~* LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! *~

So why was I experiencing total madness a few weeks ago?
Why did I miss catching the 2-DAY FINALE of ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA? [ yeah, I'm still sulking about this :( ]
This is the answer.

I was so swamped with work that entailed me to go to the office early and come home at 9ish pm. We had a Super 16mm Cinematography Workshop from Sept. 12 to 15. Director of Photography Joe d' Alessandro from Rochester, New York conducted the workshop for us. Among his familiar works are I Know What You Did Last Summer, One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek. We had nine Filipino workshop participants. Instead of doing a hassle-free staging of scenes with different lighting, the participants actually experienced lighting and shooting a real music video. Through the help of Director Mike Sandejas (of the Cinemalaya Best Picture "Tulad ng Dati" fame), we had a deal of shooting the new music video of The Dawn on 16mm Kodak motion picture film.

In my 5 years of doing marketing events and such, this, by far, is the most gruelling and stressful event I have ever planned & implemented. After experiencing actual production work, I don't think I would ever have the stamina to be in that kind of career. It's sooo stressful that I would have probably looked 40 when I was just 28 years old. And I would probably get asthma attacks every now and then due to the sweat-inducing stress of it all. Oh and how we have experienced Murphy's Law almost every single day! I hate Murphy. hah! :p

Overall -- despite all that back/armpit/chest sweat -- it was such a cool experience for me. Imagine meeting The Dawn (that great 80's icon who's now celebrating their 20th year and coming out with a new album; that band who starred in Tulad ng Dati; Enveloped Ideas, Iisang Bangka Tayo, Salamat, Love Will Set Us Free... if that doesn't ring a bell, then you're one musically-deprived Filipino!) as part of my job! I've only seen them perform live twice: first time on one of the Warner Bar tours and the other time with Mig Ayesa at Capones. Spending two full days with the band was quite interesting since I got to witness sneak previews of their on and off-cam behavior.

The Dawn is comprised of Jett Pangan on vocals, Francis Reyes on guitars (he happens to be one of my fave bloggers at livejournal! he's also known as Francis Brew on NU107), JB Leonor on drums and Buddy Zabala on bass (he's probably best known as the bassist of the great 90s band Eraserheads).

It was one helluva ride doing that 2-day music vid shoot and it was also neat to get a coupla photography tips from Francis who also takes cool digital photos. I was actually tempted to bring my ultraelectromagneticpop and Anthology CD to have Buddy sign it but uhh, I chickened out, haha. I wasn't sure if it would be a great idea now that it's already year 2006 & he's playing for a new band and knowing that the e-heads disbanded in a not-so-amicable way.

Anyway, I'm too lazy to write a detailed day-to-day narrative of the workshop. Here are the photos...

straight from the storyboards...






from the storyboard to motion picture film...






*this photo was also shot by francis reyes





*the brown one is vic's, the black one is mine and the blue one is bianx's

Day 4 was Post-production. The participants spent the day inside the telecine suite viewing the film scans of the music video shoot. Since it was the last day of the workshop, we had our graduation dinner at People's Palace (Greenbelt) which serves really delicious Thai dishes. And of course, a foreign guest can't leave the Philippines without a mini-jeepney! We gifted Joe with Filipino souvenirs from Balikbayan Handicrafts.

On the 16th of Sept., we spent our entire Saturday at UP Diliman. Since Joe was in town, we also scheduled a "Stop By, Shoot Film" for the UP film students. The film majors were given the opportunity to have hands-on shooting experience using the Bolex camera and 16mm Kodak motion picture films under the guidance of Joe. It was another sweaty day under the sun with occasional winds blowing amidst the Lagoon trees. By the time we finished around 6pm, it was already raining cats and dogs. Such an erratic flu-inducing Manila weather.

After those extremely tiring days of work, I went on a well-deserved vacation leave last Monday to have some relaxing shiatsu massage from Laxare Nail & Day Spa at Alabang.

*the sweaty outdoor look :p

~* NOW PLAYING: TRUST ME by CLEAVAGE *~

TRUST ME by Cleavage

You’re shaking all your fears away
so they won’t forget who you are
And it’s all because of me my friend
And they won’t forget who you are

oh, how soft we are
{oh, how soft we are)
oh, how soft we are
Oh, how soft we are

You’re shaking all your love away
so they won’t forget who you really are
Maybe in a little, I’ll see you tomorrow,
it’s all that’s good and said, so let’s go
All the life I knew before is good

Trust me I swear I will never let you down
(and I said) Trust me I swear I will never let you down

You’re shaking all your fears away
so they won’t regret who you really are.
So maybe in a little, I’ll see you tomorrow,
it’s all that’s good and said, so let’s go
All the life I knew is good

Trust me I swear I will never let you down
(oh how soft we are, oh how soft we are)
(and I said) Trust me I swear I will never let you down
(oh how soft we are, oh how soft we are)

Then when the light comes without a glow
Then when the fear went away
Then when the light

Giving into softly and sorrows
You can be the one who brings me to go
I can look softly between your eyes
I can be the one who knows your games
only for this life’s cut bandage
I can’t be put to sleep without it
I know you won’t forget me tomorrow
‘Cause I am not this world uncovered
You are not this dream, discovered
I will not be the one to hold your pain

‘Cause I am not this world you hoped for
I don’t want this dream you wanted
I will not be the one to hold your pain

(It’s in your eyes)
(oh how soft we soft we are)

*********************************************************************

This is the first Lukas Rossi original that I've heard. I was very surprised to find that his songs from Cleavage and Rise Electric (his former bands) were mostly very different from the way he sang on Rock Star Supernova. He can actually sing, after all. There's so much more behind all that gravelly growling of his. I would rather that he continue making this kind of music than be stuck in a rut with Supernova.

~* TOTAL MADNESS *~

I pretty much felt like this the past few weeks. It's total pandemonium with all the back-to-back events that I've been working on. Up next week will be this big deal cinematography workshop that I've been working on for weeks. We'll be working inside the studio, at an outdoor location in Manila and in a post-production house for 4 freaking days. I will even have work next Saturday for this mini-workshop thingie for the UP film students. I am so looking forward to the spa/massage I will be going for when I go on vacation leave after this very stressful event.

Anyway, I saw this quote on this sarcastic/funny desk-calendarish thing on top of my officemate's desk. I love it. It's so appropriate for the madness I'm going through these past few weeks:

I'M OUT OF MY MIND BUT FEEL FREE TO LEAVE ME A MESSAGE.

~* ARGHH, COMMUTING IS A B*TCH! *~

Commuting is a b*tch. I've been working late this week coz of our upcoming cinematography workshop. It's been total madness at work for me for the past 3 weeks-- 2 events down and 1 big bang to go. So anyway, I was ready to leave the office yesterday around 7pm but the rain was pouring so hard that I didn't want to leave the office and spoil my blue suede ruffled high-heeled sandals. But it was already 8pm and the rain just kept on. It wasn't raining as hard but since it has been raining for more than an hour, Pasong Tamo was flooded. There was no way out -- turning right would mean over-the-sidewalk deep flood in Don Bosco/Walter Mart while turning left would also mean the same flood level in Mantrade. Totally b*tching. Anyway, since my officemate (I hitched in her car for a ride to Ayala Center) could neither pass left or right, she decided to go back to our office. I, on the other hand, decided that I really really wanted to go home so I gambled on ruining my dainty sandals. So I basically waded my way through Mantrade and bravely walked among the masa crowd towards the MRT station. I had my jeans folded up mid-calf so I looked pretty fashionably stupid but I did not care anymore coz I was very tired and very hungry. I just wanted to go home. Period.

So anyway, at the MRT station, I faced another b*tching line to the MRT pass counter. I think I got there around 8:15pm. I queued in the "exact change" line even if I didn't have the exact change (the good MRT ticket guy gave me a frown and a heavy sigh but still gave me my change. yipee.) Fortunately, the MRT train I rode in wasn't sardines-packed. I got to SM Ayala, went down to the terminal on the parking lot across Hotel Intercon. I stood on my wet high-heeled sandals and waited in another horrible line from 8:40 to 9:30pm. Since I bought a bottle of rubbing alcohol at the Mercury Drug at the MRT Station, I tried in vain to clean my very kadiri flood-soaked feet while standing on line. After ten years, I was finally in a cozy FX on my way home. Makati was basically one big parking lot so it took us 30 minutes from Pasay Road to the Skyway ramp near Don Bosco. Don Bosco area was still flooded. There was average traffic from the Skyway to South-what's-so-Super-about-it Hi-way.

I got home around 10:45pm. What was absolutely wicked was that it was so dry in San Pedro. Didn't rain at all. Gee, I just waded through Makati waterworld and I was surprised to arrive in a dry and toasty San Pedro, Laguna. Oh well.

I had my feet soaked in a big bowl of warm water and bath salts coz they were so so cold. I ate my dinner around 10:50pm while my feet were soaked in heavenly warm fuzzy water.

Commuting is such a b*tch but I survived it. Good thing I decided against wearing my Naturalizers when I was dressing up yesterday morning. Or else, I would have really really went home crying over my dead shoes.

~* ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA: And Then There Were Four... *~

So it's down to Lukas, Toby, Magni and Dilana.

I'm still repulsed with Dilana so I am not gonna be a happy camper if she wins. I have a sneaking suspicion that her frog-in-a-lilypad look is just there to elicit sympathy votes (she injured one of her legs so she was in crutches decorated with jungle leaves or whatever. She's up on stage standing and hopping with her one good leg).

Lukas Rossi surprisingly hit the Bottom Three for the first time this week after debuting his original [Rise Electric] song "Headspin" which was about his mother and after reinventing Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer" into a moving stripped-down & re-arranged version. I am torn as to whether Lukas should win or not. After hearing a lot of his songs from his two previous bands Cleavage & Rise Electric, I think it would be a waste of his talent if he got stuck with Supernova. So far, I don't like the Supernova tracks they've debuted in the show (except for the one that Magni sang this week). I think it would be better if Lukas kept on with the kind of music he made with Cleavage/Rise Electric which was sort of hmm, emo-rock/punk-rock. Supernova is cheesy old school rock music (again, save for "It's All Love" which Magni sang, which did not even remotely sound like the 3 other tracks they debuted). Lukas can probably do a Marty Casey in this case. (After being 2nd place to JD Fortune in Rock Star INXS, Marty Casey carried on with his original band, The Lovehammers). I'll still be a Rossi Posse anyway.

Toby Rand. Memorable butt exposures on the reality show. The beefcake of the Mayan Theater. The naughty cake-throwing practical joker of the mansion. Popularized the Aussie slang "evs" but he is the anti-thesis of EVS at this point after he wonderfully kicked ass towards the end of the season. Although, I still think Marty Casey did a much better rockin' version of The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" last season than Toby did this week. The Thunder from Down Under may very well win this gig and I'll be very happy with that. So far, he clicks with the Supernova guys esp. Tommy Lee. And his original song "Throw It Away" will never fail in making everyone experience quasi-chemical dreaming with that "uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh" hook. He will go a long way from being a part-time carpet store clerk... especially after winning a new Honda Element for his catchy original song.

Magni the magnificent Iceman. He is such a good-natured guy. He's so nice that I wished Dilana fell off the window sill after she threw that wine glass on the floor and accidentally hit Magni on the head. The poor bald guy's forehead bled and that immortalized Dilana into being the crazy witch-bitch of the mansion. Anyway, back to Magni. He's literally come a long way from being this famous rock star back home in Iceland. Honestly, his performances rarely wowed me but he remains to be a consistently good performer. Well, whatever happens to him, I wish him all the best coz he really deserves it.

~* ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA: EVS *~

TOBY, The Thunder from Down Under. If you've seen Toby Rand's shirtless performance tonight, you'd know what "EVS" means. At first, Toby seemed to have borrowed Ryan's hooded jacket costume but later on, he took off his jacket and showed off his hot bod to the audience. Well the world has seen him butt-naked runnin' around the mansion pool and all so not much of a *gasp* there. But I let out a *gasp* nonetheless ;-) I don't really like his voice coz he tends to get shrilly and annoying when he does high-pitch singing. He did well with Layla tonight, considering that it was the song that spelled the downfall of Jordis Unga in last season's Rock Star INXS. He cheated by lowering the note of that supposed high-note part of the song. His skin drums move thang with last week's Solsbury Hills was good though.

He spoke my favorite/memorable quotes for this week's episode:

"She's becoming Jill." Toby says with utter horror in his eyes as he & Lukas hear Dilana's lame attempt at falsetto which actually sounded like a tortured/howling dog. Or maybe a squeaky toy. (Lukas said, "I thought it was a howling dog. And I'm NOT even kidding.")

Seconds after he just performed, Supernova asked how Toby was doing . He was standing there onstage still shirtless, in all his beefcake glory, the ladies ogling at him. "Well now that the song's over, a little uncomfortable, actually!" (while sheepishly covering his torso)

RYAN "The Dark Horse" STAR. He keeps getting better each week. His original song "Back of the Car" sounded really good. He was so cute on the reality episode when he said he has never hit a girl in his entire life and he wasn't about to break that record with macho Storm challenging him to a boxing match for the right to sing an original song. Ryan's turning out to be a hottie at times, with all that intensity in his eyes and his voice. I just hope he does something about those dark circles and eyebags. Or maybe he can do his "Paint It Black" eye makeup again. But without the wig-hood thing please.

STORM LARGE, still pretty ballsy for a girl. She did an awesome version of Aerosmith's "Cryin". A damn hard song to sing but she managed to pull it off. I had no problem with her "I Will Survive" version last week. It had hints of Cake's rock version so it was pretty okay to me. I don't know why the guys hated it so much. Among the female rockers, I'm rooting for Storm.

LUKAS ROSSI, oh my gahd he actually sang! Well, at least in the first few lines of The Killers' song which I haven't heard of until tonight. I thought Lukas was gonna make Jason Newsted jump up and down with glee for "opening his throat" and "using his gift properly" but he reverted back to his gravelly/growly voice the rest of the song. As always, he is a great performer, but nothing really super duper spectacular so far. Bittersweet Symphony and Creep are still my fave among his numbers. (What's up with Patrice & Magni performing "Lukas songs" last week at the Bottom 3?!?! Patrice sucked with Celebrity Skin while Magni did a great performance of Creep. ) Anyway, tonight, Lukas did this unique shades-shakin' move I have never seen before. Totally innovative move! (Ryan Star's guitar thrashing was anti-climactic since Tommy Lee just mentioned the move minutes before his performance.)

He also kicked ass during the media interviews. This radio woman was being such an ass to every rocker interview she did and she pissed off Lukas. She was such an ass so Lukas was also an ass to her. As Jason said, if the media treats you with disrespect, you can treat them with disrespect back. A racoon eye for an eye.

Lemur King. Goth Smurf. Punk Troll. Whatever haters may call him. Lukas is still my man among the guy rockers.

MAGNI "The Iceman" magnifico! Always a consistent performer. During the earlier episodes, he didn't really wow me. But when he did an awesome unplugged version of When Dolphins Cry, he made me believe in his talent. His version of Creep is actually better than Lukas'. It's just that Lukas has never sang like that before, that's why he got more impact from doing that song. I got misty-eyed when Magni missed his baby's first steps and when he sang an intensely heartfelt rendition of Clocks by Coldplay with the last line "Home, home, where I wanted to go..." During this week's practice, he had the flu so he wasn't singing well at all but he amazingly crushed it with tonight's performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit. He growled and delivered the angst of the song.

DILANA, I no longer like her. These past few weeks, she started to be really cocky and actually more overly-confident-that-it's-such-a-turnoff than Lukas. She badmouthed Lukas and Toby during the media interviews. Well, for one, I dunno if any other rocker badmouthed anyone else, but anyway, editing really showed Dilana's bad side. I also hated how she OA-sold herself to Supernova when they were in Vegas. She was like "I'm gonna be your vocalist/I'm the one". Her greater-than-everyone-else proclamation in Vegas totally showed no class at all. I wanted to smack her with the bowling ball in the VIP suite at Hard Rock. The fact that she gets the bragging rights for being the very first rocker to sing with all three Supernova guys last week totally sucks. I am really starting to hate her by the minute. Her performances have lost it's appeal to me. She wore this horrendously large pink fake lashes which reminded me of a peacock and Dave of Bambi the deer.

Toby managed to trick her into running naked around the pool to get to sing Every Breath You Take. Toby didn't even want the song! He said he just wanted to screw over Dilana. Anyway, Dilana totally has ZERO sex appeal. I mean, Storm has sex appeal... Zayra has sex appeal... Jill had wh*re appeal... Well Dilana -- she probably has as much sex appeal as a toilet bowl. Anyway, Dilana has just subjected the unfortunate viewers to endless nightmares. The vision of her bare butt is so traumatizing that it will probably buy viewers years of shrink couch sessions. And helllooo Dilana, you can tell the entire world that you have a "hot body" over and over again but no one will ever ever believe it despite seeing your naked pool video all over youtube.

PATRICE PIKE, take a hike! I would have much rather had Zayra stay and Patrice voted off last week. Coz at least Zayra was helluva entertaining to watch. Patrice is just so repulsive. I have never liked any of her performances. It disturbs me how she looks like a cross between Alanis Morissette and Annie Lennox and she has this irritating wide smile while she sings. And I can't take another week of seeing her armpits. I swear. There's something wrong with the way she looks when she raises her arms and all I see is infinite armpits. I wish she get's voted off tomorrow. She doesn't belong there.


PATRICE PIKE, TAKE A HIKE TOMORROW!

P.S. By the way, Gilby Clarke's little black dog Chopper was sooo cute! That poor dog's ears must have fallen off with all that amped up rock music.

~* GRAB THE NEAREST BOOK... *~

Coz Ivah tagged me,

1. Grab the nearest book.

Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps by Allan & Barbara Pease

2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.

5th sentence: "The bottomline: if the driver is a Singaporean woman, get out of the way!"

4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.

The best parkers are German men with 88% doing it successfully on the first attempt. Parking tests at driving schools show that women generally do better at reverse parking than men during driver training, but statistics show women perform worse in real life situations. This is because women are better than men at learning a task and successfully repeating it, provided the environment and conditions under which they do it don't change.

5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag three four people.


Ok, I'm tagging Abbie, Charo, Mitzi and Tin...

Or whoever else would like to try this =)