What I Go To School For

Saturday, August 28, 2010

MediaLovers

♥ JASMINE ♥ ALYSSA ♥ SHOBE ♥ KENKEN ♥ ALYSA ♥ KASTELA ♥

Friday, August 29, 2008

This is one of the prettiest pictures I've seen in a long time. And I don't think I need to caption this picture to tell you where I was last night.

Yup. Cinemalaya.

(Of course, I needn't tell you guys anyway because you were there with me. Hahaha!)

So, going back. Cinemalaya. Well, the Cinemalaya Opening to be exact. To be perfectly honest, I did not expect what transpired when we finally got there. I did not expect it to be so much fun. I'd gladly do it over again just to feel the thrill and experience the awe I felt, entering the venue.

Another confession. I dislike Filipino cinema. I don't watch Filipino films if I don't have to, and I'm dead sure that if this Cinemalaya wasn't required for class, I would not have attended of my own accord. However, like I've been saying, this experience was just so different. It totally dashed my previous notions and drew a distinction between the class of Filipino mainstream and Filipino independent cinema. And when I say different, I mean fantabulously amazing.

So since we were together during the ride there, I needn't describe that. Haha. To make things a bit more interesting, I'll make a countdown of the Top 5 fun/interesting/memorable/wacky things we did, saw or experienced during the opening.

#1. POSING LIKE A MOVIE STAR- We couldn't exactly party like a rock star in uniforms, so we did the next best thing! Camwhoring by the movie posters outside CCP was so much fun. It was a good thing there weren't many people when we arrived, or else people would have been staring at us as we went gaga over the movie posters and the beautiful backdrop of CCP.

Then again, scratch that. We should give them something to stare at! Haha!

#2. THE ATMOSPHERE- I couldn't possibly miss this. Street food, street lights and the presentation of a weird urban reality that cool Friday afternoon was a surreal experience. Bodies painted blue, bearded ladies and rides that were probably borrowed from the amusement park next door were all over the place. And the food! Oh, the food! Let my satisfaction speak for itself! I wasn't sure if you guys liked the street food. As for me, I'm craving for another round of dirty ice cream. :D

#3. STAR-STUDDED CARPET- We didn't exactly have a red carpet, but there were PLENTY of stars that night, remember? Boy Abunda was there. So was Rosanna Roces. And I do recall some Kulasas going crazy over Kuya Bogs (sans the long hair). He really is a hottie. Haha! Not my type, though. Musicians only for me.

#4. ADELA- On second thought, this should be number 1. It's not that I haven't had a taste of indie films before, it's just that this simple yet powerful movie managed to move me to near-tears in my seat. I'd like not to elaborate on this, because I'm sure we had such different experiences while watching it. However, take a minute or two after reading this post to remember her story and it's significance in our lives. :)

#5. And the funnest thing about Cinemalaya? BONDING WITH YOU GUYS. (Cue Awwww!) Whether it was my perfect, Blairbanded hair or going crazy in the restrooms, this magical night was made more magical by the people I was with. As Joe Jonas would say, it was a B-L-A-S-T!!

So there! My Cinemalaya experience in a nutshell. Pictures have been stolen from your multiplys. :) Haha!

I can't wait to watch the other films. I've already printed out the sched. Which do we watch first? Text me!

xoxo
Jas (gossip girl)

P.S. My hair was still AWESOME no matter what.
P.P.S. I'm totally getting a gold Blairband.

Indie Films Are Not Ordinary

Hello there girls!!! These are some of the pictures that we had during Cinemalaya!!!

Cinemalaya

Picture Taken w/ Boy Abunda and Erik Santos

Band Playing Outside

Ketchup's Interview

Dancing Fountain

Outside CCP

With Some of Our Former Blockmates

Trip

Inside The Jeep

Karatula

With the Director of Photography of Jay

With the Director and Jay's Nay Luz

Having Fun Outside CCP

After knowing that our class will be attending the Cinemalaya event for this year, I really got excited. This is because even before in my high school days, I was already introduced by my professors to different kinds of independent movies. Through that, I was able to understand easily the essence of the stories behind films. Therefore, I realized that these movies are more interesting to watch than those in the mainstream.

Why? Independent films are made almost by young filmmakers. And for me, I was really inspired knowing that some of the entries in this year’s Cinemalaya were made by young producers. I keep on saying “Makakagawa rin ako ng ganyan!!!” every time I watch those kinds of films. Even though they are not yet in the competitive world of the mainstream industry (which I think every media practitioner wants to go through), they were able to move the mass with the concepts that their stories encompass. Usually, independent films divulge social relevance and advocacies that are known, sometimes very personal to the director and sometimes not explored by the mainstream. And I think these factors make the indie films more “attention-grabbing” than the ordinary. Right girls?

That is why I was so grateful because not only I was with you guys but because I had the chance to experience of going through these kinds of events which I think completes the reason why I chose the course Mass Communication. I was able to understand that unlike any other actors in the show business; I want to explore the industry and to be a part of its working team. I realized that someday I also want to be a script writer, a producer, a director and not only a viewer. I realized that I want to move people and influence them of the notions that I will put in my future productions. (In short, I want to be complete. Yeah, I know what you are thinking girls…) :)

PS: I will never ever forget the first time that we entered the theatre inside CCP to watch “Adela”. There we saw different actors and actresses and even directors that we usually see on TV. We even bothered to take pictures with them not for souvenirs but for popularity’s sake. We were actually looking up to them because we’re sitting near the screen. And then I told one of you guys that “Darating din ang panahon, tayo rin ang titingalain…” sounds amusing? But seriously, we know in ourselves that one way or another, we aim to be like them. :)

Till next time,
Shobe :)

A Cinemalaya Adventure..=)

CINEMALAYA..=)

OMG!! What a week! The Cinemalaya week was really fun and memorable! Of course, because I had you guyz with me (awww..). I enjoyed the thrill of commuting and going to CCP. That was my first time to commute going there. Because of you guyz, I discovered that those orange jeeps (that looked like school buses to me) can actually bring us to CCP. Thanks a lot! haha.

The Orange jeep (or school bus) that brought us to CCP. Go Shobe.=)

Now going back to Cinemalaya, the opening was super grand. It was a blast! Don’t you agree? There were foods like ice cream, taho and fishball available for FREE (now that’s interesting!). I really wanted to try all the foods there but most of the lines were long. Sadly, the taho was the only food I was able to taste.='(

Anyway, do you guyz remember that fat and creepy-looking lady in costume? Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to share that she scared me a lot! You noticed it, didn’t you? I don’t know why, she just looked so real that she really scared me. When she looked at me, it seems like wanted to eat me alive! That was Freaky!!

There she is!! Scary!! x_x

During the program proper, I enjoyed the productions they prepared. They were just sooo amazing. I admire them so much that I have established this dream of becoming one of the CCP’s performers one day. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll be able to make it. Don’t worry guyz, if that happens, I’ll invite you to watch my stage plays for free. haha. Im such a dreamer!

The performers..=)

But the best part for me in our Cinemalaya experience was meeting the “stars”. The Cinemalaya was so star-studded! The actors and directors were just steps away from us. We can actually talk to them and take pictures with them. That was so cool!! I was really starstrucked when I saw Ping Medina or “Kuya Bogs” in person. Actually, I didn’t recognize that it was Kuya Bogs as first because of his clean cut. In fairness, He was cute!! haha. I’m really hoping to see him again.=)

Oh well, till next time guyz. Hoping to have another great bonding time with all of you. I love y'all!!mua!!

Lovelots,

ken-ken..=)

Cinemalaya Experience : )

with Mr. Francis Pasion

Remember this picture guys???hehe : ) This was the first good-quality shot we had with the director of “Jay”… I remember those times that we were so “kulet” and we keep on asking Mr. Francis Pasion if he could take pictures with us. Mmm … I guess we had more than ten pictures with him! Haha … : )

group pic before watching JAY

So, what can I say about our Cinemalaya days together? First of all, I really had fun during those days. I never thought that it would be so much fun as I expected it would be. We had a great time with the stars… haha feeling close?? Well anyway, the opening of Cinemalaya was really Star-studded. We were all going crazy that night because all of us wanted to take pictures with them even with “Ketchup Eusebio”… And oh I can’t forget the crazy moments we had when we saw Kuya Bogs. Oh my God he’s so cute, until now I can’t stop myself from laughing out loud every time someone mentions his name. How I wish I would see him again? : (

picture with Kuya Bogs..blurred:(

Going back to Cinemalaya experience, I was really inspired by the way the young directors did the film. Their aim is not to make money but rather to moved the people who were watching the film. Now I know why others say that independent films are way way better and much more interesting than mainstream. While we were watching Jay, I remember I asked someone (I think it was you karen?) "Kelan kaya tayo makakagawa ng ganyan?", that time i feel so excited to learn more about tv production so that in the near future we can do such inspiring films... And now that the Cinemalaya days were over, I've come to realized that maybe the main reason why I chose Mass communication is because my dream is to be a director, a producer or a well-known advertiser someday just like them.. So Shobe your right "Darating din ang panahon, tayo rin ang titingalain"..hehe:)

Anyway, the trip became more fun and exciting because of you guys. Aww … I really had a great time with all of you. I feel at ease whenever I’m with you guys. I mean although we weren’t that close before, it feels like I’ve known you guys for years after the trip . Drama? hehe but it’s true…

P.S - By the way I realized that all of us have one thing in common and that is VANITY!!We really had this vanity inside us and that was the worst sin we committed during the Cinemalaya experience..haha : ) Right girls??

LOVESYOU ALL

ALYSSA:)