Walk the talk

Here we come…

Pack your bags guys… we’re doing something relevant next month

Pasa Arte of Rock Ed, thanks we were inspired to do something like this.

Vocals
Things have been spinning different lately. From the delay of our several projects (but we are determined to do it, I swear), change in plans, new responsibilities and blog attention we received, Kuris as a group is steady sailing to make things work well.
For one, the commercial project that we have been talking about might start a bit late since we are preparing the facilities and the group members that pledge to be involved might need to meet before pushing through. Well, this calls for another round of meeting again. We will do it maybe later this week.
The entry for the animation festival which is The BEQUEST might jumpstart its re-editing production next week. We just need to arrange the schedule and the storyboard first. The rest of the key members wanting to enhance the project have already upgraded their skills in 3D animation. Thanks to the availability of good facilities in the special project. In between work breaks, they are practicing hard in 3D and of course, having lots of fun. But we will get there and promise to make the entry worth boosting for the deadline.
There are new responsibilities waiting for us in the open. One of these is my appointment to provide vocals or voice over to several modules especially those modules handled by Sir Karlo. First, I did the voice over for Sir Naci’s module but when Sir K found out that I can actually do some nice voice over, he immediately approached me. I think this job is cool. I like doing it. When it comes to vocal works, the CIT department constructed a standard small studio for voice over which comes with complete facilities. Sir Joms is accommodating most of the time especially when the schedule is grueling and editing is really needed. The only thing that makes my voice over work very hard is the lack of air-con inside the studio. Sometimes, I need to gulp some C2 or mineral water to catch my breath or just come out for a while to grasp some fresh air, hehe. There are times that I drool over the hundred pages of modules that I need to provide the voice over. It’s fun and that makes it worth it.
Okay, I think I had enough of this blog attention we received lately from Brian Gorrell. I mean, the blogger extraordinaire is really impressed with our works and he’s serious in uplifting some good Pinoy talents out there. Sometimes, my personal messages for him were even posted in his blog but he make sure he hides my name or from whom it came from. It’s okay, he respect free speech and privacy, hehe. But seriously, a lot of emails and text messages pour in to express their appreciation for the group and The BEQUEST. Now I realize that we did a good job, not just good one but somehow an impressive output with the short film. The local media in Iloilo are also watching everything in Gorrell’s blog and the things he talk about us (Brian called it “result”).
Anyway, before I teleport away, I wish that this little idea of making October 19, our graduation day last year would be made into something relevant kind of event. I proposed to Janelyn, the group’s treasurer to organize a charity/art workshop event on that day to celebrate meaningfully our first year anniversary. The date falls on Sunday, so it’s a great time to free ourselves from pressure, go out and share the artist’s life to some less fortunate kids. The venue would be discussed in our future post along with some relevant and generous sponsors.

For now, it’s a hectic week and we need to pick our heads to where we should start first to make the first step possible.
Hex out…for now.

Extended showing

Screenshots from Brian Gorrell’s blog on his second post about Kuris Animators

Beautiful

“Headlines, friendship never ends”…we borrowed such relevant line from a pop quintet’s hit single to compliment the good fate we encountered recently। After almost eight months, our first-ever “trailblazing” (as Brian used to call it) animated project The BEQUEST still creates spark of interest in the cyberspace when Mr. Brian Gorrell, noted as one of today’s most popular blog author posted its trailer from youtube.com in his well-read blog (www.delfindjmontano.blogspot.com).
Our unexpected encounter in facebook.com, a social networking website (much like the Friendster) conceived a big step in our part as struggling amateur animators from Iloilo City. When he added my facebook profile in his friend’s list, he accompanied it with a short message “can you give me the name of your blog” along with a little story of what we’ve been through. When I opened his blog two days after (a usual habit I guess), I was surprised he posted The BEQUEST trailer from youtube and even the conversation we had. It was overwhelming to know that someone like Brian who’s already made massive following of readers via his controversial blog talk about us and the whole Filipino artist community. It’s obvious that this guy loves the Philippines and its people so much amid the pains he had gone through from a fraud Pinoy who duped his life savings.
The next thing that happened a few hours after is a surprised text message from a fellow writer who took part in a recent all-Filipino production animated full-length film who took notice of our existence in Brian’s blog. She said these strong words “there are serendipitous instances that sometimes happens in our life that was already destined or it might be pre-destined the leads us to bigger thing”. She expressed her happiness from us who risked so much to follow our dreams and now great people in the cyberspace started to take notice of our passion. We are looking forward to work with her a year from now if God permits to keep us closer to our dream.
Another good friend who also writes for a living, Mr. Jeehan Fernandez was surprisingly a Brian Gorrell blog reader expressed his positive comments via text message when he saw The BEQUEST posted in what was known as today’s cyber blog wonder. As a dynamic journalist, he called our appearance in Gorell’s blog as “news worthy” story to talk about. He’s quite excited to know there might be thousands or millions of blog readers who read it and watched the trailer. But I told him that it’s not necessary to write about it since this project got a lot of media boost in the past. It might get tiring and redundant to write more about the project. But what can I do, a writer always follows his instinct to write something he felt he’s passionate about. As a team of Ilonggo animators from a city far from capital Manila, a group of young dreamers who’s goal is to preserve Iloilo’s cultural identity through animation, selected artistic souls who started almost everything from scratch, gone through a lot of criticisms from self-proclaimed critics of this craft and proved that Dinagyang is a festival that has its own historical/cultural basis… fate has been kind to us. So I let the writer wrote what people should know about our humble flight.
So after I told my story to the writer of The Daily Guardian via text messaging, the article came out last Monday, August 26. It was indeed a nice to read that there are people who really appreciate arts and true talent...
Today, September 1, Monday, the great Brian Gorrell made another post in his blog about the overwhelming feedback and response onThe BEQUEST and the existence of Kuris Animators as a group of artistic dreamers. His words about us were uplifting and sincere… and the last thing I remember about his latest post was “beautiful”.
I believe now, there’s beauty in everything you work hard for!
Taken from www।delfindjmontano.blogspot.com

Dear Readers,

It so gratifying when you see results. Any results.
I can't put up every piece of media referring to the blog for obvious reasons. And I rarely read them myself because I still find it all very strange. My CEO finds, collects and archives everything that's been written. I couldn't possibly keep track of every mention.
But this one is very special.
Because I love Kuris Animation for many reasons. I had no idea the feed back would be so big when I discussed them and their brilliant little animated film on the blog. But it was. Dozens of people wrote me personally with their feelings and thoughts about the film which led to a chat room and so on.
Many things happen because of the blog that I never mention.
Kuris Animation is a gift.
Like their magical little film The Bequest.
Please visit their site and see for yourself the great future and promise they bring to the Philippines arts community.
For those who have not watched the film, here it is again.
It's beautiful.

Dreaming never ends

Screenshot from Brian Gorrell’s blog on The BEQUEST article, August 20, 2008

The Daily Guardian, August 26, 2008 issue, second page, news section

Headline

Dinagyang animation in Brian Gorrell’s blog

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

“BEQUEST,” the 3-minute animation of the Dinagyang Festival, Iloilo City ’s premiere festival, can be viewed in the famous (or notorious?) Brian Gorrell blog.
The posting of Dinagyang’s animation in one of the most visited blogs in the Net is expected to help promote the “best tourism event in the Philippines .”
“Yes that’s a welcome development for the blog as promo medium and besides the animation presentation is the trend,” said Ben Jimena, executive director of Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI).
Gorrell, an Australian who earned popularity for his blog which exposed the alleged shenanigans of Philippine elites, took notice of “Bequest” through Ronelo Ladiao of the Kuris Animation Unlimited, a group of budding Ilonggo animators.
Ladiao said he came across Gorrell through the social networking site facebook.com “asking for my blog address so I told him my story and I was surprised he posted it.”
Kuris, a Hiligaynon word which means “scribbled line” or a line drawn by a pencil, is a group of amateur animators that made the “first animated short film” about the origin of Dinagyang.
Ladiao said “Bequest” tells how Dinagyang started with the fusion of three historical events including barter of Panay (10 Bornean Datus who came to Panay Island in 13th century), arrival of Ferdinand Magellan and Spaniards in 1521, and the giving of the Sto. Niño image to the San Jose Church in 1968. The last episode gave birth to the Dinagyang festival.
“Bequest” which can be viewed in www.kurisanimation.blogspot.com and www.youtube.com is Kuris’ entry to Animahenasyon 2008 organized by Animation Council of the Philippines in Manila in October.
“We hope to gain more attention someday with our dream to revolutionize animation in the Philippines ,” said Ladiao.
Several Filipino animators have already been making names in Hollywood .
In his blog, Gorrell said: “I love story telling animation so when I found this (Bequest) fantastic Pinoy project in the works, I got really revved up. I reckon the creators of this movie are trail blazers in the Filipino animation community.”
“Their funding is virtually non existent, so it’s an obvious labor of love. The Philippines arts community is amazing considering there is little or no money around for artistic frivolity which usually drives any significant movement, large or small,” he added.
“Telling history is important. Telling it through the arts is crucial. By simply acknowledging an artist and considering their effort is enough for many. And always remember that behind every creation, there is a Filipino, trying to do good with the gifts that God gave them,” Gorrell said.