The Undying Dream of Pangarap music video

   I did not expect that I would shoot another music video last year. After Chillax, I promised myself not to shoot another one if my collaborators are imbecile. But I broke my promise for some unexplained reason. I also cannot refuse Marlon (Licko’One) since he is my friend and for my advocacy of helping independent artists. Pangarap (Dream) is somehow a reminder of my dreams in life. It is like a wakeup call to continue pursuing my dreams.

   It was timely knowing the fact that I felt down last December. I did not have the drive to do creative things last year. After the activities during the previous months, I dedicated the month of December for a good rest and contemplation. It was also a detoxification of toxic people that I have socialized.

   I undoubtedly said yes when Marlon asked me to direct his music video. It was fast. I did not pause and think of what was the implication of my decision. As I expected, I had difficulty working with them (except for Marlon since it was our second collaboration). Since they do not have background in shooting a music video, I adjusted myself to get along with them. It was pain in the ass especially Cynille Kaye (co-singer) and Michael Pagco (the videographer). They did not have the sense of professionalism that I imagined.

   Again, we did not have the hi-tech equipment to fully materialize my concept. I just did the same old trick of improvisation. I was expecting that Michael would provide the necessary equipment because he volunteered himself and made a promise during our meeting. But he broke his promise and I end up being the main Cinematographer. Thanks to Dado’s initiative that he became my instant Production Manager during the shoot.

   I did the magic trick to compensate the lapses. I would not let the music video to be a wreck. I stick to the original concept in which I incorporated ordinary people to give hope that dreams do come true. I want to give the audience the feeling of encouragement to continue pursuing their dreams no matter what status they are in life. I also put some element of Marlon’s dreams and my interpretation of it.

   Making the music video was a therapy. It was like finding myself in the midst of uncertainty. I am still thankful even though the shoot did not have the spectacular equipment or the ideal crew. The limited resources are not hindrance for creativity. Just like what I said in my previous blog posts, making a music video is my experimentation of concepts. It is a perfect moment to play ideas.

   The experience of making it served as hope to continue dreaming and take concrete actions out of it. It is epiphany as the poet claims. It is deus ex machina as a Greek tragedy proclaim. Whatever would it be I am fortunate I to have it. I am thankful to the Supreme Being for giving the experience of dreaming again.

Please watch the music video below:

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December Blues

   December – the month where I feel lazy, depressed and tired of everything. I do not know why I feel that way. Maybe I absorb too much negative vibes this year that it has a late effect on my part. I feel so uninspired. I feel so cynical about life. I feel like all my positive energy has been vacuumed that I am too disoriented to notice. I write this piece because I want to release this feeling through writing. 

   I noticed that my positive outlook in my life is starting to fade away. It seems that I become indifferent. It changed the way I think, the way I speak and the way I get along with people. Up until now, I am still contemplating its cause. 

   It is weird because I am always thinking of death. It is like I am obsessed with the thought of dying. I feel like I am Emily Dickinson who always thought about death. If I die, do I have an impact to the world? Do I achieve something? Or am I depressed that is why I think about those things? Maybe I am just surrounded by toxic people in the past months that I tend to deny its subtle effects in my system. 

   At the bright side, I am somehow thankful because I have the time to think about my life. What I am doing now to have a wonderful future. Is there career advancement in the past five years? Am I successful? Or I am just delusional about it? 

   I missed my own activities. I missed my blogging activities, my own travels, the genuine socialization and the interview sessions; my pleasurable reading and film activities, community immersion and my own research. That is why I read career and inspirational books as well as videos to get inspired. I felt lost for a while and I need to go back in the right track. I need to detach myself from negative people as well as their intolerable gimmicks. 

   December – the last month of the year. It is a perfect moment to reflect. It is a perfect moment to contemplate on the things that happened in 2015. It is the right moment to review goals and mission in life. It is the right month to reenergize for the next year’s relevant activities. I need to reinvent myself for the better. I need to be myself again to be sane and germane. 

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Pangarap teaser

Pangarap teaser 2

by Licko'One feat. Cynille Kaye

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Mindanao Screen Lab participants announced

   The twelve participants to the inaugural Mindanao Screen Lab have been announced.

   The 2015 participants are Joe Bacus (Cagayan de Oro), Theo Lozada (Davao), Sharon De Los Santos (Davao), Ryan Joseph Murcia (Zamboanga), Almojaimen Talib (Kidapawan), Najib Zacaria (Lanao), Orpheus Nery (Cagayan de Oro), Mohalidin Suga (Cotabato), Bhas Abdulsamad (Tawitawi), Jasmine Limas (Cagayan de Oro), Jean Kirvy Waga (Davao) and Julienne Ilagan (Cagayan de Oro).

   The Screen Lab is designed as an intensive learning program that provides emerging Mindanao filmmakers hands on training as well as project development sessions that will transform ideas into films. This year’s mentors include Filipino director John Torres (Todo Todo Teros, Lukas Nino), Mindanao’s own Teng Mangansakan (Limbunan, Qiyamah), Singapore’s Kan Lumé (Liberta, Naked DJ), Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Huling Balyan ng Buhi, Imburnal, Jungle Love) and other Asian filmmakers.

   Mindanao Screen Lab is co-presented by forumZFD, National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Mindanao State University General Santos City-Graduate School.

Originally posted in salamindanaw.org

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Third SalaMindanaw IFF unveils Asian competition line up

   The third edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival has announced the official competition line up of the Festival scheduled from November 18 to December 2, 2015 in the cities of General Santos and Cotabato.

   Six films will vie in the Asian full-length competition. These are Chasing Waves (Charliebebs Gohetia, Philippines), Under Construction (Rubaiyat Hossain, Bangladesh), Jalanan (Daniel Ziv, Indonesia), Snakeskin (Daniel Hui, Singapore), River of Exploding Durians (Edmund Yeo, Malaysia) and Mencari Hilal (Ismail Basbeth, Indonesia).

   Meanwhile, seven films will compete in the Asian short film section. These are Elegy (Yousef Kargar, Iran), When The Boats Come In (Khin Maung Kyaw, Myanmar), Man in The Cinema House (Bernard Jay Mercado, Philippines), The Cat and The Orange Seeds (Nguyen Le Hoang Viet, Vietnam), November (Shane Lim, Singapore), Following Diana (Kamila Andini, Indonesia) and The Young Man Who Came From The Chee River (Wichanon Somumjarn, Thailand).

   With the exception of Bangladesh and Iran, all films in the line up are from Southeast Asia.

   “On our third year, the Festival’s programming is closer the vision of SalaMindanaw, which is to make the Festival a platform for Southeast Asian cinema,” festival director Teng Mangansakan revealed.

   “2015 marks the goal of ASEAN Integration. SalaMindanaw seeks to determine common images, icons and issues that form part of the Southeast Asian film iconography and discourse,” Mangansakan noted.

   SalaMindanaw is the first and only international film festival in Mindanao. It is organized by the Mindanao Center for the Cinematographic Arts.

Originally posted in salamindanaw.org 

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Salamindanaw calls for submissions

The call for submissions is now open for the third edition of SalaMindanaw International film Festival. Competition is open in the following sections: Asian full length, Asian shorts, and Mindanao shorts. Narrative, documentary and experimental films are welcome. Films must be produced after January 1, 2014.

Deadline of entries for the Asian section is on September 15, 2015, while the Mindanao short entries must be submitted before October 15, 2015. All films must be presented as Mindanao premiere except for Mindanao shorts which must be presented as world premiere.

Online screeners are encouraged, but should you wish to send a DVD screener, please contact us at festival.salamindanaw@gmail.com. Entry form here.

The third edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival will take place from November 18 to December 2, 2015.

Please check SalaMindanaw Facebook page and salamindanaw.org for more info. 

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Chillax and the irony of its title

   Chillax - a colloquial term for relax. It’s a combination of the words – chill and relax, which has the same meaning. This term is the new song of AXL GRICO and Licko’One. As you listen to the song, it has this relax, sexy, hypnotic and stoned vibe. It best played especially in the summer season. 

   AXL asked my help to direct their music video. It’s our second collaboration and I want it to be different. I want to take this video into the next level. Just like before, we had a series of meetings to discuss the concept and to prepare for the production requirements. John the owner of Pigshot clothing became the producer of the video. It is also our first meeting with Licko’One and I interviewed him in order for me to know his qualities as a rap artist. Fortunately, he was cooperative and contributed his share in the video. Since I came up with the sexy-hypnotic concept, I casted models to be featured in it. The two rappers liked the idea and they recommended models to be featured in the video. Then we started to prepare its production requirements.

   It’s ironic how I am not chillax before the shoot. I am a bit stress in finding the right models, the location and the preparation for the right production requirements. Since they do not have exposure in film/music video production, I made adjustment in order to relate to them. I modified its concept due to budgetary constraint and the “limited time of preparing it”. It’s a bit hard for me in the sense that they do not know what they were doing. I guided them so that it would not be disastrous during the shooting day. Moreover, I adjusted my hectic schedule and canceled my other appointments just to be sure the video will be shot in the planned schedule. 

   Despite all the challenges that we encountered, the music video was still shot in the intended dates. Although the concept that I have envisioned was not 100% materialized, I am still thankful that it went well. I shared to AXL my sentiments about the music video. I said to him that next time you want me to direct your music video you should prepare enough time and budget for it. He should not make rush decisions about it. 

   I hope they learned something from our shoot. I hope they realize that it’s not enough to have many followers or views in Youtube. I hope they realize that producing a quality artwork is not as easy as counting 1, 2, 3. I hope that the “fame” they experience would not consume them and forget other important things in life. 

   Through this music video I appreciate the essence of time. The value of right timing is really important if I want to be successful. That’s why I decided to shoot my third short film next year. I would not rush it and make the same mistakes just what my second film experienced. I will prepare enough budgets, collaborate with the right artists and make the right plan for the production requirements.

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