So I haven’t been blogging for quite a long time but no fret. Here I am, typing out some long-held thoughts so I that my mind won’t have to wonder so much.
The US reality series Survivor has been on the air for 14 years and have aired 27 seasons thus far. Three of the most recent seasons have been held here in the Philippines, two seasons shot in the Caramoan Islands in Bicol and the one currently airing was filmed on-location in Palaui Island off the coast of Cagayan Province.
I had a strange dream last night. I saw myself sleeping in the couch of GMA’s 10th floor, knowing I’m no longer an employee there and when I woke up, I’m now in this place that looks like a pub filled with a lot of GMA people.
Somewhere, I was there.
Sometimes, good things never last but are never forgotten. But in the case of DWKX’s latest incarnation, 103.5 Wow FM†, it is better left hanged out to dry and say good riddance to it completely. That’s how I felt upon learning the station is going to undergo rapid changes in a matter of at least a week. The Max FM listener in me is jumping in joy.
Big Brother USA is back and it’s bigger than ever. For the first time, I’m live-blogging the BB15 premiere. Later this week, I’m doing a full video recap on BB&J so you guys better subscribe.
Here we go!
Last June 21 (June 20 in the United States), CBS released pictures, interviews and biography profiles of sixteen all-new houseguests, who are all taking part in a summer long struggle to win half a million dollars in Big Brother 15.
The cast of BB15
As the input of Pinoy soaps increased in the 1990’s onwards to the new millenium, so are the ways and means for producers to get people hooked on whatever soap being shown on our TV screens. Other than the glossy title cards, the cheesy storylines, the glamorous stars with oozing seks appeal, and the “showbiz-branded” titles to the casted soap/movie veterans, the one thing that serves as the primary heart nad soul is the theme music that accompanies a drama serial, as with any TV show found on any other genre.
90210 Forever!
Image courtesy of 90210-Media.org
For five seasons, 90210 have bravely fought the good fight, avoiding cancelation as much as possible until the very end. The youth-oriented drama that was spun-off from a popular 90’s teen soap, about a group of teenagers living their lives through twists and turns against the backdrop that is Beverly Hills, ended its 5-year run on a bittersweet feel-good note.
BYEBYE…For now!
Around Tuesday of this week, I was approached by one of my superiors to tell me the news I’ve been surprisingly expecting to hear for nearly a month. He told me that the powers that be decided not to re-sign me as a regular employee in the subsidiary company I’ve been working in for the past 7 months.
It was shocking but not surprising. I did not even react to the news like some shocked fellow who got thrown under the bus without even looking. I knew frm the moment I was approached the month before that I’m not impressing TPTB enough to warrant a regularized employment contract for me. The extended lifeline I was given of 4 weeks was my last ditch effort to prove myself worthy to TPTB but alas, halfway along the road, I realized my days in the companymight already be numbered.
The good thing to come out of this is that I can finaly have the long break I’ve been wanting to have for some time now since I haven’t really stopped working since I first entered the workforce the day after New Year’s Day last year. The small breaks I got from the holidays and the past monsoon season wasn’t enough thus I see the one I’m in right now as the thing that could help me rest myself after feeling burn-out for sometime now.
To be honest, I did love what I’m doing in my second job. Being part of the broadcast industry, I learned a lot of new tricks that I never knew before I stepped out of college almost 2 years ago. Yes, it can be a little lonely, especially if I’m in the graveyard shift, but it’s all part of the fun. I mean, I can solely focus on myself and my work without much disturbance.
I met a lot of really nice people who are not only there for me but also helped teach me the things I need to know with regards to the stuff I do as an editor. I owe it to them for all that I have learned now despite being “too young” in the eyes of TPTB.
I guess the biggest downfall I have that led to TPTB to give me the axe was the fact that nerves do get in the way with the things I do at work. It’s not that it is a hindering factor but the fact that I do get nervous and unsure sometimes made me fear that I might not be doing the way TPTB hoped it would be.
As the song goes, I did my best but I guess wasn’t good enough. Such is it unfortunate that I’m not gonna stick around any longer. Even several of my co-workers from upstairs were shocked to hear when I told them I was sorta kinda let go.
My parents were also caught be surprised when I told then the day before my last day. My dad was most especially affected as shown by started assumptions that I might have made some form of mistake the cost my spot in the company. That kinda showed how disappointed he is for me but knowing my dad, he just cares…in a not so comfortable way.
No biggie because I kept it cool throughout the whole ordealbecause I know that as someone who was trained to go both freelance and corporate, there will be opportunities for me to explore.
As a matter of fact, this may not be the end of the road for me in BB-TV. I’ve set my sights some place where I might be able to fully explore my skills and capabilities as an editor.
For the meantime, I’m gonna enjoy this long overdue break so let’s all keep on moving anyway!
Right now fans are still recovering from the devastating news that, after 5 years on the air, 9O21O, a continuing spin-off from the 1990’s youth drama Beverly Hills 90210, is ending this May.
As of this writing, the show is still in the middle of production for its final episode, the show’s 114th, tentatively titled “We All Fall Down”. Details are being kept under wraps save for leaked spoilers regarding a cliffhanger ending. That would most likely be retooled considering fans like me who have stucked to the show since day 1 need closure (as with any other long-running shows).
Graphika Manila came back with another annual edition only months after the most recent one ended in August 2012. But upon learning about its roster of speakers this year in addition to the new venue at the Philippine International Convention Center, I just had to go.
As early as 8:30am, a line of people waiting outside the plenary hall was already starting to get long so I was kinda lucky that I was even there at my earliest. The doors to the main venue didn’t open until later at 11am, past the previously announced 10am start of the conference, much to dismay many of the delegates. It must be a truly logistic nightmare to the organizers but I understand that they had technical trouble hours before so they had to worked extra hard to have them resolved before the day was over.
Once inside, I was fortunate that I got myself a seat near the front row, complete with clear visibility of the plenary hall’s main stage as well as audibility to hear the speakers when they talk. Plus, I kinda had this surreal feeling of this place again, since this where my college graduation rites were held almost two years ago. Oh, and did I mention that I also have quick access to the restroom? 😀
For the first time since I’ve started attending GM in 2009 (this is my third conference visit), I happened to like every one of the speakers they have this year. All of them have very interesting things to share to the audience. So basically, here’s what I think is a perfect way to summarize each and every one of them: They’re all AWESOME AND EPIC!
They really have made some very interesting lectures to share to us students and working professionals. Jessica Walsh mentioned that we should enjoy what we’re doing as we’re “playing” with the things we like to do while Jame White of Signal Noise, who by the way seems to have an infatuation for rainbows, said we should always go back to the roots of why we do this as a career, having us ask ourselves into why we are into the field of arts and design; and knowing what’s our motivations that made us this way in the first place.
Devil Robots, a design team who has a liking to all things tofu, showed us all their works and photos of their exhibitions they have had over the years in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. I think what was enlightening in their very humorous 45-hour session was that they always stick to what they’re main draw is, their signature mascot, To-Fu Oyako (a jumpsuit-wearing mother and son duo made of tofu). What started as a doodle made for a design contest in Japan has what probably kick-started a nearly 20-year career for these guys.
I’m not a Game of Thrones fan, however, what I did like but never got to watch was the movie Hugo. So I was glad that Benjamin Seide of PIXOMONDO showed us how their team of VFX-savvy people were able to create some really great stuff that made that movie so golden and Oscar-worthy. I also commend them on being able to do all great visual effects as well, despite on a limited budget, for Game of Thrones, which, I’m sure, is really difficult to do for a television show.
Despite the lack of Philippine-based Filipino artists this year, I do like that the organizers were able to at least bring in some Pinoy flavor with Sony Pictures Animation‘s Armand Serrano. A true-blue Thomasian, and a product of his university’s fine arts and design college, he was able to work his way until he reached into one of the big animation studios in the United States. I like what he said in his session about always trying to do your best even if your ideas gets dropped and the whole concept goes literally back to the drawing board. On the one hand, you still get paid for your work, and on the other, you can always integrate elements of your previous conceptual art for a new one.
Buck‘s Ryan Honey also made his point, in sharing his insight of being able to realize ideas that seems so farfetched or at the very least impossible to create. Case in point was the 70’s/80’s film effect Buck was able to recreate for a short movie about milk. He and his team really did look for the last remaining piece of equipment that could still functionally create those gnarly things on film And yeah, it’s never child’s play to play around at work.
I think the most inspiring lecture out of all the speakers this year belongs to Benja Harney, a paper engineer who literally design and create things out of paper. As with all the other types of art and design professions, it’s never a laughing matter when you are spending hours conceptualizing and realizing what seems to be complicated designs for paper. That’s why I’m amazed on how much thought he put into with a lot of the works he showcased to us in his presentation, including the one where he designed a Kylie Minogue pop-up book.
I learned a lot from these speakers. I know that, like them, I have to enjoy what I’m doing as a design professional in my field of interest. Being 22 and working in an industry I’ve long been dreaming to be a part of, I know that I still have a long way to go before I land myself into a good place. I’m pretty sure, many of the 3,000-strong delegation who came to the event would agree that these speakers simply blew our minds out.
From L to R: Pixomondo’s Benjamin Seide, James White of SignalNoise, Jessica Walsh, Armand Serrano of Sony Pictures Animation, Benja Harney,Devil Robots’ Koto, Buck’s Ryan Honey and Devil Robots’ Shin.
Despite logistical and technical flaws, Graphika Manila more than made up for it with the amazing variety and quality of speakers they were able to invite for this year’s edition. I hope that next year would be even better.