry where production is still feeling slow. I freelanced with a catering company, worked in retail, and re-entered my barista era to support myself financially––and to avoid feeling trapped in the corporate world. I intentionally chose to freelance for the flexibility of my own schedule and to have availability to pick up gigs as a Production Assistant. While it’s not easy, I’m creatively fulfilled being on-set and investing time to build my brand by working on projects that will eventually be steady streams of income. Success comes with struggle: if you really want to pursue your passions, you’ll find a way to make it work. It’s humble beginnings.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a creative producer and choreographer who specializes in music videos, commercials, and event production. I’ve also produced and worked on a number of short films over the last four years, one of which is having an exciting festival run (shameless plug @hastalaraiz.film––this was my undergraduate thesis film)! As a producer, I’m committed to uplifting queer women of color both on and off-screen, and approaching projects with ethical filmmaking and production practices. I am also passionate about telling stories with community impact.
I’m thrilled to be a co-founder of the new LA pop-up events group, THIRD WAV3, which blends my love for producing, dance, and music. We’re a female-led collective that’s redefining club culture by uniting communities together through house music. We’re putting the emphasis back on music and dance while providing a platform for well-known and underground female DJs to spin. Our first event was a massive success, and we’re so grateful for its turnout. We’ve got some exciting things in the works, so keep up with us @wearethirdwav3 on Instagram!
Women truly get the job done, and they always do it right. It’s empowering to provide spaces for female creatives to thrive in spaces they belong in, and fostering that environment as a producer is so fulfilling to me.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’ve always said I have lucky girl syndrome, but I am also very privileged to be surrounded by people who help nurture my craft. I have a tight-knit and constantly growing community in LA and a family that supports my career in entertainment. I’m also fortunate to have landed a job in my field where I work with an all-female team who believe in my potential to grow within the company and connect me with opportunities outside of it. Since moving to LA, I’ve truly been so lucky to meet the right people at the right time who’ve enhanced my personal and professional lives so greatly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arianadeleoncreative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arianaadeleon/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianadeleon
Image Credits
Jade Sol
Marley Rankin
Elisa Fong-Hirschfelder
Nate Markquart
