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Showing posts from October, 2008

Slowly but Surely

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Yes, I'm moving slowly, but I'm moving nonetheless. Below are three pages from the Prologue, though I opted not to include the word balloons. Let them hold some surprises.

Fine Time Wasters: Sims Pop Divas

Siguro huli na ako sa balita, but howell... Beautiful Liar by Sim Beyonce and Sim Shakir a . Watch out for the one-armed pushups. Umbrella by Sim Rihanna . Better-made than the first. Watch out for the killer backbends.

Bayan Knights

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Gilbert Monsanto is set to release through his Sacred Mountain Publications the premiere issue of Bayan Knights , which brings together Pinoy superheroes of various creators. In an Philippine Daily Inquirer article , Monsanto intends to have Bayan Knights serve as a springboard for new creator-owned characters. "“The idea behind Bayan Knights is to introduce the characters and their creators and hopefully lead the readers to look for their own published comics books.” The first issue of Bayan Knights is set to rock the upcoming November 22 Komikon at the UP Bahay ng Alumni . Read the full PDI article , or visit the Bayan Knights blog . Image from the Philippine Daily Inquirer website.

Coraline The Movie

I haven't read the Neil Gaiman novella, but I did read the somehow unsatisfying graphic novel adaptation by P. Craig Russell . The film adaptation, directed by Nightmare Before Christmas ' Henry Selick, will be a stop-motion / 3D combo, featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher. The visual atmosphere of the film obviously targets a younger set, with a cartoony design looking nothing like Russell's adaptation. A major change from book to film is the inclusion of a sidekick character, a decision that Selick explains in the following video. Coraline is set for release in 2009.

Special Mentions

The Wall Street Journal's Robyn Eckhardt writes about Philippine culinary delights . I was browsing The Pocket Daring Book for Girls at the bookstore and found two pages that instruct readers how to dance the tinikling (bamboo dance). It's on page 104. Carrie Tait of The Financial Post of Canada talks about Helen Arong, originally from the Philippines, who set up a successful clothing store in a place "characterized as a drug-infested oil town full of rig pigs." Singapore's The Straits Times reveals the growing popularity of Filipino musical artists in the city state.

Wine Sales in East Asia Influenced by Manga

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Shizuku Kanzaki races against time to become a wine connoisseur in the four year-old manga series "The Drops of the Gods." What creators Yuko and Shin Kibayashi (under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi) didn't expect was the impact their work would have on the local wine market. From a New York Times article: "In Japan, wine sellers grab copies of the magazine as soon as it comes out on Thursdays, quickly showcasing a featured wine in their stores or on their Web sites. According to Enoteca, a large chain, men in their 30s to 50s tend to ask for wines from the magazine, especially those priced around $30." The wave of interest in wine because of the manga series has swept over South Korea as well, where the Kibayashis were treated like stars. From the same article, "...there was so little demand for Burgundy that even top hotels did not bother stocking it. But after the comic extolled Burgundy’s virtues, stores and hotels scrambled to secure stocks, which immediate

RPG: The Philippines' First Full-Length 3D Animated Feature

Now this is interesting.

Summit Media Job Openings

ART DIRECTOR (SMART PARENTING) Candidates must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree in Arts & Design, Advertising, Media or equivalent. Candidates must be good at conceptualizing and translating elements into final print work given client specifications. Applicants must be at least 25 years old. At least 3 years of working experience in an Advertising Agency or any related field is required for this position. Applicants must be skilled in operating computer applications such as Photoshop, In-Design, Pagemaker, Freehand, Illustrator, etc. Applicants must be adept in using a Mac computer. Applicants must be highly creative, can handle pressure well and willing to work long hours & must be open for FULL-TIME employment. WEB PROGRAMMER Candidates must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or I.T. Programming or any related field. Candidates must at least have 1 year of work experience in web programming or any related field. Applicants must have extensive

Submission Guidelines to Visual Print Enterprises

By special request. If you have a book that's nearing completion and would want to pitch to my publisher, Visual Print Enterprises, here's the link to their submission guidelines . Best of luck!

Graphic Novel Training

Here's something you can do to jumpstart the realization of an ambition--creating a graphic novel. This is all theoretical, of course, since I don't know of anyone who's actually done this. Plus, the younger you are, the better. But if there's enough passion and dedication, plus the will to improve, then there's always the strong chance for success, right? It all takes five stages: STAGE ONE: The Starter 12 Duration: One calendar year In this stage, you will create one short comics story a month. Each story will be 8 to 10 pages long. Take two weeks to write and two weeks to draw (or the whole month to write and draw at the same time). As you go from one story to the next, get feedback, determine which areas you can improve, and allow areas for experimentation and personal styling. Simple, right? By the end of the first year, you would have 12 short comics in your portfolio. STAGE TWO: The Intermediate 6 Duration: One calendar year In this stage, you will create one

Press Release: Wonder Woman Day 3

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Portland, Oregon, October 14, 2008 — For the third year in a row, Wonder Woman brandishes her Amazon bracelets and golden lasso as a star-spangled symbol for a charity benefit for Portland's most protective domestic violence shelters — Raphael House and Bradley-Angle House — and the Portland Women's Crisis Line . Excalibur Comics will host " Wonder Woman Day " on Sunday, October 26th from 12noon to 6pm. The free all-ages event will feature personalities such as Adam Hughes and Gail Simone signing Wonder Woman comics and special art prints, as well as a silent art auction with over 150 of the world's top artists contributing original art, plus costumed super-heroes on-site, raffles and prizes, rare memorabilia, and more! Additionally, a second " Wonder Woman Day " benefit will take place on Sunday, October 26th, in Flemington, New Jersey, at Comic Fusion, as part of their “Super-Hero Weekend.” This East Coast event will benefit Safe in Hunterdon,

Play Posters

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Here are a couple of posters I did for the American Community Theater (Hongkong) through dear friend Mida , who used to perform for that group. This was four years ago, and I remember being really excited about doing their production posters. I've always wanted to add that "commercial" element to theater posters since, after all, they're supposed to attract attention and sell shows. If a theater poster was too artsy, or too symbolic, then how can the common citizen with extra cash know what the play was about? Yes, it's possible to draw crowds into a theater by the strength of a poster. But that poster has to hit its intended audience at the core.

INVOICE: The GLBT Business and Advocacy Journal

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This I'm definitely curious about. INVOICE is a new GLBT magazine that seeks to break the mold when it comes to Philippine GLBT publications. Instead of focusing on lifestyle and scantily-clad hunks, INVOICE turns towards business, promising to advocate "the new image of the GLBT community as professional individuals with integrity." (On the Web, other gay business publications include Echelon and GayBusinessWorld .) It also seeks to "provide an inspiration and a call for action to all readers to become entrepreneurs and help in the growth of SMEs (Small and Medium-scale Enterprises) in the country." Refreshing, I say. INVOICE is produced by 3rd Media Publishing , and the maiden issue is currently available at the following stores: National Bookstore C. Raymundo Caniogan, Gerald magazine Shop - Rustans Supermarket Mercedes Ave. Pasig city National Bookstore Megamall Bldg.A, National Bookstore Shangri-La, National Bookstore Bestsellers Robinsons Galleria and Be

'Spectacular' Musical

Looks like the Broadway musical adaptation of Spiderman is becoming spectacular even in production cost. News all over the web is pinning the warbling webslinger's stage debut at $30 to $40 million, the highest bank breaker in Broadway so far. Just to give you an idea of how expensive that is, the films Cloverfield , The Sixth Sense , and Chicago had production budgets hovering around that amount. (I couldn't find resources on Broadway musical budgets.) Superman had his try at a stage musical over 40 years ago, when "It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman" debuted on Broadway. The musical was later adapted into a television special. And, yes, Tanghalang Pilipino had already asked me about adapting the Zaturnnah sequel for the stage. I naturally agreed, but I'll have to get the book out first. (shiver)

Real Living October 2008

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Better late than never... In the October issue of Real Living , you discover: 1) the Best Home Stores for 2008! Over 30 establishments--from value-for-money stores to blow-the-budget shops take the spotlight in the magazine's annual list. 2) the style forecast for 2009! Taking a cue from international sources , Real Living highlights the fearless upcoming style trends ranging from the dramatic to the eco-friendly. 3) Project Runway Philippines judge Jojie Lloren's contemporary-vintage studio! 4) the grand prize winner of Real Living's Best Real Home contest! Jorem Catilo and his wife Sheila transform a small and plain space into a colorful, creative and refreshing sanctuary. ...and more! Real Living is available at major magazine stands for only P140. Get na, now na!

TP To Hold Auditions for New Musical

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From the Tanghalang Pilipino email blast: Tanghalang Pilipino will hold new auditions for the cast of the sarswela adaptation of Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon (originally a 1976 film directed by Eddie Romero) on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, 2008, from 1-8 PM at the Bulwagang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining (Multi-Purpose Hall), 4th Floor, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. Those interested to be part of the production are required to submit their resume together with 2 pictures (a head shot and a full-body photo) and to prepare two songs - a kundiman and a contemporary Filipino pop ballad - and a short dance or movement piece. Roles to be filled include a young boy (6-17 years old) and the Filipino lead and supporting characters. Those with Chinese, Indian, Spanish and American features are encouraged to audition as well. For inquiries and other details, please call Tanghalang Pilipino at 832-3661 or 832-1125 local 1620 / 1621 or email ccpt

Arnold Arre's "Martial Law Babies"

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Arnold Arre will soon be releasing his new graphic novel Martial Law Babies , but you can pre-order a copy by checking out the official site . Arnold's fifth OGN--after The Mytholgy Class, Trip to Tagaytay, After Eden and Ang Alamat ni Andong Agimat --is 288 pages long and will retail at P500. Pre-order and get 10% off! I dunno what the book's about, but I can imagine it's going to be a nostalgic trip.

Globe Komiks for OCWs

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This was from mid-2005. Client wanted to create material to be distributed to Filipino OCWs as part of a campaign to promote mobile phone-based remittances. This came in two versions--one with a female lead and the other with a male lead--though the script was basically the same. I had fun doing this project despite its "rush" status. Presented here are two pages out of six (click to enlarge).

What a Critique Means To Me

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When I appeared in Angels In America over a decade ago (my debut in professional theater), the reviews about my performance weren't very encouraging, so much so that I cried, nearly bawling my eyes out. I only got one glowing review--from the Manila Chronicle--which likened my performance to William Holden on Sunset Boulevard. While that piece of positive feedback did elevate my spirits, it wasn't enough to convince me that my performance was worth something in the entirety of Tony Kushner's opus. I only resolved to do my best in the remaining performances, and accept the truth that I was the "professional newbie" who didn't have years of hard theater acting experience compared to my fellow cast members. And there have been no regrets--1995 was still the best year of my life. (The image below was lifted from The Bachelor Girl . That's me on the top left--yes, I had hair. Also in the picture (clockwise, from top left): Tami Monsod, Lorna Lopez, Ebong Joson