Films and Korea

Filipino filmmaker and Korean DOP

Filmmakers around...

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.

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...

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!

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.

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!