direction

Apart from art direction (for photo shoots), stage direction (for theatre) and video direction (for TV), I also do voice direction - for animation.

I'll be directing the voices and music for "Simeon Rex" (that floating citadel on top is one of the key locations in the long story Nikki and I are weaving) beginning sometime this month and it should be a blast. I'm looking forward to auditioning talents and finding the right voices. Believe me, many an animated property with wonderful scripts and animation has been ruined by horrible voices. It's time to utilize my past as with Repertory Philippines, I guess.

I've hired an award-winning singer/songwriter to compose the series theme song and I'm waiting to be surprised. I have no clue how I expect this to sound, apart from the notion that it must sound "right".

I'm also putting together a little something with El and Charles, that, if fortune is kind, will be something none of us have done before. More as positive events develop. All I can say is that these two young guys have impressed me with their writing. I asked them to jump into the deep blue sea with me, and with little reservations and a lot of good humor, they not only swam but put intelligent marine life to shame.

There are also 2 offers to write a film, both outside the Philippines. As usual, it all depends on my scriptment winning the pitch and persuading the producers to get me and my crew. Writing a live-action film is a whole different animal (as people like Noel, Paolo Dy or Quark can tell you). It takes longer and I have more stillborn examples of films that didn't make it past my own arduous creative process than my plays or fiction.

And there may be another pair of animated properties on the horizon. I know, I know. It all seems odd how all these things are becoming something I can actually hope to acquire. Again, we'll see.

Nothing is certain until the ink is on paper and money in the bank.

But isn't it amazing how the wheel turns?

I prefer this direction.

Upwards.


siglo as gifts

One of my former business partners who is now a big kahuna over at the Department of Trade and Industry overheard people talking about Siglo. When my name was mentioned, his curiosity was piqued. He gave me a call and placed an order for a few dozen copies of the book - to be given as gifts to foreign guests.

Hell, I'd prefer a nice comic anthology over native nailcutters or dried fruit any day (except if I'm on a rain-drenched island, hungry and unkempt).

Thank you, DTI!