my family has been spared from the flood, thank you Lord. but running water in the city is nonexistent and it seems it will remain so for another month.  a lot of families have been displaced from the river area, and more found dead (960 as of last week’s count) making this the worse natural calamity to hit the country.  thank God i had my laundry done before i flew here (and was able to weed out clothes we werent using anymore and giving them up as relief goods so my closet is now decluttered and very much organized).  and because i was so busy on my last day in manila, i totally erred deciding i skip taking a bath prior to leaving for the airport because we were try to meet a work deadline AND packing for the trip. i forgot there was no water in CDO!

will enjoy my christmas weekend in mindanao but will have to fly back to manila right after to start preparations for a tvc in january.  what vacation?  unsa na? cheers and to more shoot projects and hopefully to more blog entries!

rest in peace, steve.

kuya ramon keeping the shooting dogs in line and ready for a take.

New York City-based fashion photographer Jamie Beck, in collaboration with Kevin Burg, a web designer with a background in video and motion graphics, has created a series of gorgeous animated GIFs she calls “cinemagraphs”. A couple of them feature Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha, and these have gained quite a bit of media exposure recently. According to Rocha, cinemagraphs are “more than a photo, but not quite a video.”

Jamie Beck’s first few animated images were sequenced still shots looped in rapid succession which is a fairly common way of making an animated image. Then she began utilizing more fluid motion isolated in certain parts of an image to to capture a moment of time, but also to un-freeze a still photograph by showing that moment’s temporal movement. Says Jamie Beck:

We feel there are many exciting applications for this type of moving image. There’s movement in everything and by capturing that plus the great things about a still photograph you get to experience what a video has to offer without the time commitment a video requires.

see more from the amazing planet website here or from here

the deliciously stylish film, set in milan in the year 2000, follows a haute bourgeoisie family through changing times and fortunes, and its disruption by the force of passion. the title is taken from a line from the aria La mamma morta, which is explored in the film philadelphia (starring tom hanks and denzel washington), a scene of which emma is watching while in bed with her husband, during the film. wiki source

the detail that went into the film is beyond words. it was a beautiful showcase of family, tradition and the unmaking of it. every frame of this film is a masterpiece and every scene just breathtaking.  i love the real time take on the opening sequence where the whole family arrives and sits for lunch while swinton, gorgeous in a burgundy dress, orchestrates the household serving the perfect meal from her seat.

the opening titles had me at hello. it is reminiscent of many old films by visconti, hitchcock and the like

much of the film was set at the villa necchi campiglio in milan, which is a character in itself. the interiors, reckoned the producers, were a wonderful mix of home, museum and prison.  i marveled that the director highlighted the house by showing us not just the main rooms of the villa but also its kitchen, staircases, sitting rooms, entryways and even the househelp’s private quarters.

“I wrote a script that called for a cube of marble with a big staircase and sharp surfaces,” Guadagnino says. “I was banging my head trying to find a home that suggested great wealth but also a restrained sensibility.” After searching for years, he saw Villa Necchi in a book and immediately knew that it was the one. “It shows the obsession with perfection and details that the Milanese bourgeoisie have,” he says. “Old money always comes with great charm. Their real success is making others believe that money doesn’t exist — and luxury, as most people perceive it, doesn’t really exist in this house. It’s very severe, and feels almost unmovable, like a piece of rock.” source

this was the creation of italian architect and designer piero portaluppi and was built between 1932 to 1935 as a showpiece of italian rationalist and fascist architecture, a fusion of neo-classicism and streamlined modernism.  the villa was a far cry from the ornate palazzos in the area and boasted a tennis court, a garage and one of milan’s first heated swimming pool.  it was inhabited by producers of cast iron and enameled sewing machines, gigina and nedda necchi (coincidentally rhymes with the film’s recchi family), and gigina’s husband, angelo campiglio, who gave lavish parties for royalty and the elite until the fascist republican party held office in the place and the owners had to move out into the countryside in 1943.

the design is rationalist and featured grand proportions, stark lines and this german silver sliding door

the house boasts of exquisite marble, grand ceilings and lots of chandeliers

in 2008 the villa was opened to the public and became a museum.  when gigina died in 2001, short of a year to be a centenarian, the house was bequeathed to italy’s national trust for restoring and preserving historical buildings.

much was given attention to the food served in the film. these creations from carlo cracco of ristorante cracco in milan served to fuel the story forward and act as devices and anchors in the film. never had food been shot like this and looked so sexy! the actor, edoardo gabbriellini, worked with chef cracco himself for a month to learn the intricacies and subtleties of creating these dishes and know how to handle knives and kitchen equipment.

chef carlo, in an interview at the sundance film festival, explains,

“I tried to get into the characters to best understand what was inside them and what their aspirations were. I wondered: what do these people want? What moves them? Actually that is the same thing that I do every time a customer takes a seat in my restaurant. I try to understand his psychology and his spirit, to offer the dish and experience that he may crave at that very moment. Cooking is above all communication, because it is where the magic of interchange may take place that ties people together and unites them with this very fine and magical thread that is food. In some cases, it brings them closer.” source

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watch this seduction on eating prawns with ratatouille in sweet and sour sauce served for emma recchi

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i have already talked in length about the film’s design but i have not even delved into the fashion and music of I Am Love. the film was written and edited around the score of john adams so that is something to look forward to. do take note no part of the score was composed for the film, they were all existing material. the director became such a fan of adams and even invited co-producer swinton to catch a concert performance of adams. he was asked to produce original material for the film but declined to due to conflicts in schedule. taray lang!

here’s the official trailer of the film, largely showcasing the music of john adams

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of course the film is rooted on the virtuoso performance of tilda swinton. her emotional journey takes you to new heights as her alabaster skin glow and dim with each scene. the beauty of this film and its elements have clearly exhausted my capabilities to express myself clearly and eloquently. you get the picture now go watch it. i am love was nominated for at the 68th academy award for best foreign language film and best costume design. it lost to denmark’s in a better world and to colleen atwood for her costume work in alice in wonderland.

sources:
wikipedia on i am love
imdb on i am love
ny times article on villa necchi
ny times movie review
meade design
moviefone review
the world’s 50 best.com on carlo cracco’s food

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i remember hearing this song on the radio as a kid and it was a huge hit in the 80s. it wasnt until i heard the original version that i was blown away by the power of the song. i only learned/realized this year (what?!!) that the song was from chess the musical, written by tim rice and music by benny andersson and björn ulvaeus (from ABBA, yes that group). whitney’s version is very pop, palatable to a larger audience but im starting to love the musical version more and more. chess the musical involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an american (frederick trumper, loosely based on grandmaster bobby fischer) and a russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman (florence) who manages one and falls in love with the other; all in the context of a cold war struggle between the US and the soviet union, during which both countries wanted to win international chess tournaments for propaganda purposes (source wikipedia).

let me just say, listening to the various versions of this song will overwhelm and may even confuse you. and you might even end up hating the song for too much recall. my apologies in advance

i know him so well is sung by florence, the lover, and svetlana, the estranged wife, reflecting on their relationship with anatoly (the russian chess player).  the london cast version was recorded by elaine paige with siobhán mccarthy but here’s paige (florence) and barbara dickinson’s (svetlana) hit version from the original concept album (1984).

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when the show moved to broadway in 1988, judy khun replaces elaine paige as the role was rewritten to be an american. here, she sings this song with marcia mitzman. for the uninformed, judy khun played cosette in les miserables for the original broadway cast and was singing voice of pocahontas (whose version of “colors of the wind” will remain my favorite over vanessa williams’s pop take). this is such a beautiful version i never tire listening to (along with paige’s version) on loop.

listen to this again and try to imagine pocahontas singing this

in 2008 a concert version was staged with josh groban (anatoly), adam pascal (from rent and aida, playing freddie) and idina menzel (of wicked and glee fame, as florence). i do think her version of “i know him so well” with kerry ellis was an abysmal performance. although i love idina as elpheba, she was just screechy in this version.  kerry ellis also played elpheba on broadway.

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the always magnificent lea salonga sings the song in a tv show in the 90s (probably aired on rpn9).

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elaine paige sings along with one her biggest fans, susan boyle in this link here. we should remember susan boyle did mention her greatest idol was paige during her famous audition in the tv show, britain’s got talent.  there is another version recorded by barbra streisand with richard page in 1992.  of course, locally the divine kuh ledesma, with regine velasquez, covers the song here (start at 4:23 if you wanna get straight to the song). another with regine and lani misalucha here (start at 4:09).  the australian pop group, steps, also performs this song (accent is heavy!). link is here.

stumbled upon an amazing male version by john barrowman and daniel boys. they didn’t bother changing the lyrics here. awesome!

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this blogpost is sort of a comparative study, if you may, on the different performances of this incredible song.  ive listened to paige and kuhn’s versions endlessly i just had to blog it. it was inevitable. to lessen the blow of listening to various versions of the same song, i leave you with another beautiful song from chess the musical. this is someone else’s story, performed by judy khun (remember pocahontas?) and was only written when the show moved to broadway.  first heard this song when lea salonga performed it in her broadway concert (link here).  let’s listen to the original version:

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im all for im-all-alone songs from musicals (someone else’s story, aida’s i know the truth, and avenue q’s there’s a fine, fine line, etc.) but let’s save that for another day and another blog entry. cheers!

i was excited when teaser clips of this film were circulated.  what’s not to love? a younger batch of x-men in the 60s? it’s like porn. and rightly so, with the magnetic chemistry and undeniable bromance between professor charles x xavier and erik lehnsherr, played by james mcavoy and michael fassbender.

this may be the best x-men film out there for me. the pacing was right and fassbenber’s performance is just killer. he owned the film actually.  online reviews reflect a more mixed feedback but im all for this film. weak link was probably january jones, playing the white queen, because she doesnt seem to know how to act.  she always had this blank stare and looked like she’s eternally bored and it’s not a very convincing bored look in the first place!

but the biggest selling point for me with this film is the 60s look. i thought it was an obvious route for director matthew vaughn to take this movie to that era because he also did the 60s advertising tv series, mad men.  i apparently have mistaken him for matthew weiner haha.  vaughn, a totally different guy, produced lock stock and two smoking barrels with director guy ritchie (ex-mr.madonna) before he went on to direct stardust and kick-ass, among others.

credit for the gorgeous set design go to the production designer chris seagers and his team of art directors led by john king and dawn swiderski plus set decoration by erin boyd and sonja klaus. costume design is by sammy sheldon. i just love anything 60s-70s.  they’re so much fun to look at and do.  full info at imdb.com.  i do not take credit for the photos below.  details on the photos were taken from architectural digest.  im just a fan 

more after the jump.

this is englefeld house in london, which served as the x-mansion and home of professor charles x xavier

this was in an existing room in the mansion, furnished with additional books and other furniture pieces.

this set was built at pinewood studios in england.  the soundstage was built in 1976 for james bond’s the spy who loved me film.  from the photos posted in architectural digest, it was noted this bedroom’s walls were painted with a red base coat and finished with the emerald top coat to create tonal depth on screen. this are painting techniques i should have learned in art school.  would have helped me a lot with my painting for the set i did in erik matti’s aswang (just finished shooting).

this kremlin war room is shot on location at the australia house, a 1918 london landmark.  the design team added “simple, architecturally noninvasive touches” like the rounded conference desk and that map, a free-standing installation.  ahlovet!

this was also shot on location at farnborough airport (which used to be a british aviation research center). that plane installed is made of foam (!) to avoid damaging the existing structure.  nicholas hoult plays beast and jennifer lawrence is a younger mystique (the mystique in the original trilogy was played by rebecca romijn).

this fireproof set was constructed also at pinewood studios.  with lucas tiil as havok

winner set! i love the 60s wallpaper, decor and even the circular couch.  i found a similar looking coffee table for sale at mandaue foam in ortigas extension!  this submarine room and the other connection sets were built in the studio. sebastian shaw is played by kevin bacon and january jones plays emma frost.

ooh, reel-to-reel tape recorder!  my grandfather had one of those and recorded computer data on them (!).

this was a mix of real mirror and and CG work to pull-off. you cant have the camera reflecting on the panels.

from the AD article, designer seagers is quoted, “They’re not screaming,” he says of the historic filming locations and artfully constructed interiors. “Rather than becoming their own characters in the film, they create a mood and serve as wallpaper for the actors and the story.”

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forgive me if i geek out a bit more.  here are some screencaps of the film. my apologies for the low-res quality, the official dvd and blu-ray copies of the film wont be out until september 2011. please indulge me in drooling over the set pieces.  the couch set looks very eames or parker knoll, 60s danish/german pieces with the boxy build and steel legs.

i remember my mother had similar-patterned drapes with that green decorative wall panel

gorgeous patterned wall!

and a vintage (well at least today) jukebox, in “far-away” blue 

i love that whenever michael fassbender appears on screen, the movie felt like real serious film noir similar to the bourne films and the james bond thrillers in the 70s.  his mutant powers didnt seem as outrageous when fassbender threw knives like he did in the bar scene because he made it so realistic. im sold! he’s magneto!

lovely paneling.  check out the lamps and those throw pillows. the long couch also speak much of the era, or perhaps a decade too early.

the US war room.  this design is iconic. nuff said.  you can also see this room in dr. strangelove, monsters vs. aliens and mars attacks.

i love the furnishings on top of the submarine (or was this a yacht?).  check out the studded spritzer at the back and that dome-shaped lamp! *drool.

i like the piping on the futton mattresses.

yey more mid century furniture at the back. and another lamp.  we have something similar to that lamp 

always loved the look of the hot point 60s refrigerators (i cant read the letters on this unit though). if you happen to be throwing out yours (even if it is not working), id like to have it 

of course my joy for the set pieces didnt take me away from the story of the film.  i still followed the movie and enjoyed it immensely but i had to watch a 2nd time to absorb the background better. haha  another gorgeous movie i should be writing and raving about is tilda swinton’s o sono l’amore ( i am love). although the movie isnt 60-70s but the house practically runs on that aesthetic and well, would need its own blog writeup next time. for now, buy and watch X-Men 1st Class again when the video comes out next month. cheers!

this is y’egas, a t’boli singer from lake sebu in south cotabato. i came across her in 2004 when i went up the area to work on a documentary (which unfortunately i didn’t finish).  the first time i met her at her home and asked her to sing for the documentary, y’egas started lamenting in song about the conditions of her people and fighting for ancestral domain land titles in a largely government protected area (watershed). i gave her a token of thanks (p500) for her help and left.  i later learned from my guide that she didnt like me recording her; she was saying i might exploit her and her people and all that jazz. i was oblivious because she sang in her native tongue and didnt speak a word of bisaya! i also found out my recording got corrupted (used minidv tapes and for some reason they were pixelated and “choppy”) so i had to go back and redo the footage. i braved asking her to sing again and thankfully this time she was more than helpful, smiled a lot more and sang of the beauty of lake sebu and hoped i bring with me only good memories of her and her land.  she even recounted the death of a beloved datu chieftain and sang about a local epic.  here is the video to that song.

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sorry, i have no way of translating this video.  took me a while to find this file, one of the few scenes i was able to digitally convert and keep 5 years ago, and upload on youtube.  has it been that long?  i have one more of y’egas dancing and her brother, ma’afil, playing the hegolung he made for me.  ill upload this vid at another time.  here are my blog entries on the trip around zamboanga and lake sebu in 2004:

cruising down the freeway in the hot hot sun
more on motorcycle diaries

I need a couch. Sitting on the bed watching movies from a laptop computer just doesnt cut it. And it puts me to sleep fast, even if im watching something exciting like top chef or daniel craig coming out of the water.

Luna, my late 2008 macbook pro is currently sluggish. im only running at 3gb of ram but i dont believe that explains why over the past year it has become increasingly slow to process some stuff. It’s old by Steve Jobs’s standard. Online forums indicate my HDD probably needs replacement. Ive only upgraded to snow leopard at the beginning of the year but i dont believe i should move to Lion because of the speed issue. I love this machine, esp its design over the unibody. My matte 15″ screen wins over the glossy glass surface any day. I dont think im open to replacing this yet so i hope it’s just the HDD.

My plans for the 2nd half of the year has not come to fruition, nor is it likely to happen. Im not gonna tell you what it is, just that it wont be happening for now. I do pray 2012 would be kinder. It should, especially since it’s the end of the world and we all have to move to China!

Random as random can be, thoughts trickle past when you’re idle. And nowadays, you process these thoughts by tweeting about it, posting on facebook or writing a blog. I decided to blog. Enjoy your long weekend.

photo credit dale iranon

1. strict implementation on jeepney stops, an organized and logical pila system. what we can do in UP, we can do in the world.  add to that an improved traffic decongesting scheme on top of the color-coding and a stricter anti-smoke belching campaign implementation.  also we should have a centralized/unified smoke belching certificate.  right now, you have to get a different one from every city –pasig, mandaluyong, makati etc and they’re not offering official receipts! read: raket!  we must have more MRT train cars. and more blowers in the MRT stations! ang init kaya! and an EDSA skyway that skips cubao and mandaluyong haha 

2. Save the earth, Manila! stronger better programs on recycling and campaigns on environmental awareness, privatized garbage collection, garbage cans every 100 meters, urinals every half kilometer.  we should promote a greener Manila, a greener Philippines. i applaud how Bayani cleaned up Marikina (though he garnered more critics when he became MMDA chief) and how Hagedorn practiced green living in Palawan . it can be done! Cuerpo’s garbage disposal solutions in Montalban were for the books and his methane plant would have really helped. unfortunately, his detractors pushed him out of office, dont quote me    a lot more cities should adopt the no plastics/styro ordinance. please! yes to recyclable bags for groceries and to wheeled carts.  we also need more trees. our urban development should include a tree plan or better yet, a park plan. more parks built = more trees planted. building codes should be revised imposing a 30% tree/park plan for every site being developed.  and a 10% provision for pedestrian passageways! walang daan ang mga tao juskoday. our streets are almost not people friendly. i do commend makati with trees, the parks, the wide walkways and an elevated catwalk along dela rosa. it’s practically fun to walk in makati because you wont get run over!

3. appreciation (and preservation) of heritage structures. yun yon

4.  no more billboards EVER (esp since di na pwede underwear ads hahaha). we’ll miss views like this but let’s look up to the night sky instead. no more free-standing billboards on EDSA and the major highways.

5.  clean, potable water from our faucets.  in my childhood, we could drink water from a hose. let’s bring that back.

6. clean fuel for vehicles.  if our gasoline and diesel were processed better, there would be less carbon emissions (please correct me if i got this wrong). less soot on roadside structures, less pollutants in the air. better yet, let’s go electric! or have a hydro car or a solar-powered one. 

7. building more construction of farm-to-market roads, more rewards for farmers and removal of middle men.  let’s help the farmers, not the men who do less sweat and still take home the larger bulk of income. also, if we invest more in our lands, we may need not import goods we can grow ourselves.

8. subsidies and more education grants for IP youths, more lumad schools so they get educated but still maintain their cultures. land certificates for the indigenous people, more programs for training IPs to be better farmers and managers of their lands. empowerment to the people, let’s not keep them in the dark.

9. streamlined tax collection system. perhaps we can pay our taxes through online banking. or have we already started that?

10. promotion and patronizing locally produced goods.  the US market is receiving flak because of high fructose corn syrup and many other unhealthy extenders in US processed foods, indirectly causing a high rise in obesity and diabetes cases in the states.  we should be grateful, for example, our locally made peanut butter is unstable and has oil (check lily’s); that means it’s natural and there is less preservatives. our veggies have lesser carbon footprint since the Philippines is a much smaller country than the US.  our food may not be exempted from the use of preservatives and extenders, but i think it’s way better than their US counterparts. please read food labels and their ingredients!

11. improved health classes in schools, encouraging better dental and skin health for all and providing more services for them; the passing of the RH bill. health is wealth, so they say. PEHM classes should now be more comprehensive, discussing food and diet in detail, making gym fun and accessible to even the dweebest of the dweebs.  schools should teach how to read and understand labels, effects of too much sugar and salt, calorie content and how to measure their intake.  kids should know which food item is healthier just by reading labels.  the first three ingredients listed in any product indicate the largest components of that item. bottled iced tea lists water, sugar and tea, in that order. that means, there’s more sugar than anything (which is why i stopped drinking bottled iced teas).  school programs should encourage our youth to be fit, toned and be body gorgeous! we should instill dental hygiene practices like flossing, gargling with hydrogen peroxide, the pinas is not exactly dental health conscious.  the RH bill should already be put in effect 20 years ago so we can start reaping its benefits. sex education, information on reproductive health for our kids and in barrios where it is most needed. aborti-what? even the pope encourages condom use.

12. promotion of tropical design versus american/euro style homes.  the greater population should understand why we cant keep having all this american style homes in a tropical country! it’s too damn hot! also, tropical design is also green architecture; design considers orientation of the house to maximize airflow and minimizing solar heat. more windows, better ventilation and lighting, lesser use of air-conditioning and lights.  redirect rainwater and laundry water for washing the garage or for flushing toilets. form should follow function. bathrooms are living areas too, dont make it the size of a broom closet!  we need to promote our cultural sensibilities in design! we need more kenneth cobonpues, more budji layugs and ann pamintuans, more locsins and lichaucos!  more important than promoting them abroad is promoting them here in the philippines, maximizing their talents and creating awareness and more appreciation in the motherland. we tend to look up to international designers when we can do better by buying local.

13. centralized ID system, centralized banking system if possible. forget what nostradamus feared, 1 ID may be all we need.

14. cheaper unlimited data plans for mobile phones or tablets hehe or a wi-fi ready manila! how about being out in the park and bam! we got wi-fi with up to 16mbps speeds! haha

15. instill nationalism and pride in local efforts and practices (like, support pinoy movies!).  no more colonial and crab mentality! please no more negativity. there should be no factor in the bakya.  ok, there’s jejemon and pre-2k jologs type pero kanya-kanya lang yang trip. no need to separate yourself from the other. we’re all in the same boat, we breathe the same dirty air and hide from the same sun.  japan was able to help its economy after the world war by keeping out of the world market. the japanese bought japanese. by this they were able to instill local pride.  when the japanese go abroad, they still bought japanese-made products and that helped their economy a lot. since products continued to improve, the world wanted their products and so a happy cycle was established.  in the same vein, if pinoys bought pinoy, quality of products would improve because tayo na nga gagamit then more would buy it.  if pinoys watched more pinoy movies, im sure we’d have better fare since we’re helping the industry. if pinoys stopped heckling lower class sentiments and see the beauty in the positive, our culture would be richer and more exciting. i love what team manila is doing, maybe they should instead be called the Department of Tourism. oops.

it was only after writing my first draft that i read this other article on dreaming for a better manila. there are a lot of similar wants for manila here. goes to show a lot of people want the same basic things and changes. im sure the government would have picked up on these ideas as well. i just hope it translates to some constructive reality.

A selection of some of the most awesome Behind-the-scenes shots I’ve seen from some famous movies. Back when set designs were huge and hand made, when special effects where mechanical and photographic and film stars were risking their lives on the set.

SEE THIS GALLERY HERE: BEST OF BTS  –reposting the photos below

source: Ain’t It Cool News specifically here and here

A self portrait of Stanley Kubrick with his daughter, Jack Nicholson and the crew @ the set of The Shining. Production Design by Roy Walker. Art Direction by Leslie Tomkins, Costume Design by Milena Canonero. Source

On the set of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis — the actress inside the Maria robot taking a breather.

The Empire Strikes Back – filming the Crawl.

darth vader and director Irvin Kershner. i love empire strikes back more than star wars and return of the jedi. it was a much fuller story and direction was so much better. Production Design by Norman Reynolds. Art Direction by Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins. Set Decoration by Michael Ford. Costume Design by John Mollo. Source

the swamp where luke first meets yoda.

Rebel Without A Cause — James Dean, Natalie Wood and director Nicholas Ray.

Sesame Street

Requiem for a Dream — Jennifer Connelly strapped into a SnorriCam. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Cinematography by pinoy Matthew Libatique. Production Design by James Chinlund, Art Direction by Judy Rhee, Set Decoration by Ondine Karady

The Gate (1987) — Giant special effect set. © Craig Reardon

The Birds (1961) — Tippi Hedren with Hitchcock.

set of Alien. nominated at the oscars for art direction. Directed by Ridley Scott. the alien itself was designed by H.R. Giger. Production Design by Michael Seymour, Roger Christian (uncredited), Art Direction by Roger Christian, Leslie Dilley. Set Decoration by Ian Whittaker, Costume Design by John Mollo. source

h.r. giger on set. winnneeeeerrrrrrrr *drool*

stan winston working on the queen in Aliens. Directed by James Cameron. Production Design by Peter Lamont. Art Direction by Terry Ackland-Snow (supervising art director), Ken Court, Bert Davey, Fred Hole, Michael Lamont. Set Decoration by Crispian Sallis. Source

Private Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) on the set of Aliens. idol ko sha!  she also worked with cameron on Terminator 2 as furlong’s foster mom and Titanic as that mother with the 2 kids.  source

marshmallow man in 1984′s Ghostbusters

Superman seems flying on the set.

on the set of Mothra (1961) – special effects director Tsuburaya Eiji

Dr. Strangelove — Sellers & Kubrick. Production Design by Ken Adam, Art Direction by Peter Murton.

Tron (1982) — David Warner and Bruce Boxleitner fuck around in costume. Production Design by Dean Edward Mitzner, Art Direction by John B. Mansbridge, Al Roelofs. Set Decoration by Roger M. Shook, Costume Design by Eloise Jensson, Rosanna Norton. source

Nosferatu (1922) — only Max Schreck “lounged” like that.

on the set of Faust.

Godfather — fish-line bullet holes.

Sean Connery sleeping on the set. awaaaard source

King Kong (1933)

on the spaceship set of 2001: A Space Odyssey. *drool* love this movie. won the academy award for best art direction. Production Design by Ernest Archer, Harry Lange, Anthony (Tony) Masters. Art Direction by John Hoesli, Set Decoration by Robert Cartwright (uncredited) source imdb

i have been in mindanao since june 14. id be away from work for a month by the time i get back to manila next week. i have planned to do some paperwork and work out obligations but more importantly i came here to nestle with my parents and allow myself more family time.  i realized i needed to invest more time with mundane but real live moments with my mother and father especially in their winter years.  ordinary lunches, taking out the trash for my mom, accompanying my dad for a daytrip to iligan, merienda at chowking and desserts at candy’s with my sisters, watching documentaries with my dad and carlo on my flat screen tv that i only get to use when im in mindanao.  all those sorts. they are important to me.

work is important as well. i am aware enough of the need to earn but for whom?  what is life but a series of events you choose to live through. at the end of this life, you check what youve done.  and at the end of my life, i would want to say that more than work, designing and earning money, the more important aspect is the people i love and to enjoy life with them, literally.

the past few weeks ive spent time with my sister and brother-in-law at the beach, buying at the wet market and at save more with my mother, taking a stroll with my dad along velez st and eating bananacue, staying home with my sister watching movies or taking a walking tour with carlo around the city and making pit stops along the way.  ive gained 5 lbs from all the food, celebrated my birthday playing wii with cousins and ive taken no photos to document all this small events. nothing to post on facebook or twitter. well, maybe except for one.

i wish my parents good health, my sisters fulfilled lives, my brother-in-law security and more music, my nieces self-sufficiency, my nephew a focused life and carlo a flourishing career as a painter.  i wish me a productive life so i can celebrate more life moments with my family. so help me God.  cheers and may the good Lord bless y’all!

the challenge was to dress up actors as animals without covering their faces with masks. the animals need not be literal so carlo resorted to face paints as well as appropriating costumes to the intention. for example, the mother hen was dressed in a fully printed dress and shawl to push a more nanay look and the layered skirts copied the chicken’s heavily feathered bottom.

the sensual lady musang sported a fully painted body reminiscent to the tattooed women of benguet in the mountain province.

the dugong (sea cow) below

the pawikan (sea turtle) with his woven native knapsack

particularly enjoyed the makeup and costumes for the monkeys 

the agila (philippine eagle)

boyboy gets back home and sadly tells his rooster father and mother hen the harsh realities of the world

but there is always hope

the production ran only a few shows and did a series of campus tours.  check this facebook page for more photos and credits.  you may get additional information by contacting the university of the east drama company (uedc) through their facebook.  “uyayi ng ulan” written by nick pichay, directed by erick r. castro. original music by wendell alinea, randy padua, albert liwanag and ashamir balangue, musical director alshamir balangue. set designers allan bonifacio and the cast, set supervisor ramon de mesa.

costumes and makeup by carlo tabije, additional makeup by benjamin padero. all photos here by me  cheers!