A seminar reflection (Digital Futures: Transliteracy and American Studies of the Philippines)

         Okay, so last Saturday (November 16), I was able to listen and be involved in the seminar conducted by the American Studies Association of the Philippines about transliteracy in animation, digital arts and multimedia design. But before we go any further, let us define first what is Transliteracy.

         Based from the talk given, transliteracy is the ability of man to interact or to be literate in the new media and how it offers a wider analysis of reading, writing and interacting in different platforms, tools and digital media. 

There were three lectures given on the afternoon session, the first one is:

Digital Arts and Multimedia Design by Joel Chua.

Painter and illustrator of children's books- Joel Chua

Multimedia is a combination of sight and sound interaction. Auditory and visual sensation are both important in entering the world of multimedia and digital arts. Faces aren't used to instruct, but our brains connect emotionally to them. It is said that 55% of total impact of a person's message is from non-verbal expressions and the other 45% of a person's impact is verbal- what is said and how it is said. With this, we should consider that both text and images should be close together in order to deliver the message well. But not in excess because much decorations can ruin the whole game plan. We should make alive "the sound and sight interaction" by personalizing the voice- if not the language, then at least the accent. In video games, make sure to involve actions with sight and sound elements because we can associate better trough this. The idea behind multimedia is to make the audience interact by eyes and ears and enable them to create a certain concept. 

Animation: Alternative learning tool by Ayeen Pineda

Vice President of Tuldok Animation Company- Ayeen Pineda

"Everything that has no life can be animated"

Animation is the state of being animated or the process of giving the illusion of movement to drawings, models or inanimate objects.  We give pictures a life through animation, making them believable in our audience. Through it , we can communicate and contribute to the learning of other people by helping learners understand and remember information easily. It's often used to show learners things that are not easily seen in the real world. We put care behind the concept for people to easily grasp the idea. Characters in animation also help people in distant learning. 

Why Animate? 

Because childhood has changed rapidly over the past few years and we should adjust the teaching methods accordingly and because animation is FUN. 

Why effective?

1. Displays are simpler and less cluttered.

2. Images are more vivid, engaging and more intuitively comprehended

3. Animations provide additional info that cannot be displayed in pictures.

4. It help builds mental models of situations by providing external support. 

How does it benefit students?

Develop skills or competencies in storytelling, visual communication, cognition, emotional ethic, observation, aesthetic and sensory aspects, concentration and problem solving.

American Influences on Local Animation Industry by Grace Dimaranan

President of Top Peg Animation- Grace Dimaranan

One of the topics included in this lecture is about digital literacy and why it's important in today's generation. Digital literacy is important because access to information has changed and technology is evolving rapidly. It is no longer enough to focus solely in our ability to read and write but also to be digital literate  to adapt in the new technologies emerging. People need to be transliterate in order to be involved and contribute to the society.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS! 

Film Criticism: the beginner's guide

Assignment in Cinema 102

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Cinema engages us not only to appreciate its pure form of art, but engages us to be critical thinkers as well. To be a good film buff, is to know the basics of film criticism. Here's one of the few theories involved in doing so:

Feminist theory:

Feminism tackles about the right of the women to stand up for themselves. It gives importance to the equality of both men and women's status in our society. It gives women an opportunity to be heard in the society and make a contribution that would benefit us all. In some ways, it also includes matters such as the education rights of women, their ability to be involved in politics and their chance to be equal with the abilities of men.

Gender Studies:

Gender studies seeks to understand different gender issues in our society including studies about LGBT society, feminism, women and men issues and sexuality. It somehow tries to offer solution to many gender problems in our society today.

Performance Theory:

Performance theory is the study between a performer and a spectator and how their relationship contributes to the development of any performing arts that would mirror our society today. This theory believes that any performance around us is the reflection of who we are as a whole community.

Spectatorship Theory:

Spectatorship theory looks not how the audience are captured through the technicalities of the film, but centers on how the audience are captivated in the film experience and how it involves and affects them as they watch the show.

Ethnic theory:

Ethnic theory is one of the social factors that studies on how race including culture, religion, and language sums up the whole ethnicity of man. This theory supports the principle that no race is above other race and each ethnic/culture of man has its own uniqueness that should be given importance. 

Auteur Theory:

Auteur theory involves the director as the primary in charge of the film and the one who gives it a distinctive style. It centers on how the director shows creativity in the production and thereby gives him the sole responsibility to act like the "author" of the film. 

Memoirs at the Mowelfund

 

(“Cinema is the ultimate pervert art. It doesn't give you what you desire - it tells you how to desire.” 
― Slavoj Žižek )

Last Friday (Sept.27) , we went to the Mowelfund Plaza and we were able to witness many archives of costumes and props used in Philippine TV shows and films. I enjoyed the whole tour because it opened my eyes and understanding to the beauty and spectacle that film art has to offer, and made me appreciate the efforts of the staffs and workers behind the scenes.

Mowelfund, or the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, is an organization in the Philippines that provides for the welfare of workers in the film industry, as well as helping film workers in times of need.

I'm gonna have a brief reminisce of the event in my blog, and the story will start from the moment I saw Boots Anson Roa.

She was our speaker at the tour and she explained to us what Mowelfund is all about and how it works as an organization. It was a splendid moment listening and staring at her, and her charisma definitely overwhelmed the whole crowd. First, let's not deny the fact that her irresistible beauty(though, she's aging), is a factor in capturing our attention, and second, the way she delivered her speech is pleasing to our ears because it was smooth and flawless.  Anyway, it's not all about her appearance to us, but her message to the youth about films and the Mowelfund history and story are the most important matters in this part of the event. We were not able to watch the short film she prepared because of technical problems, and so we immediately entered the museum with much excitement. 

Here are some pictures of costumes displayed at the plaza:

I'm all set for the prom!

I wonder what is the cup size of my childhood heroine, Darna...hmmmmm....

Walang Himala!!!!!!!

Ancient gown is ancient! Who wants to wear this at her wedding?

Raiding the closet of my ancestors.. haha

Fly me up to the sky, and together we shall reach the clouds....

The next thing we saw are the props used in some popular films in the 90s. Props used in horror films, comedies, dramas, fantasies are all displayed at the second floor of the museum. Of course, we didn't by pass the opportunity of taking some great shots with these items such as:

                                      

But my most memorable experience of the tour is the moment I saw vintage tools used in film making such as editor, camera videos, clapper and other stuffs. I wanna be a producer some day, and being able to see these things is very meaningful to me. Mowelfund tour is such a fun adventure because not only I enjoyed myself, but also I learned many things about films and appreciated the hard works of the workers behind the film industry. 

Other pictures:

                            

That's all folks! Till the next time I visit the Mowelfund Plaza.....

Le Mepris- Contempt 1963

Last meeting, we watched a film entitled Le Mepris, which is an adaptation of an Italian novel, II disprezzo. Directed by Jean-Luc Gidard, the film was all about marriage, love and relationship issues between Camile, Paul and Prokosch. The story circulates about Jeremy Prokosch hiring an Aussie director, Fritz Lang, to make an adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. However, Prokosch was not satisfied with Lang's treatment in the film so he hired Paul Javal to do the script again.  As the story goes on, we find that the life of Paul, Camille( his wife) and Paul, corresponds to Penelope, Ulysses and Poseidon patterned to the story of Odyssey itself.

The film started with a scene between Paul and his wife Camille lying in a bed, indicating that they just finished having sex. Camille asked his husband how much he loves her and how much he is willing to give anything for her. From the very start of the movie, I can already say that Camille's behavior can be likened to people with narcissism and bipolar disorder, because there are lot of scenes in the movie wherein she hurts her husband. It revolves around the topic of feminism, which emphasizes Camille as the center point of man's erotic fantasy. Godard sums up the whole film by connecting life and art. 

I enjoyed the whole film because it depicts the reality of life. The story of Odyssey, which was written in the past, is not merely just a fictional love crisis but rather, a story patterned in reality and how much humankind can suffer when entangled up in love affairs. For me, it is a story of sadness and the bitterness of life, wherein people needs to confront their problems and accept the contempt in every individual's life. Problems such as love and marriage issues can really contribute to the misery of life, which no one of us can escape. 

Godard's montage is truly a masterpiece and a legend of his time because of it's state of the art production and script writing. It's a film which involves much revelation and contempt to its characters and shows the reality of life. Godard used many symbolism in this film such as the used of orange and dusky sun-faded shooting location which indicates the sadness and bitterness of life.

I rate this movie 4 out of 5, for its stunning production and much acclaimed plot.

PEE MAK: A "comedy-horror" Thai film

Have you ever watched a horror film where you really screamed and made you jump over the sofa a lot? Well, that's most of my experience when watching a horror film. Except for this movie I recently watched entitled PEE MAK.

Most of Thailand's horror films, especially the ones that Mario Maurer is involved, are the type of horror films with a comedic sense. In his recent horror-comedy films, Phobia and Bangkok Ghost Stories, Maurer acted appropriately to his role, whether it is in a terrifying state or in a comedic way.

The story of Pee Mak is based on a true story, centering on the life of a beautiful ghost named Mae Nak.  But in the movie, they made a twist on it, making it less serious compared to the original story. At first, I thought the movie is really scary because of the way it was edited and filmed, but then as I watched the movie along, I realized that it's not that scary at all.  In fact, it's more of a romantic tragedy film where the both of them can't continue their love story because of unexpected events. The other four characters in the movie were also part of the big success of the film, making the story full of sense. The ending was quite touching for me because it showed the unending love of Mae Nak to his husband, even after death. These are some scenes in the movie that I loved the most.

One thing that I really don't understand in the film is the color of the characters' teeth. Why are they all black? Literally black! Please comment below if you know the answer.

Un Chien Andalou- a surrealist film

This is the first time that I watched a surrealist film, and I didn't know what to expect. I honestly admit that the entire film is kinda confusing to me. I didn't know what is happening in the story, and the characters seemed to be doing things that I really don't understand. The first scene when the man is putting a knife on the eye of the woman, and eventually cutting it, was so shocking to me. I even closed my eyes on that part. It was so bizarre and scary, and then for the rest of the film, I felt so uncomfortable. 

There were many parts in the film where surrealism takes place. For example, the scene where the man is pulling up the piano with animals over it, and two man tied in a rope underneath. I didn't get the meaning of that part but I think it's part of the concept of surrealism. Another thing that I didn't understand in the film is the use of insects such as the butterfly and the ants in the hand of the man. Were they used to symbolize something or it's just the way the director wanted. But anyway, this film is an art. You can see that there are many creative shots and ideas that is done in this. One thing that I may consider beyond reality in the film is the cut hand of a man lying on the streets. Was it the hand of a man that is cut by the woman or something else.  

The scene that was interesting for me is the scene where the man is touching the boobs of the woman, imagining it naked. There were some kind of masochism and sadism behind the message, and most of the scenes between the man and the woman involves bizarre situations. 

Mysteriously, there was this door in the film where the woman can go in, and then moved  to another place. It was like a magic door, where people can go where ever place they want, without even going there by effort. 

Over all, I can say that the film was mind blowing for me. I needed to think again and find out what the film is all about. Maybe it's one of the characteristics of a surrealist film to make the audience think again in order to see the message behind the film. I think that there are really no clear explanation of the story itself, but it depends on the perspective of the person seeing it. There are many symbolism in the film where one can think what is the connection of it to the story. But like many movie genres, surrealism in film can be really an artistic expression of the director, making it memorable to the viewers. 

Why "3 idiots" is the best Bollywood movie for me

Zoobi doobi zoobi doobi pum paara,  Zoobi doobi param pum
These were the lyrics of a famous song from the movie 3 idiots by Rajkumar Hirani

This is my second time watching a Bollywood film, next to Slumdog Millionaire. I actually enjoyed watching both of these films, but 3 idiots is the one that became remarkable for me. It is a movie with mixed genres including comedy, romance and drama. It shows the life of three engineering students who are enrolled in a premiere university for engineering, facing different circumstances in school and in life.  It was so inspirational and I honestly cried at the end of the movie. This can be considered as one of my favorite movies of all time. Until now, I still can't get over the lessons and scenes that affected me while seeing this. One of my favorite actors in the movie is the school director, (Boman Irani), he delivered his role well and acted professionally in both comedic and dramatic style. In fact, he even won several awards including best actor in making the film.

The story is very unique. It all blends and interconnected with every detail in the movie. I love the story of friendship of Rancho and his friends, the love story between the main actor and Pia, (the leading lady), and the combination of comedy and drama in the entire movie. It was so hilarious and funny in the beginning, but in the later part of the movie, it became serious and dramatic, which for me leaves a great impact for the audience who have watched it.

The funniest scene in the movie for me is the speech of "the silencer". I laughed so hard watching that part because it was totally epic. Translating the entire speech, without Chatur knowing it, is unbelievably funny especially that part when he doesn't know what he is saying in the crowd.

Meanwhile, the most dramatic scene in the movie for me, is the moment when the sister of Pia was delivering a baby. The line " All is well", gave goosebumps in me, because I thought that the baby will die, but by just saying "All is well", the baby lived. It was then when Virus already realized what he is doing to everyone, including the reason of suicide of his own son. The scene when Pia said, that his brother wanted to be a writer someday( not to be an engineer), and the line " He wanted to be a writer but all he can write was his suicidal note", deeply touched my heart. It was like aww. Forcing to do the thing you hate the most is a very difficult situation in an individual's life. But in the end, Virus realized all of this, and to be able to somehow take the guilt, he wanted his grandson to be a soccer player someday. The scene when Virus gave the astronaut's pen to Rancho also is so memorable to me. Imagine for over many years in that institution, only one student was able to get that pen from him, naming him an extraordinary student better than the school director himself. 

The best part for me is the ending, when Chatur found out that Rancho and "The Wangdu" is the same person. Over all, the movie is highly recommended to every one. The whole family can watch this movie without wasting everyone's time. I'm sure you'll not regret watching it!>

The new Hollywood and Independent film making

(Film Art by Bordwell and Thompson)

The New Hollywood

With movies in the 1960s such as The Sound of Music and Dr. Zhivago, Hollywood rose to fame and earned large amounts of profit. However, financial problems hindered the success of some Hollywood firms making expensive studio projects failed miserably. In order to cope up with this, some producers made films for younger audience showing campus revolution and unorthodox lifestyles. But, it was a failure at the box office. And so a movement was made by film school directors to somehow uplift the ongoing crisis at that time. Directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Steven Spielbergs, John Carpenters, George Lucas, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese, made films that are aimed at a broader audience. These movie brats became well-known in producing such great films. It was the era of the beginning of the new Hollywood.

Some of the films that were successful in the 1970s were as follows:

The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola (1972)

The Exorcist by William Friedkin (1973)

Jaws By Steven Spielberg (1975)

The Halloween by John Carpenters (1978)

American Graffiti by George Lucas (1973)

Star Wars by George Lucas (1977)

Obsession by Brian De Palma (1976)

Taxi Driver by Martin Scorsese (1976)

Independent Film making

Lucas and Spielberg became the most successful directors among these movie brats. Another generation of younger directors came in to an independent film making such as James Cameron, Tim Burton, Robert Zemackis and many others. Many of successful films of the 1990s were directed by Spielberg, De Palma and Lucas. Until now movies such as Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible, Forest Gump and Titanic are still famous today.