Posts
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Film Treatment
This short fiction film has very few dialogues between a young couple in the middle of a relationship crisis, while the rest work with the visuals, sound design, and musical score. The look exudes some coldness and superficiality, and yet, the characters become emotional from inside them. They are boxed up by the technology and lifestyle that try to cover up their deeper emotions through the gadgets and entertainment devices they utilize.
The film’s treatment would mainly center on a more character-driven aspect of storytelling
Knowing that the film requires a techie physicality from the movements of the characters, it is of key importance that the actors be able to exude such requirements while being emotional from inside – where the major external window into their deeper emotions would be their eyes, and in support to this would be the sound design and musical score utilized very distinctively and in line with the film’s very concept about technology and gadgets. The shots would generally be a combination of shots and moving shots that are always linear. In the same way, the mise-en-scené is filled with straight lines, no much curves and waves. The colors are in the neutral – whites, silvers, blacks, grays. The most colorful would be the presence of some shades of blue.
There is a tinge of quirkiness in some elements of the film – reflecting the techno, geeky, droll, and zany aspects that technology can bring to young adults. These are shown in the somehow exaggerated and considerably outlandish opening scene of the guy making his girlfriend’s face seem like a computer screen and her hand like the computer’s mouse, and the robotic movements of the characters by the last part of the film.
Most of the shots are very intimate. A bulk of the film is composed of tight shots. Some wide shots would show the straight lines and promote a futuristic and/or techie appeal. And by the film’s end, the shots and movements would look robotic. Things would seem like machines functioning. The robotic shots and movements of the people are mostly tight and intimate, and as a whole, rendering a factory function scene through them: the typing on keyboard, texting, calling, and taking photos.
The film’s treatment would mainly center on a more character-driven aspect of storytelling
Knowing that the film requires a techie physicality from the movements of the characters, it is of key importance that the actors be able to exude such requirements while being emotional from inside – where the major external window into their deeper emotions would be their eyes, and in support to this would be the sound design and musical score utilized very distinctively and in line with the film’s very concept about technology and gadgets. The shots would generally be a combination of shots and moving shots that are always linear. In the same way, the mise-en-scené is filled with straight lines, no much curves and waves. The colors are in the neutral – whites, silvers, blacks, grays. The most colorful would be the presence of some shades of blue.
There is a tinge of quirkiness in some elements of the film – reflecting the techno, geeky, droll, and zany aspects that technology can bring to young adults. These are shown in the somehow exaggerated and considerably outlandish opening scene of the guy making his girlfriend’s face seem like a computer screen and her hand like the computer’s mouse, and the robotic movements of the characters by the last part of the film.
Most of the shots are very intimate. A bulk of the film is composed of tight shots. Some wide shots would show the straight lines and promote a futuristic and/or techie appeal. And by the film’s end, the shots and movements would look robotic. Things would seem like machines functioning. The robotic shots and movements of the people are mostly tight and intimate, and as a whole, rendering a factory function scene through them: the typing on keyboard, texting, calling, and taking photos.
Statement
This 5-minute fiction film is about how technology is starting to shape people to become too dependent on it that relationships and lifestyles are altered, and later on, possibly destroyed. At one point by now, our interactions to other people are becoming as robotic as the machines we use.
After the first three months that I, a filmmaker from a developing country as the Philippines, lived in Seoul, I have walked going to places, I have ridden the subway, the bus, the taxi. I have met various people along the way. And with the technology now, one common thing noticeable is how much technology has affected people’s lifestyle. Most listen to music or watch TV from their mobile phones more than talking to their companion in the subway or bus. People walk with earphones plugged on their ears without much caution on the important sounds they might need like the beeping of an unanticipated fast-speeding motorcycle about to bump them on the road. Or perhaps, an iPod addict from the sidewalk not hearing an old special friend riding the bus and calling his attention (and they have not seen each other for the last 10 years). Indeed, relationships and the ways of life have been greatly changed by technology.
For a foreigner artist from the Manila las me, how much do I lose every time I go to Korean tourist spots when I rather shoot with my SLR and video cameras rather than enjoying the very presence, the very feel of being in wonderful places through my own eyes? How much do I miss on the experience?
How much time do people spend online nowadays? How much time do people allot for personal meetings? In this fast-paced era filled with much technological innovation, it’s great to have many choices to keep in touch including the internet, mobile phone, telephone, and the considerably obsolete snail mail (though it still works on specific occasions). Greeting cards before, e-cards now. No need to go out to shop, just watch TV, dial the number, or surf the internet, key in the credit card number, and finish it with a click. In cars, the directions are provided by a piece of GPS-capable LCD screen. Lots of things are scan-friendly, touch-and-go, plug-and-play. Sensors and codes are used in lights, locks, and other security and convenient devices. There are so much things to do, there is too much work to finish. And it seems like there’s too little time. When could be the last moment a person yielded to the cliché of stopping for a bit and smelling the flowers?
Things are so easy, so convenient. Entertainment is mostly boxed up in gadgets. And in Korea, MP3 players and handyphones are now TV and small movie screens as well. One time, I was at the subway trying to observe people around, my imaginative mind actually saw a bunch of robots listening to their masters which turn out to be their mobile phones. People even miss out on the stations they should get off to because they are too preoccupied by what they’re watching. And by this time, I made this concept for the film. The story won’t say that technology is bad, it just wants to convey how technology should be in harmony with the way people should live their lives as human beings who feel, love, and appreciate the world more than just the convenience of technological breakthroughs. Human relationships are vital. Computers and gadgets should not rule the person. Rather, they should be utilized to make human lives better and more meaningful.
Quality time with a loved one should not be fully controlled by text messaging, voice calls, and video chats. Personal interaction should never be ignored.
There are moments that we should pause for a bit and realize how far we are digging into technology that we are starting to ignore too much about our relationships and what it means by quality time. Perhaps, we can keep both instead of falling too much on only 1 aspect and closing ourselves to it.
After the first three months that I, a filmmaker from a developing country as the Philippines, lived in Seoul, I have walked going to places, I have ridden the subway, the bus, the taxi. I have met various people along the way. And with the technology now, one common thing noticeable is how much technology has affected people’s lifestyle. Most listen to music or watch TV from their mobile phones more than talking to their companion in the subway or bus. People walk with earphones plugged on their ears without much caution on the important sounds they might need like the beeping of an unanticipated fast-speeding motorcycle about to bump them on the road. Or perhaps, an iPod addict from the sidewalk not hearing an old special friend riding the bus and calling his attention (and they have not seen each other for the last 10 years). Indeed, relationships and the ways of life have been greatly changed by technology.
For a foreigner artist from the Manila las me, how much do I lose every time I go to Korean tourist spots when I rather shoot with my SLR and video cameras rather than enjoying the very presence, the very feel of being in wonderful places through my own eyes? How much do I miss on the experience?
How much time do people spend online nowadays? How much time do people allot for personal meetings? In this fast-paced era filled with much technological innovation, it’s great to have many choices to keep in touch including the internet, mobile phone, telephone, and the considerably obsolete snail mail (though it still works on specific occasions). Greeting cards before, e-cards now. No need to go out to shop, just watch TV, dial the number, or surf the internet, key in the credit card number, and finish it with a click. In cars, the directions are provided by a piece of GPS-capable LCD screen. Lots of things are scan-friendly, touch-and-go, plug-and-play. Sensors and codes are used in lights, locks, and other security and convenient devices. There are so much things to do, there is too much work to finish. And it seems like there’s too little time. When could be the last moment a person yielded to the cliché of stopping for a bit and smelling the flowers?
Things are so easy, so convenient. Entertainment is mostly boxed up in gadgets. And in Korea, MP3 players and handyphones are now TV and small movie screens as well. One time, I was at the subway trying to observe people around, my imaginative mind actually saw a bunch of robots listening to their masters which turn out to be their mobile phones. People even miss out on the stations they should get off to because they are too preoccupied by what they’re watching. And by this time, I made this concept for the film. The story won’t say that technology is bad, it just wants to convey how technology should be in harmony with the way people should live their lives as human beings who feel, love, and appreciate the world more than just the convenience of technological breakthroughs. Human relationships are vital. Computers and gadgets should not rule the person. Rather, they should be utilized to make human lives better and more meaningful.
Quality time with a loved one should not be fully controlled by text messaging, voice calls, and video chats. Personal interaction should never be ignored.
There are moments that we should pause for a bit and realize how far we are digging into technology that we are starting to ignore too much about our relationships and what it means by quality time. Perhaps, we can keep both instead of falling too much on only 1 aspect and closing ourselves to it.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Technophilia Shoot
A short film we shot in Seoul, Korea
Director: Rianne Hill Soriano; Director of Photography: Jano Mohammed; Production Designer: Rianne Hill Soriano; Art Director: Stephen Kochenash
Field Sound Recordist: Junghun Choi; Boom person: Katsudo Minei; Camera crew: Filmmakers from KAFA (Korean Academy of Film Arts); Production coordinators: Yoo-Sun Chung and Kiley Kyungmin Moon
Main Cast: Jin and Saekyung Lee
Supporting Cast: Ipod girls-Kiley Kyungmin Moon, Yumi Maenaka, and Katie Shasteen; PSP guy-Gino de Guia; Laptop girl-Kiyono Kakinuma; Mobile phone guy-Stephen Kochenash; Mp3 girl-Amy Bopp; Laptop guys-Tim Lee and Edvan Muslimy; Camera guy-Junghun Choi; internet guy-Katsudo Minei
Acknowledgments: Korean Film Council (KOFIC), KAFA (Korean Academy of Film Arts), Korea University (KU), and Rianne's friends in Korea
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Pera-perahang Lata BTS #3 - Production Experience
BTS (Behind-the-scene) video (3 out of 4) for "Pera-perahang Lata" (Penny from the Tin Can) in partial fulfillment for my grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Videography by Dustin Uy
Music by Philip Arvin Jarilla
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Pera-perahang Lata BTS #2 - Behind-the-scene Work
BTS (Behind-the-scene) video (2 out of 4) for "Pera-perahang Lata" (Penny from the Tin Can) in partial fulfillment for my grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Videography by Dustin Uy
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Pera-perahang Lata BTS #1 - Film Concept and Vision
BTS (Behind-the-scene) video (1 out of 4) for "Pera-perahang Lata" (Penny from the Tin Can) in partial fulfillment for my grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Videography by Dustin Uy
Monday, November 17, 2008
PPL offline copy here in Korea
I've been staying here in Seoul for 4 months now. And the final mix of the sound was already emailed to me. Now, I'm about to start manually fixing the EDL for my online editing when I get back to Manila. So far, I released a DVD copy of the film's offline and it was seen by a couple of people from various walks of life already... Some are film professionals, some are from the Cultural Partnership Initative Program (where I met lots of awesome Filipino delegates), some are OFWs, some people from the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, some are friends from Korea, Europe, and other parts of Asia. So far, I'm blessed enough to hear good feedbacks... and I owe it to everyone who worked and helped in this production. In fact, my Philippine mobile phone bill raised so much because of communicating with some of them coz I just couldn't help but share my wonderful stories about our film from this side of the world. I'll save the specific stories and notes when I meet you guys personally. I'll be back in Manila on Dec. 29, 2008.
The BTS video (divided into 4 parts: Concept and Vision of the Film, Production Experience, Behind-the-scene Work, and On-Cam Work) is already finished. I'm just waiting for the sound mix from the Philippines, then I can upload the 4 videos online already, hopefully within the month.
I'm planning to start editing the "Sa Pagdating" (reedit for the final music released by the musical scorer) and "Kaibigan" music videos within the month. I just need more time to sit on them.
The BTS video (divided into 4 parts: Concept and Vision of the Film, Production Experience, Behind-the-scene Work, and On-Cam Work) is already finished. I'm just waiting for the sound mix from the Philippines, then I can upload the 4 videos online already, hopefully within the month.
I'm planning to start editing the "Sa Pagdating" (reedit for the final music released by the musical scorer) and "Kaibigan" music videos within the month. I just need more time to sit on them.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
I got ranked in youtube for 3 weeks...??
I'm not sure how this goes, whether in random or there's a sort of an algorithm as how search engines like google does it... but it's interesting to see something like this out of the many youtube accounts... hehe!
people can get really quite vain at times =p - i saw in google (using both pc and mac, safari, IE, and firefox), with my name ("rianne") as keyword, my website is consistently within the 4th to 6th on the top page (and 1st and 2nd as the highest ranks garnered with googling images) weeee!! well, i guess it also has something to do with the fact that my name is not as famous as the likes of maria, anna, mark, carlo, etc. =p
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hang Gang (Han River) Summer Festival 2008, Seoul, Korea
Finally, im gettin back to some sport!
this was so much fun!
(what was i doing in water sports when i couldn't swim??)
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
PIFAN Guests Seoul City Day Tour
Gyeongbokgung Palaces and Museum, Seoul Tower, a Korean ginseng company (pix not allowed), Namdaemun (no pix), Insadong (I bought my new - authentic, yes real sword here weeee!!!!!!), an amethyst shop (no pix).
I have hundreds of photos so I'm just uploading whatever I could in random.
PIFAN 2008 (My Photos)
My photos of PIFAN. Yeah, when it's my camera, most likely, I wouldn't be in the photos... almost always. I have hundreds actually, but maybe uploading some would do.
Good thing the chief photographer emailed me photos which includes me. It's on another album... very nice of him. Hehe!
PIFAN 2008 (Official Photos)
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2008 - Official photos.
Thanks so much to Mr. Changho Kim of Puchon Photos for emailing me these photos. Great memories from PIFAN :D
He's the chief photographer for PIFAN this year and CEO of internet news media www.puchonphoto.com.
Location: Seoul, Korea
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Updates About Pera-perahang Lata
For all those involved in the production of Pera-perahang Lata, please accept my apologies for the delay of the premiere of the film. The major problem encountered was with the sound and music production. Most of you know how things happened and I am hopeful of your understanding. So far, the music is almost done and approvals and correspondences would be done online (transferring low res versions) as I am currently in Seoul Korea for the Asian Film Professionals Training Program. I am staying here until Dec. 23, 2008. Once I get back, I shall move on to the online editing (primarily the conforming of the offline edit and laying in the mixed track of the sound and the colorgrading). After which, the master copies shall be finally released through Optima.
I will be submitting the mini DV (offline version) to the NCCA in a month or two from now. To follow, I will also submit an online copy next year once it is available. If I were in the Philippines, the premiere would be within the said time frame as well. However, given how things have gone, we are now looking forward for a premiere on January 2009. Yes, I know it is such a long wait for a 29-minute short film (inclusive of credits). However, even though I would want to try having a premiere within the actual Christmas season (considering the film being about the Filipino Christmas season), I don't think it's possible as that means keeping up with the surely tight schedule of Optima by December - considering the many projects that may be coming in by that time especially with the Metro Manila Film Festival entries post-production. Moreover, the earliest I will be able to get back to Manila is Christmas Eve already. And most will be on vacation within the Christmas season. So I don't think it would be wise to still hope for a Christmas premiere, thus it will be a post-Christmas premiere. :)
I am uploading the new trailer of the film soon. It's already done. I just have to find time to upload it from my external hard drive. I'll try to upload new photos during the post-production as well once I get some free time. The "Kaibigan" music video and the BTS will also be available in around 2 months. I am working on them already, slowly but surely... whenever I have free time here in Korea. So far, it's been such a busy stay. But just like how the Pinoys say it "Kung gusto may paraan..." =p
Let's look forward to a great premiere ahead!!!
And oh, our lead actor Von Arroyo is once again part of the Pinoy Dream Academy of ABS-CBN. You can also check him out there. He's a very different person there compared to Pera-perahan's Nilo. :D Check out Arnold's new films too with Adolf Alix (also starring Ms. Anita Linda) and another one... hmmhhh... Arnold, update me about more details... I forgot the title... :s And to our other actors/actresses, hope you can update me about things too! Would love to hear from you :D
I will be submitting the mini DV (offline version) to the NCCA in a month or two from now. To follow, I will also submit an online copy next year once it is available. If I were in the Philippines, the premiere would be within the said time frame as well. However, given how things have gone, we are now looking forward for a premiere on January 2009. Yes, I know it is such a long wait for a 29-minute short film (inclusive of credits). However, even though I would want to try having a premiere within the actual Christmas season (considering the film being about the Filipino Christmas season), I don't think it's possible as that means keeping up with the surely tight schedule of Optima by December - considering the many projects that may be coming in by that time especially with the Metro Manila Film Festival entries post-production. Moreover, the earliest I will be able to get back to Manila is Christmas Eve already. And most will be on vacation within the Christmas season. So I don't think it would be wise to still hope for a Christmas premiere, thus it will be a post-Christmas premiere. :)
I am uploading the new trailer of the film soon. It's already done. I just have to find time to upload it from my external hard drive. I'll try to upload new photos during the post-production as well once I get some free time. The "Kaibigan" music video and the BTS will also be available in around 2 months. I am working on them already, slowly but surely... whenever I have free time here in Korea. So far, it's been such a busy stay. But just like how the Pinoys say it "Kung gusto may paraan..." =p
Let's look forward to a great premiere ahead!!!
And oh, our lead actor Von Arroyo is once again part of the Pinoy Dream Academy of ABS-CBN. You can also check him out there. He's a very different person there compared to Pera-perahan's Nilo. :D Check out Arnold's new films too with Adolf Alix (also starring Ms. Anita Linda) and another one... hmmhhh... Arnold, update me about more details... I forgot the title... :s And to our other actors/actresses, hope you can update me about things too! Would love to hear from you :D
Monday, July 28, 2008
Pera-perahang Lata Trailer 2.mp4
Latest trailer of Pera-perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can)
a film grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
HD, 29 mins.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
If I weren't a filmmaker, I would do good as a detective or an akyat bahay member
This is just a fun day. We had a serious meeting which finished late at KOFIC, then we went home and missed dinner. So we had to eat out and each of us had to give 10000 won which is equivalent to around 10 USD since we had a dinner that's worth 30000 won. We had a great time - me, parul of india and ha of vietnam. we were like in beer even without its actual presence... as we enjoyed the night. then we started hanging out at the family mart almost fronting the foot of the mountain where are house is around 5 mins. walk, or i should say, trek from there. I also had a fun time with my SLR and i've been shooting photos in various places.
While climbing our way home, I and Parul started singing jack and jill and we were doin some crazy stuff, then i had a sight of the moon, oh yes, no wonder, it's a full moon, we're kinda lunatic... wehehe!
NOW THIS IS THE EXCITING PART!!!
At home, I had to upload the photos. I should transfer them from iPhoto and my laptop's HD to my external HD. Thing is, since Parul just came in last Friday, she wasn't able to find the adapter for her laptop for Korean outlets. So I lent her one of my 2 adapters. But I need both now since I'm charging both my laptop and I needed my external HD's separate power. So I knocked on her room...
No one's answering and I can't be too noisy because our landlady is quite tight on that especially if it's around midnight already. We always needed to minimize noise, yeah yeah, so "college-y..." Apparently, Parul was at the restroom then. Now the big problem came. She never thought she kept her room locked from inside and she left her keys inside the room. And we don't want to wake up the prying landlady who's really so tight and quite annoying at times. It actually happened to me before that I got my room locked and my key was inside the room. That was a mid morning. So the landlady opened it for me and I knew where she places the spare keys. So I got them (so quietly as i could). Imagine it was placed around 3 steps away from the opened (yes opened) door of the sleeping landlady from inside her room. Good thing we got the keys without waking her up. Now it's time to go to my room to figure out which key is Parul's. We opted to stay at my room just to make sure the noise won't wake her up (she wakes up with even the minimal noises!!
The next problem: There were like around 50-80 keys together... Now I should figure out which one is ours. So I thought the keys were arranged in some way since the landlady should be able to manage them well. I thought it could be arranged according to the floors. There were a number of names but some were not updated and they were all in Korean letters. I can read them but I can't find my name or Parul's. So by process of elimination, I took my keys and visually checked which one matches mine. After around 5 minutes, I had a good guess. And since only I and Parul are the boarders at the 3rd floor and there were two keys (one looks like mine, the other one could be hers. So I tested it to my door. Darn it worked!!! It was my spare key. Now we're guessing the other one could be Parul's spare key. We walked our way like the typical sneaking kiddos or teenagers from movies, tiptoeing and all that and with my shawl wrapped around the keys to minimize the sound (Parul's door is right next to the landlady and the landlady's door was completely opened and she easily gets disturbed),. Then I tested it, after a careful try, well, guess what, I found the right key. The door opened! Yes, it was a success from around 50-80 keys and without waking up ajuma (that's how we call the landlady here) and I was called a genius wehehe! That was less than 10 mins.!!!Woohoo!!! So I got some chocolates as a prize. It's like a detective game and I felt really great. Awesome!!! :D
The excitement.
But wait, it's not the very end yet... Coz ajuma couldn't know that I did that for the specific reason that I could possibly be blamed for any future missing whatever for the fact that I know where the spare keys are... And another tough part would be returning the key... Whew! Thank goodness it was another success!!!
I think I could play the likes of Amazing Race well, and even be a good detective or an opener of locked doors then! Not just with the choosing of the right key but also playing safe on things like maximizing the shawl to minimize the sound and other stuff concerning the unlocking of the door... Wehehe!!! Perhaps, I should also thank the full moon for it... for the guts, the energy, the lunacy, and the trippy mood, hahaha!
While climbing our way home, I and Parul started singing jack and jill and we were doin some crazy stuff, then i had a sight of the moon, oh yes, no wonder, it's a full moon, we're kinda lunatic... wehehe!
NOW THIS IS THE EXCITING PART!!!
At home, I had to upload the photos. I should transfer them from iPhoto and my laptop's HD to my external HD. Thing is, since Parul just came in last Friday, she wasn't able to find the adapter for her laptop for Korean outlets. So I lent her one of my 2 adapters. But I need both now since I'm charging both my laptop and I needed my external HD's separate power. So I knocked on her room...
No one's answering and I can't be too noisy because our landlady is quite tight on that especially if it's around midnight already. We always needed to minimize noise, yeah yeah, so "college-y..." Apparently, Parul was at the restroom then. Now the big problem came. She never thought she kept her room locked from inside and she left her keys inside the room. And we don't want to wake up the prying landlady who's really so tight and quite annoying at times. It actually happened to me before that I got my room locked and my key was inside the room. That was a mid morning. So the landlady opened it for me and I knew where she places the spare keys. So I got them (so quietly as i could). Imagine it was placed around 3 steps away from the opened (yes opened) door of the sleeping landlady from inside her room. Good thing we got the keys without waking her up. Now it's time to go to my room to figure out which key is Parul's. We opted to stay at my room just to make sure the noise won't wake her up (she wakes up with even the minimal noises!!
The next problem: There were like around 50-80 keys together... Now I should figure out which one is ours. So I thought the keys were arranged in some way since the landlady should be able to manage them well. I thought it could be arranged according to the floors. There were a number of names but some were not updated and they were all in Korean letters. I can read them but I can't find my name or Parul's. So by process of elimination, I took my keys and visually checked which one matches mine. After around 5 minutes, I had a good guess. And since only I and Parul are the boarders at the 3rd floor and there were two keys (one looks like mine, the other one could be hers. So I tested it to my door. Darn it worked!!! It was my spare key. Now we're guessing the other one could be Parul's spare key. We walked our way like the typical sneaking kiddos or teenagers from movies, tiptoeing and all that and with my shawl wrapped around the keys to minimize the sound (Parul's door is right next to the landlady and the landlady's door was completely opened and she easily gets disturbed),. Then I tested it, after a careful try, well, guess what, I found the right key. The door opened! Yes, it was a success from around 50-80 keys and without waking up ajuma (that's how we call the landlady here) and I was called a genius wehehe! That was less than 10 mins.!!!Woohoo!!! So I got some chocolates as a prize. It's like a detective game and I felt really great. Awesome!!! :D
The excitement.
But wait, it's not the very end yet... Coz ajuma couldn't know that I did that for the specific reason that I could possibly be blamed for any future missing whatever for the fact that I know where the spare keys are... And another tough part would be returning the key... Whew! Thank goodness it was another success!!!
I think I could play the likes of Amazing Race well, and even be a good detective or an opener of locked doors then! Not just with the choosing of the right key but also playing safe on things like maximizing the shawl to minimize the sound and other stuff concerning the unlocking of the door... Wehehe!!! Perhaps, I should also thank the full moon for it... for the guts, the energy, the lunacy, and the trippy mood, hahaha!
Monday, July 14, 2008
How Koreans Treat Tourists (basing it from my experience)
Basing it from my experience, Koreans treat tourists/foreigners well. I experienced asking people around for assistance whether on directions or other things and they seem very hospitable . When I go to shops, it's quite fun because they seem to provide much hospitality, and well, if I may call it special privilege to people like me. You can really feel that they do extra effort to provide you with what you need whether or not they understand english. Oh, I noticed most people here still don't know how to speak english. Most who know are the younger ones and they are not that fluent still. i also experienced getting compliments almost every time. They easily appreciate many things. And like here in the Philippines, people at the restaurants and stores always greet the customers warmly with a good day (in Korean).
I went to the mall last weekend on my own and since the subways here are quite confusing for first-timers (coz I needed to ride the train and transfer to another lane number and there are like around 6 transfer trains I think), a Korean woman offered to help me since she was going to the same area as me. I was going to Dongdaemun Stadium, a former place for the World Cup and it's a very famous area for shopping. Imagine she really exerted much effort in finding the cinema amidst the many stores and she accompanied me until the elevator while she has a meeting some hundred meters away I think. That's very nice of her really. Dongdaemun is such a shopping zone: like one whole Megamall for shopping clothes, another one whole Megamall for shopping shoes, a department store and shopping center (Cerestar and Freya) that's more than 10-storey high, a 24-hour cinema (Freya theaters) with 10 available theaters catering to Korean, sometimes Japanese, and Hollywood films. Aside from those, there are countless vendors along the sidewalks (think Quiapo but cleaner). And it doesn't really go chaotic and traffic due to them so if ever BF would be here, I think he wouldn't really have to remove the vendors then.
It's fun here you can also bargain even at the department store. And at most times, there are freebies when you buy things. Well well well, Pinoys love freebies! I received freebies like socks, vitamins, samplers of beauty products, small swarovsky stuff, among others.
It was so fun that I went to a store reminiscent of tiangge inside malls (the series of small stores - think greenhills) and I saw these wonderful accessories that I had my eyes bigger than usual and my mouth as round as my eyes in awe... I had around 20k won then and I knew that I just had to choose one among them which I could afford. So as usual I started choosing through the process of elimination. I also asked if I could use card to buy, but unfortunately (though most stores around already accept cards), they only accept cash. And actually, it became a blessing in disguise!! I told them I only have 20k won which I showed to the lady vendor. I had 3 handmade peruvian necklaces on my hand and I plan to choose one among them as they were priced: 8k, 15k, and 15k. Then the lady got my 20k and the 3 necklaces and placed them in a plastic. Then, she gave them to me... OMG!!! I saved 18k won!!! What a real winner... weeeeee!!! Ang saya!!! I'm so grateful to them!
I went to the mall last weekend on my own and since the subways here are quite confusing for first-timers (coz I needed to ride the train and transfer to another lane number and there are like around 6 transfer trains I think), a Korean woman offered to help me since she was going to the same area as me. I was going to Dongdaemun Stadium, a former place for the World Cup and it's a very famous area for shopping. Imagine she really exerted much effort in finding the cinema amidst the many stores and she accompanied me until the elevator while she has a meeting some hundred meters away I think. That's very nice of her really. Dongdaemun is such a shopping zone: like one whole Megamall for shopping clothes, another one whole Megamall for shopping shoes, a department store and shopping center (Cerestar and Freya) that's more than 10-storey high, a 24-hour cinema (Freya theaters) with 10 available theaters catering to Korean, sometimes Japanese, and Hollywood films. Aside from those, there are countless vendors along the sidewalks (think Quiapo but cleaner). And it doesn't really go chaotic and traffic due to them so if ever BF would be here, I think he wouldn't really have to remove the vendors then.
It's fun here you can also bargain even at the department store. And at most times, there are freebies when you buy things. Well well well, Pinoys love freebies! I received freebies like socks, vitamins, samplers of beauty products, small swarovsky stuff, among others.
It was so fun that I went to a store reminiscent of tiangge inside malls (the series of small stores - think greenhills) and I saw these wonderful accessories that I had my eyes bigger than usual and my mouth as round as my eyes in awe... I had around 20k won then and I knew that I just had to choose one among them which I could afford. So as usual I started choosing through the process of elimination. I also asked if I could use card to buy, but unfortunately (though most stores around already accept cards), they only accept cash. And actually, it became a blessing in disguise!! I told them I only have 20k won which I showed to the lady vendor. I had 3 handmade peruvian necklaces on my hand and I plan to choose one among them as they were priced: 8k, 15k, and 15k. Then the lady got my 20k and the 3 necklaces and placed them in a plastic. Then, she gave them to me... OMG!!! I saved 18k won!!! What a real winner... weeeeee!!! Ang saya!!! I'm so grateful to them!
My Ha-sook and Other Korean Stuff
Ha-sook is a Korean-style guest house. I'm staying in a ha-sook that's 1 room for 1 person. It's kinda high tech here. Though I have a key to open the door of my room (which I still prefer more for reasons I dunno - OMG am I getting old that I'm not in favor of its new technology??!), I open the gate of the ha-sook by pressing something... it's hard to describe but I think there's something about some magnetic stuff that makes it work. Then, the major door after the gate has no keys. You need to know the code and do some pulling and pressing to open the glass door. I prefer this coz at least I don't have to bring too much keys then, it's very accessible. Perhaps, I'm just getting paranoid that if my room has the same kind of lock, some people may figure out the code and barge into my room then. hmmhhh...
The lights here are kinda high tech too. Along the stairs, the lights open through the sensors. So if something starts moving or passing by, the light goes on. I think it's programmed to be lit for a certain number of seconds. And if nothing moves anymore, it closes automatically. Overall, it's a good technology as it saves power efficiently. The only disadvantage is, if you stay put and you don't move within the stairs (say, you're talking to somebody or your getting hot water from the dispenser which is also outside near the stairs), the lights automatically closes. And you need to go near the sensor and move your hands perhaps just to get in lit again. Now that's not so nice... hehe!
I live at the 3rd floor. There's another door at the 3rd floor entrance. You use a key with it. After which, that's the time I get to my very door... I have a bed, dresser, TV, clock cabinet, desk, hat and coat hanger (I'm not sure how it's called), and extra sheets. I have a nice view from my window.
Korean don't have their shoes/sandals/slippers within the house. So I don't wear anything for my feet. Sometimes I wear socks inside. There's an available plastic slippers at the bathroom - which is shared by each tenants within the same floor. I share the bathroom with the landlady and her family. Until here, I think I'm still followed by my slight attacks of favorable antisocial/isolation modes as the rest of the boarders areon the other floors other than me. I'm considerably isolated from the rest then... sheeesssh!!! And since we have free breakfast and dinner, the dining area is within my floor, actually, when I open my door, it's already the dining area. The bathroom is on my left. So most things are quite accessible. I don't need to go up and down like the others. Wehehe!
From my room, I have a nice view of the mountain and the cityscape. I'm like at the middle of a mountain... Yes, I climb/trek everyday going home. I'm losing weight because of it. But I'm not complaining coz I'm eating so much chocolates now without any guilt and I love it... :D
It's either raining or it's very sunny here in Seoul right now. It's so much like the Philippines except the humidity here is lower. And I haven't experienced any typhoon here yet. The heaviest rain would just be like a serious drizzle in the Philippines.
Most of the structures here like the ha-sooks and apartments look the same. They seem to use the same kind of red bricks.
I think, like the Japanese, Koreans show their being nationalistic through their products. I have never seen a Sony Ericsson here. I've never seen a Toyota, a Ford, a Panasonic, and other foreign brands. Most electronics would be LG or Samsung. Cars are either Hyundai or Kia. Wow... they really patronize their own...
The lights here are kinda high tech too. Along the stairs, the lights open through the sensors. So if something starts moving or passing by, the light goes on. I think it's programmed to be lit for a certain number of seconds. And if nothing moves anymore, it closes automatically. Overall, it's a good technology as it saves power efficiently. The only disadvantage is, if you stay put and you don't move within the stairs (say, you're talking to somebody or your getting hot water from the dispenser which is also outside near the stairs), the lights automatically closes. And you need to go near the sensor and move your hands perhaps just to get in lit again. Now that's not so nice... hehe!
I live at the 3rd floor. There's another door at the 3rd floor entrance. You use a key with it. After which, that's the time I get to my very door... I have a bed, dresser, TV, clock cabinet, desk, hat and coat hanger (I'm not sure how it's called), and extra sheets. I have a nice view from my window.
Korean don't have their shoes/sandals/slippers within the house. So I don't wear anything for my feet. Sometimes I wear socks inside. There's an available plastic slippers at the bathroom - which is shared by each tenants within the same floor. I share the bathroom with the landlady and her family. Until here, I think I'm still followed by my slight attacks of favorable antisocial/isolation modes as the rest of the boarders areon the other floors other than me. I'm considerably isolated from the rest then... sheeesssh!!! And since we have free breakfast and dinner, the dining area is within my floor, actually, when I open my door, it's already the dining area. The bathroom is on my left. So most things are quite accessible. I don't need to go up and down like the others. Wehehe!
From my room, I have a nice view of the mountain and the cityscape. I'm like at the middle of a mountain... Yes, I climb/trek everyday going home. I'm losing weight because of it. But I'm not complaining coz I'm eating so much chocolates now without any guilt and I love it... :D
It's either raining or it's very sunny here in Seoul right now. It's so much like the Philippines except the humidity here is lower. And I haven't experienced any typhoon here yet. The heaviest rain would just be like a serious drizzle in the Philippines.
Most of the structures here like the ha-sooks and apartments look the same. They seem to use the same kind of red bricks.
I think, like the Japanese, Koreans show their being nationalistic through their products. I have never seen a Sony Ericsson here. I've never seen a Toyota, a Ford, a Panasonic, and other foreign brands. Most electronics would be LG or Samsung. Cars are either Hyundai or Kia. Wow... they really patronize their own...
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Korean Film Council: 1st 2 Weeks
As a part of the Asian Filmmakers Training Program of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), I can really say that the Korean film industry is definitely thriving. Why? Because to begin with, their government loves their film industry. They support their industry so much as if it's an integral part of Korean lives. They have much budget for films They have the right government and non-government arms working together. They provide valuable projects to filmmakers. They also target the global market. In fact, they're even spending money for the three of us, Parul of India, Ha of Vietnam, and me just for cultural exchange, learning Korean cinema and how it works, and providing a film training for us. I wonder when will come the time that the Philippine government will start supporting arts the same way... Hay... Imagine they provided us roundtrip airfare inclusive of the travel taxes, accommodation (one room per person), free internet, provision for mobile phone, breakfast and dinner everyday, monthly allowance, medical insurance, alien registration stuff, tuition fee of almost 4 million won which is around 4,000 USD, among others. So lahat yun times 3 coz we're 3 here. And we're also attending PIFAN and PIFF at Pusan this year courtesy of them. I've always been wanting to attend those two festivals, now it's finally becoming a reality. Thanks to this program.
I have a couple of books, readings, magazines, and some Cannes stuff with me, I've been reading them everytime I'm free. Nakakainspire magbasa, and yet nakakafrustrate din kasi sa Pinas salat talaga sa ganito.
Halos araw-araw may libreng snacks sa afternoon, sometimes ice cream, fruits, breads, etc. for the people at the office. Marami ring stocks ng coffee and other drinks and snacks na you can use anytime. Marami ring freebies na kung anu-ano galing sa sponsors and other sources.
Nakakatuwa na nakakalungkot. Nakakatuwa coz it's a privilege to be here and experience all these at nakakalungkot coz sa Pilipinas, highly unlikely na mangyari ito unless a big change happens by any twist of fate.
I really don't believe that the Philippines is a poor country. I have met lots of people from the government who knows the nooks and cranny of politics and government. Some project managers, some office workers doing clerical works, and some are cabinet members. They say the same thing... we are NOT poor. We just don't get to feel what are supposed to be for us because of graft and corruption. And our government just puts in budget to military. The rest are given remnants of what's left with the budget (mainly shared by the military and the bank accounts of corrupt officials. Tsk tsk tsk.
If only the government learns to value education and the arts the way it values the military, and take care of the Filipinos in many aspects, we can provide a long-term change for the better. We hone the sciences, maths, and technology, but we should also hone the arts, culture, sociology, humanities, and the like. There should be balance. We shouldn't become robots nor we shouldn't become merely artsy fartsy. If only the government keeps the balance, slowly but surely, the Filipino values and priorities will soon make the Pinas a better place.
If only the producers would unite and everyone makes quality films, just like if you are offered all healthy food and you have no choice for your usual high-cholesterol diet, then Filipinos will start to watch and appreciate quality films - just like eating the healthy food instead of hte bad diet. It takes a big wave to impact a pretty good change. By that time, the masses would start loving even art films, and the level of art appreciation can affect the lives of the people and make living in the country much better in terms of values and cultural development.
Yeah. Too dramatic. Nuff said.
I have a couple of books, readings, magazines, and some Cannes stuff with me, I've been reading them everytime I'm free. Nakakainspire magbasa, and yet nakakafrustrate din kasi sa Pinas salat talaga sa ganito.
Halos araw-araw may libreng snacks sa afternoon, sometimes ice cream, fruits, breads, etc. for the people at the office. Marami ring stocks ng coffee and other drinks and snacks na you can use anytime. Marami ring freebies na kung anu-ano galing sa sponsors and other sources.
Nakakatuwa na nakakalungkot. Nakakatuwa coz it's a privilege to be here and experience all these at nakakalungkot coz sa Pilipinas, highly unlikely na mangyari ito unless a big change happens by any twist of fate.
I really don't believe that the Philippines is a poor country. I have met lots of people from the government who knows the nooks and cranny of politics and government. Some project managers, some office workers doing clerical works, and some are cabinet members. They say the same thing... we are NOT poor. We just don't get to feel what are supposed to be for us because of graft and corruption. And our government just puts in budget to military. The rest are given remnants of what's left with the budget (mainly shared by the military and the bank accounts of corrupt officials. Tsk tsk tsk.
If only the government learns to value education and the arts the way it values the military, and take care of the Filipinos in many aspects, we can provide a long-term change for the better. We hone the sciences, maths, and technology, but we should also hone the arts, culture, sociology, humanities, and the like. There should be balance. We shouldn't become robots nor we shouldn't become merely artsy fartsy. If only the government keeps the balance, slowly but surely, the Filipino values and priorities will soon make the Pinas a better place.
If only the producers would unite and everyone makes quality films, just like if you are offered all healthy food and you have no choice for your usual high-cholesterol diet, then Filipinos will start to watch and appreciate quality films - just like eating the healthy food instead of hte bad diet. It takes a big wave to impact a pretty good change. By that time, the masses would start loving even art films, and the level of art appreciation can affect the lives of the people and make living in the country much better in terms of values and cultural development.
Yeah. Too dramatic. Nuff said.
My classmates at Korea University
I'm yet to upload the photos from my cell and my SLR. Mean time, im typing this blog entry.
My classmates are: Japanese, American, Belgian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, and another European guy but he transferred to the afternoon class coz he wants the same sked as his Korean girlfriend.
So far, we're enjoying the company. Most are always bringing in gadgets inside the class. Talk about technology. And most of them have electronic dictionaries already. Hmmhhh... Mukhang di na yata uso ang book type of dictionary. Talagang dependent na talaga tayo sa mga electronics and more convenient and faster ways to get what we need...
My classmates are: Japanese, American, Belgian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, and another European guy but he transferred to the afternoon class coz he wants the same sked as his Korean girlfriend.
So far, we're enjoying the company. Most are always bringing in gadgets inside the class. Talk about technology. And most of them have electronic dictionaries already. Hmmhhh... Mukhang di na yata uso ang book type of dictionary. Talagang dependent na talaga tayo sa mga electronics and more convenient and faster ways to get what we need...
Learning Han-geul
Han-geul is better known to us as the Korean language. It's funny I'm like kindergarten - i read so slow!!! I find it harder than learning French way back in college. Somehow I have thought: Am I learning slower this time due to like aging or it's just that hard?? I learned French quite easily. But this time, it takes much effort and time for me to get the hang of Korean. Perhaps it's because the alphabet is different. The manner of writing is different. So I'm better with understanding and speaking "barok-style" than getting the correct spelling when I write.
Most of my classmates are Japanese, around half of the class... Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Japan is near Korea. There's so much pressure coz these Japanese are really good at Korean already. How come they're in level 1? At one point I felt I was really dumb that I get things so slow when they happen to learn so darn fast. Apparently, some of them actually took initial classes already. But again, why are they enrolled on the same level as me who couldn't even write my name in Korean during the placement test? Well, anyway, there's an advantage to it then. They help me cope up coz they're already into it. Hehe!
Most of my classmates are Japanese, around half of the class... Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Japan is near Korea. There's so much pressure coz these Japanese are really good at Korean already. How come they're in level 1? At one point I felt I was really dumb that I get things so slow when they happen to learn so darn fast. Apparently, some of them actually took initial classes already. But again, why are they enrolled on the same level as me who couldn't even write my name in Korean during the placement test? Well, anyway, there's an advantage to it then. They help me cope up coz they're already into it. Hehe!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
I lost 2 kilos in 5 days!
Okay, i have been here in Seoul for almost a week and from my original 45 kilos (I usually play around 43.5 to 45 kilos in the Philippines), now I'm 43 kilos! I eat mostly vegetables here and I trek everyday coz my house is like 5 minutes going uphill, while within the school and the city I walk like around 1 hour at least everyday (from house to various places to going home).
I don't feel weak though, but I think this is the fastest weight loss I ever had... shux, I look fine still, but I just hope this is not bad for my health.
My colleague Ha from Vietnam also lost around 5 lbs. already. She has been for almost 2 weeks as she got here ahead of me. I wonder how Parul from India would do once she gets here on July 12.
Anyway, for those who wanna lose weight, I guess vegetables and brisk walking would be ideal. Well to be specific, eating Korean food and either doing treadmill for some kilometers or just walk and walk and walk for at least an hour everyday (whether you go strolling at the mall or pass by the streets)... Imagine losing 2 kilos in a week!!! shux... I need to take my vitamins!!!
I don't feel weak though, but I think this is the fastest weight loss I ever had... shux, I look fine still, but I just hope this is not bad for my health.
My colleague Ha from Vietnam also lost around 5 lbs. already. She has been for almost 2 weeks as she got here ahead of me. I wonder how Parul from India would do once she gets here on July 12.
Anyway, for those who wanna lose weight, I guess vegetables and brisk walking would be ideal. Well to be specific, eating Korean food and either doing treadmill for some kilometers or just walk and walk and walk for at least an hour everyday (whether you go strolling at the mall or pass by the streets)... Imagine losing 2 kilos in a week!!! shux... I need to take my vitamins!!!
7-4-08 Tourists' Area at Downtown Seoul
We passed by this tourists' area while walking our way to the Immigration for my Alien Registration Card... Everything is expensive, so the most I can do was take photos from my cell... huhuhu! I bought nothing here... I hope I can buy the swords and other weapons before I leave... I need money!!!
Buying my Korean Mobile at SK Telecom
Long lines... parang sa Pilipinas pag nakapila sa Smart... so I took some shots...
Pero maraming CSRs so medyo mabilis compared dito... hmmhhh...
Korea University
Korea University, the most expensive school in Korea... wow! Ang saya! At ang ganda!!!
These are the initial photos from my cell. I'll upload new photos here every now and then :)
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Manila to Incheon to Seoul
My twin Mon (not really by blood but by circumstances...) and me at the lobby of NAIA. Yes, again... this time we had the same flight schedule, though he went to Gate 7 (Cathay Pacific going to New York), I'm at Gate 6 (going to Seoul). The NAIA people thought we were going together in the same flight but got surprised when we showed our boarding passes... nyehehe! Anyway, kitakits next year Mon!!! Galingan mo rin! Hehe!
After the NAIA:
I wasn't able to shoot anything at Incheon International Airport because I have tons of things being carried... Man, I was carrying almost 30 lbs. of hand carry when I weigh 95 lbs. how was that... hmmmhhh...
I have some video shots and photos from my digital SLR at the airplane, none at the airport though arrgh!!!
After the Korean Film Council pips picked me up at the airport, I was able to use my cellphone to shoot some Korean highways... from Incheon to Seoul -- it's one hour away...
Going out of the Incheon parking (my SLR was left at the back of the car, so the available camera is only my mobile...)
Korean roads...
They have really wide highways!!! there may be many vehicles, but the highways are directly proportional to them... so the traffic is very much bearable... actually, they just stop for a couple of seconds or a minute or so for the pedestrians to cross within the areas with traffic lights. And the best part of it all, the city is not polluted!
It's summer slash rainy season here. And even at 10pm, it's like 6pm in the Philippines, the sun can still be seen hehehe! this pic was shot at past 7. pardon the overexposure, my cellphone was acting up.
My first meal in Korea:
Before finally seeing my ha-sook (my place of stay), we ate in a restaurant near my school which is also kinda near my ha-sook... they serve a lot of food... since i already had the famous bibimbap of Korean Air at the plane, we had the bulgogi this time... and lots of other food. actually even at our house, so many food are always laid on the table. most of them are vegies so no problem with me then ;-) i just notice that with the kind of food i eat i(even though i eat a lot - getting many people surprised why i eat a lot when im so skinny - even in Manila... Oh yes i look so PG haha!), and I walk like at least 1 hour everyday with some trekking moments since I live at the foot of the mountain - actually a little up at the foot of the mountain which is around half a kilometer away from a highway in Seoul, I think I will get back to the Philippines much skinnier, yikes...
Using the net at the Korean Film Council. I wish we have something like what the KOFIC has here... they love their film industry... especially their government... and so goes with the rest of them... hay...
I'll save the more serious words to my Yehey articles and my film blog.
O di ba, I'm wearing my Philippine clothes, it's almost the same temperature in the Philippines and in Korea now. But let me wait until November... Snow! Ski!!! Weeeee!!!
Next time I'll post some pix of Korea University and other places.Wednesday, July 02, 2008
My Trip to Seoul
Finally!!! I found the adapter I need to get my gadgets functioning!!! Now I'm using my laptop here in my room for the first time. It's been such a busy week since my first step at Incheon and now at Seoul. I was 1 day absent to my class coz they started June 30 and I arrived June 30 6pm. Wehehe! I wish I can upload some pix here so my family and friends can check out what's happening to me here. Well, obviously, Im not fond of blogging about my personal life... but looks like i have to open a lil bit just this time to keep people updated. I'll see once I get enough time then. I'm still finishing 2 productions from the Philippines while I'm here in Korea for the Asian Filmmakers Training Program.
6 mos. of Seoul wouldn't be bad I guess.. but of course I miss the Pinas and all my loved ones and friends there. even the food and the work.
i'll be using this multiply blog and my film blog for my korean experiences.
incheon international airport is like an hour away from seoul. it's actually a good idea to have the airport far from residencial and commercial areas. and oh, the view from the airplane while landing is so much beautiful... seeing all those small islands and seeing incheon...
after many issues with my Smart phone as they were saying I have to rent a phone in Korea because GSM is not compatible, well thank goodness for Sony Ericsson P1i, my roaming is alive and kicking! and i got a free korean mobile phone too, so i have two phones here, sosyal! in the philippines im better off having just one, hehehe!
Seoul is quite similar to Pinas, it's like our Makati, there are so many vehicles in the streets, a little traffic, but bearable, coz the traffic is mainly caused by the traffic lights only. the highways are really wide, at least 4 lanes per direction. and above all, what i love best is that no matter how many vehicles there are in the streets, the city is not polluted. i havent had the experience of having to walk and cover my nose due to pollution - which i always do when im in Manila.
It's summer here. i wear my clothes like i wear them in Manila. It's almost the same temperature that i really didnt have to adjust... well not yet... come winter on december, im sure it would be freezing cold, i wish i could learn how to ski by then. hehehe!
i live at the foot of the mountain, i climb a bit like trekking for a few minutes just to get to my house. it's cool, i have free breakfast and dinner, i have free internet... and i have my own room weeee!!!
i have a class at korea university, it's soooooo beautiful... i wish UP can become like it in terms of facilities. it's so high tech, it looks so good and the architectural design of this school is so amazing, and it's such a big campus! and they have more than one campus within seoul.
good thing i have free food and accommodation. and i have some allowance... because cost of living here is quite high. imagine my books cost me almost 50,000 won. a typical lunch would cost me at least 2,000 won inside school and 4,500 won outside. and i think 1 dollar equals around 1,200 won... sheeeeshhh!!!
for the korean language program, there are many japanese in my class. they're good with the language already, im so kindergarten compared to them. well, i always get the compliment that i speak english the best though hehe! so far, i have a belgian seatmate named hanna and a japanese who talks in filipino so damn well i thought she was filipina, but she's actually japanese. her name is yumi. she said she has lots of filipina friends in japan. and really, she's so damn good in speaking filipino. im so impressed hehe! hopefully once im all settled here i can post some pix :D
Till next time when I have time... hopefully i can upload ssome pix then... anyone who has an idea on a software to be used to easily convert hi res photos to low res that is functioning when using a mac?? it's hard converting a hi res photo to low res for internet purposes. i want my other portfolio pix kept at low res when i have it up in the net :) hope i get some help... thanks!
6 mos. of Seoul wouldn't be bad I guess.. but of course I miss the Pinas and all my loved ones and friends there. even the food and the work.
i'll be using this multiply blog and my film blog for my korean experiences.
incheon international airport is like an hour away from seoul. it's actually a good idea to have the airport far from residencial and commercial areas. and oh, the view from the airplane while landing is so much beautiful... seeing all those small islands and seeing incheon...
after many issues with my Smart phone as they were saying I have to rent a phone in Korea because GSM is not compatible, well thank goodness for Sony Ericsson P1i, my roaming is alive and kicking! and i got a free korean mobile phone too, so i have two phones here, sosyal! in the philippines im better off having just one, hehehe!
Seoul is quite similar to Pinas, it's like our Makati, there are so many vehicles in the streets, a little traffic, but bearable, coz the traffic is mainly caused by the traffic lights only. the highways are really wide, at least 4 lanes per direction. and above all, what i love best is that no matter how many vehicles there are in the streets, the city is not polluted. i havent had the experience of having to walk and cover my nose due to pollution - which i always do when im in Manila.
It's summer here. i wear my clothes like i wear them in Manila. It's almost the same temperature that i really didnt have to adjust... well not yet... come winter on december, im sure it would be freezing cold, i wish i could learn how to ski by then. hehehe!
i live at the foot of the mountain, i climb a bit like trekking for a few minutes just to get to my house. it's cool, i have free breakfast and dinner, i have free internet... and i have my own room weeee!!!
i have a class at korea university, it's soooooo beautiful... i wish UP can become like it in terms of facilities. it's so high tech, it looks so good and the architectural design of this school is so amazing, and it's such a big campus! and they have more than one campus within seoul.
good thing i have free food and accommodation. and i have some allowance... because cost of living here is quite high. imagine my books cost me almost 50,000 won. a typical lunch would cost me at least 2,000 won inside school and 4,500 won outside. and i think 1 dollar equals around 1,200 won... sheeeeshhh!!!
for the korean language program, there are many japanese in my class. they're good with the language already, im so kindergarten compared to them. well, i always get the compliment that i speak english the best though hehe! so far, i have a belgian seatmate named hanna and a japanese who talks in filipino so damn well i thought she was filipina, but she's actually japanese. her name is yumi. she said she has lots of filipina friends in japan. and really, she's so damn good in speaking filipino. im so impressed hehe! hopefully once im all settled here i can post some pix :D
Till next time when I have time... hopefully i can upload ssome pix then... anyone who has an idea on a software to be used to easily convert hi res photos to low res that is functioning when using a mac?? it's hard converting a hi res photo to low res for internet purposes. i want my other portfolio pix kept at low res when i have it up in the net :) hope i get some help... thanks!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Rianne goes to a salon after more than 3 years!!! New hairdo wehehe!
im not really a salon/parlor person, i dont go for a manicure, pedicure, and i rarely have a hair makeover. i just feel like i have other better things to do for all these busy days. and well, im just not really fond of it. in fact, many people kept asking me why i have a really long hair (with a length touching my hips already =p ), it's as simple as - i just cut my own bangs but im not fond of going to a parlor for a haircut wehehe!
before people think of the usual reason that im depressed or anything, na-ah, i just find it so hard to comb my hair already, so finally i had a haircut.
super thanks to r2 of huelgas salon, a friend and batchmate at peta around year 2000 - you're super great!!!
note: the hairstyle you see here... i shot after the makeover at annapolis, greenhills. but don't get deceived... i can still have long hair without the fuss... so to my friends, youll see me with new look everyday with this magic haircut care of R2 Tolentino!!! =p
Monday, April 21, 2008
Some pre-prod video documentation
These videos were shot at McDo Philcoa where we usually had pre-prod meetings. Video shot with a mini dv cam using a memory stick and video in mp4 format.
Just to give you a glimpse of how our meetings are real fun times for us. :D Yes, mostly we are girls in the prod.
Just to give you a glimpse of how our meetings are real fun times for us. :D Yes, mostly we are girls in the prod.
Pera-perahang Lata Post-Production
Dubbing and BTS shoot at Hit Productions, April 2008
Colorgrading at Optima Digital, February 7, 2009
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