The first throwback post of The Accidental Video Maker reveals the recording devices used to create my videos. The second throwback post shows my passion and interest for video making while the third throwback post chronicles my YouTube channels' output and direction. The third throwback post ,also, details how almost all my videos turned out to be musicals - a genre which I use to include Entertainment and Music YouTube video categories.
This sentimental post is about the people, entities and life events that contributed to my video creation activities. It is not an autobiography but an expounded acknowledgement list. Primarily, the post forms part of a video making blog composed of throwback and non-throwback posts. For this blog, the throwback posts narrate how I became an accidental video maker while the remaining or non-throwback posts provide video making insights.
If you had read my previous non-throwback posts written after "Throwback 3 : Road to Konsyerto Pinoy Channel" post and prior to the "Right Spot" post, and thought these posts included "seeming dramatic" details and should have been part of the throwback posts, then I must clarify to you that these details only provide a scenario to an issue. The video making issue which these posts tackle is the video creator's initiative to request for a "Point, Shoot(Record) and Post(Upload) Approval".
I wanted to emphasize the need for video authorization from event organizers and from venue/mall officers and representatives. The organizers and venue personnel are KEY people in the video making process since a video maker does not need to go directly to (and bother) the performing artist(s) and their handlers for video-op. These people can coordinate with the artist and the handlers about video opportunities or lack thereof prior to the show. They can even tell you the extent of an upload which could be a part of or the entire show/concert.
As a suggestion, it might also help video enthusiasts if the event organizers could indicate a "free video-op" status in a concert/show poster or ad that would signal creators that no authorization is required to record and upload the show. Otherwise if not indicated, video-op authorization has to be secured.
In this case, event organizers and venue establishments will also benefit since they need not hide important events in their social media sites from video creators who they feel uncomfortable to deal with. If such creators request for video-op, the least they could do is ignore or ,politely, turn down the request.
Now, we return to this throwback post. For some, it is difficult to believe that a video maker who is interested in classical music, ballet and folk dance could also like pop, jazz, rock and alternative music, street dance, hip hop and "rock" bands. Often, personal YouTube channels focus on artists performing a certain or related genre/category of music. Well, my channels are not the typical ones. Based on my personal interest, Konsyerto Pinoy and Singles and Covers have not yet completed the full circle - from rap to tap, from experimental to sacred music, etc.
Of course, personal interest or ,simply, likes were acquired over a period of time. Often, these likes resulted from a memorable event or a pleasant incident which maybe caused by another person. From most Filipinos, it is not unusual to hear the term "utang na loob" which means a deep and lasting personal recognition of kindness or favor accorded to oneself by others. When I worked for a computer company in the mid-1980's, an office friend and I would literally translate for fun "utang na loob" to internal debt.
This sentimental post is about the people, entities and life events that contributed to my video creation activities. It is not an autobiography but an expounded acknowledgement list. Primarily, the post forms part of a video making blog composed of throwback and non-throwback posts. For this blog, the throwback posts narrate how I became an accidental video maker while the remaining or non-throwback posts provide video making insights.
If you had read my previous non-throwback posts written after "Throwback 3 : Road to Konsyerto Pinoy Channel" post and prior to the "Right Spot" post, and thought these posts included "seeming dramatic" details and should have been part of the throwback posts, then I must clarify to you that these details only provide a scenario to an issue. The video making issue which these posts tackle is the video creator's initiative to request for a "Point, Shoot(Record) and Post(Upload) Approval".
I wanted to emphasize the need for video authorization from event organizers and from venue/mall officers and representatives. The organizers and venue personnel are KEY people in the video making process since a video maker does not need to go directly to (and bother) the performing artist(s) and their handlers for video-op. These people can coordinate with the artist and the handlers about video opportunities or lack thereof prior to the show. They can even tell you the extent of an upload which could be a part of or the entire show/concert.
As a suggestion, it might also help video enthusiasts if the event organizers could indicate a "free video-op" status in a concert/show poster or ad that would signal creators that no authorization is required to record and upload the show. Otherwise if not indicated, video-op authorization has to be secured.
In this case, event organizers and venue establishments will also benefit since they need not hide important events in their social media sites from video creators who they feel uncomfortable to deal with. If such creators request for video-op, the least they could do is ignore or ,politely, turn down the request.
Now, we return to this throwback post. For some, it is difficult to believe that a video maker who is interested in classical music, ballet and folk dance could also like pop, jazz, rock and alternative music, street dance, hip hop and "rock" bands. Often, personal YouTube channels focus on artists performing a certain or related genre/category of music. Well, my channels are not the typical ones. Based on my personal interest, Konsyerto Pinoy and Singles and Covers have not yet completed the full circle - from rap to tap, from experimental to sacred music, etc.
Of course, personal interest or ,simply, likes were acquired over a period of time. Often, these likes resulted from a memorable event or a pleasant incident which maybe caused by another person. From most Filipinos, it is not unusual to hear the term "utang na loob" which means a deep and lasting personal recognition of kindness or favor accorded to oneself by others. When I worked for a computer company in the mid-1980's, an office friend and I would literally translate for fun "utang na loob" to internal debt.
Aside from the BIG G up there, my undying gratitude goes to my mother Ester who raised me up and introduced music in my life. Though she likes classical music and Filipino classics, I value the musical information which I got from her. She loves the vocal versatility of Ms. Sylvia La Torre who is the "Filipino Classic Diva and Vocal Queen" during the pre-martial law era. I got to see my mother and her older brother (Uncle) Jose enthusiastically watched Aawitan Kita which was a weekly musical program highlighting Filipino classical music such as Kundiman.
Prior to my teenage years, my mother exposed me to classical concerts and shows which were presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The shows which I attended to featured American pianist Van Cliburn, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe and Russian dance group Bolshoi Ballet. Also, my mother enrolled me at the Philippine Women's University (PWU) College of Music and Fine Arts to study classical piano. This activity paved the way for me to play the organ and keyboard instruments. The most cherished keyboard playing experience for me was to play the pipe organ of the Paco Catholic Church. My last update was that the pipe organ retired more than a decade ago.
Well, if I thanked my mother then I must equally be grateful to my father Rodolfo who worked for the Manila City Office of Cultural Affairs which was then headed by a well-known screen actor Mr. Jaime de la Rosa. My parents' love story was a musical set-up where my father's piano playing accompanied my mother's singing. My father was a good keyboard instrument and guitar player. Aside from the guitar, piano and organ, he can also play the accordion. Though I did not have his good looks, I got his creative passion and temper.
Paco Catholic School (PCS) and my former parish priest and school director Father Francis Libeer CICM are tops on my acknowledgement list. My elementary and high school Alma Mater introduced me to several musical genres which are not commonly appreciated and popular in the Philippines then. These genres (with no specific criteria such as period, era, region, etc.) include Western Classical, Broadway, Filipino Ethnic and Filipino Classics. This was made possible by being a member of the PCS Boys Choir in the early 1970s. I do not have a good voice but I remember that I can carry a melody in "tiple" (Spanish term meaning soprano voice of a boy). I still remember Father Francis would check on us if we were practicing in the choir. Once, we chose to play hide and seek with Father Francis to avoid the regular choral practice.
Our choirmaster Ms. Virginia Pabalan was very patient and tolerant with me since I just wanted to sing the melody of the song. During choir practices, I frequently questioned myself why do I have to sing portions of a musical piece in a "directed" manner or other than the melodic line. That is when I learned the concept of harmony. Well, melody, harmony, etc. are musical tech terms which are still to be clearly defined to me. The important thing was that I understood the purpose of a "choir". Imagine several people singing in different melodic progressions producing a harmonized and recognizable blend of vocal lines. Whew! I cannot clearly explain that but it might help if you watch the videos above and below.
Looking back, being a choir member was an honor and a great experience for me. I got to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater stage in a choral competition for boys in the 1970s. I could not recall the outcome of the contest but that was roughly the start time when I became a Las Pinas Boys Choir fan. Coming from PCS Boys Choir which was also formed by the same Belgian missionary order CICM as the Las Pinas Boys Choir, it was easy for me to admire the superb and meritorious performances of the latter choir.
In large part, my videos and choices are indirectly influenced by my personal experiences. I was very lucky to witness the first major Philippine Popular Music festival Metropop with exceptional songwriters Ryan Cayabyab (Mr. C), Freddie Aguilar, Jose Mari Chan, et. al. Together with Mr. C, Hajji Alejandro who is the featured artist in the video below won the initial Metropop contest.
Until now, the songwriters featured in the pioneering Philippine popular music festival continue to make an impact in every Filipinos' musical digestion. As an example, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab who composed the monumental/epic song "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" continues to deliver compositions that any Filipino could be proud of.
Mr. C's compositions include Smokey Mountain's hit "Paraiso" to Voices for Visayas' "Just Believe" which is a collaboration with Mr. Jose Javier Reyes. The latter song was the finale for the Benefit Concert for the victims of typhoon Yolanda.
It is not unusual for most Filipinos to like foreign music. In my case, I encountered the Spanish song "Eres Tu" in college and immediately liked it. I even remember our Spanish class instructor led the class for a vocal exercise of this song. Prior to college, I also encountered a French song on Television (probably a movie shown on TV) "Un Homme et Une Femme (A Man and a Woman)" and liked it as well.
The initial Metropop and weekly AT40 with Casey Kasem were key events which provided the balance in my musical choices. Some people hate to be considered old. For me, I am quite lucky to hear the various sounds of different generations. I might be partial to the sounds of a certain era but I can "dig" and appreciate the latest compositions.
Aside from music, I am thankful for the visual events which I have attended to. Specifically for the Philippines, there was a time that a moviegoer can repeatedly watch for free a movie from the theater's opening to the last full show. There were festivals dedicated to showing of films - from the Metro Manila Film festival to the Manila International Film Festival.
Even if I do not have a photographic memory, I must admit that each local or foreign film and video which I have seen before may indirectly affect my video creation. The content, pacing, lighting, shots, angles, etc. of my video rely heavily on personal preference rather than on documented and accepted technical standards. Although experimentation is encouraged by this field, I still adhere to certain technical and content limits. There are things which we cannot and/or must not do in a video. Our imagination can be endless but reality dictates that there are dreams which will remain forever as such.
The above reminds me to especially thank the various artists, performers and subjects who shared their talents, time and effort in my videos. These people enabled me to realize my dream of creating videos. Next to these video subjects, I am indebted to the personnel of various concert/show venues like malls, to organizers of covered events, and to the handlers of these performers that include recording companies, television networks and management companies.
Aside from the people above, I also need to make special mention of two communities where I resided and gave me video opportunities and ideas. The first is the city which I consider my hometown. In the literal sense, this city was originally a town. When I was born and during the first decade of my life, Makati City was just a town of Rizal. I still remember having indicated "Makati, Rizal" as my home address then.
Definitely, I did not intend to have a very unfortunate incident for my initial Makati City video. Although the fire was a news item, the video was intended to get a special message across - our proximity to an issue determine our mindset. If we are not directly affected by an issue or we are far from it, we live somewhere with an uneasy tranquility. The closer we are or involve more ourselves to an issue, we hear a lot of noise and sadly some noise, news or talks, are disturbances or false. However, if we are in ground zero then we would know the truth. The video above was shot in three different locations which the viewer can associate with what I have mentioned regarding proximity to an issue and mindset.
This year 2014, I was relieved to come up with a video which shows another side of my hometown-city. I see hope and triumph with the performers of this video. These students are the future of my hometown-city. If they get their acts together and aim for a common objective such as working for the advancement of the community's welfare (like what they have accomplished during the street dance competition), Makati can become one of the most desirable cities to live in the world.
The other place is Manila where I got my education and I lived the longest (as of this writing). My earliest videos were mostly recorded in Manila. I got to show the street which is the heart of Paco district in Manila. Calle Paz or Paz street could very well represent the country today. It is old but still a work in progress - meaning Hope Floats and NOT Lost.
Aside from history, Manila has a certain character that many Filipinos can get used to. In fact, a song clearly described such getting used to and longing for Manila. Aside from local artists, foreign acts have their covers of the song titled "Manila".
(Click MANILA (Konsyerto Pinoy Mix Version) to watch the video.)
Aside from films, movies and videos, live concerts are visual events which I attended to. After college specifically from the mid-1980s to the 1990s, this video maker was fortunate enough to witness musical icons of previous generations perform. I will never forget Whitney Houston's impressive vocal performance at Frankfurt Festhalle in 1988. She has yet to record songs from the Bodyguard movie at that time and "One Moment in Time" has just entered the top of the charts.
I quite admire four (4) foreign vocal pop artists - Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Christopher Cross and ,of course, Whitney Houston. Creating the "Queen of the Night" video by the Philippine Madrigal Singers Madz during Pasinaya 2014 was very familiar because of my interest in both Donna Summer and Whitney Houston. What has Summer got to do with this?
Prior to the above video, I was unaware of other Madz "Queen of the Night" cover videos which I just recently watched. When the Madz began performing their final song during Pasinaya 2014 Golden Voices, I immediately noticed a very different arrangement of the announced song. Yes, the arrangement is an exact fit for the Madz but how could this song turn out to be what was announced at the beginning of the show?
Then I remember the structure of Donna Summer's "Last Dance" song which starts with a slow and soulful ballad-like prelude and progresses to the remaining upbeat portion. In a similar manner, I associated the Aria prelude prior to the upbeat portion and the actual melody of Whitney Houston' original version.
For the above experience, I must not forget the influence of the Cultural Center of the Philippines CCP in my musical life and definitely CCP's help in my video making endeavor. It was also a supervising usher from CCP who suggested that I attend shows of Paco Park Presents to cover vocal performances. In doing so, not only my video making activity benefited but my understanding of Culture and the Arts have been broadened by CCP and the National Parks Development Committee of the Philippines NPDC that handles Paco Park Presents.
Before I started creating musical videos, I did not know the relevance of certain events in my life like becoming a choir boy, learning to play the piano or watching classical concerts and musical TV shows. Even with a limited vocal and instrument-playing talent, I did not aspire to become a musician or a singer. I just took the ride which served to be a familiarization tour and preparation for a recent hobby which became very dear to me. These events happened by accident and with a purpose.
Together with my musical and film interests during and after college, these life events would have made video making a hobby by choice. Partly true but the trigger point is somewhat by fate and a real accident. Some people do not always have the means (time, financial means or simply budget, and freedom from social or familial obligations) to direct their efforts in finding their vocation or ,less passionately. career path.
When I worked for a European computer firm, I met people who are certain of what they want in life. Due to their chosen career path - Information Technology, they are simply content with their work. With dedication, they became successful in their field. In my case, these encounters with such colleagues inspired me to continue searching for the task that will bring out my life's essence.
The accidental discovery of such task will be discussed in my last and fifth throwback post. Together with the people and entities mentioned in this post, I would thank in advance my supportive relatives, Nokia, LimeWire, YouTube and a special education school that provided a series of accidental events which triggered my video making activity.
For some people, they discover early in life what they are good at and what they enjoy doing. For others like me, a long journey is needed to discover a task or hobby that will complete our being. Like the ancient Jews who had a long journey in the Sinai desert before they reached the promised land Canaan, I did not forget my goal and searched for the task that will make me happy. Video creation was a deliverance from a state of restlessness in my career life. No matter how I dedicate and focus myself in my previous jobs and activities, I was still unsatisfied with whatever outcome. Today, it only takes a good video to bring the utmost joy in my heart.
Sometimes, such discovery takes nearly a life time and ,in my case, nearly half a century. For what this discovery is worth, I consider myself very fortunate to realize my passion and ,probably, a vocation. At this point, I also have learned and accepted the fact that video making - a task which is dear to me - may not be forever done. I just hope that it would be easy on my part to bid video making goodbye if I have to.
 |
| San Fernando de Dilao (Paco Catholic) Church |
Prior to my teenage years, my mother exposed me to classical concerts and shows which were presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The shows which I attended to featured American pianist Van Cliburn, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe and Russian dance group Bolshoi Ballet. Also, my mother enrolled me at the Philippine Women's University (PWU) College of Music and Fine Arts to study classical piano. This activity paved the way for me to play the organ and keyboard instruments. The most cherished keyboard playing experience for me was to play the pipe organ of the Paco Catholic Church. My last update was that the pipe organ retired more than a decade ago.
Well, if I thanked my mother then I must equally be grateful to my father Rodolfo who worked for the Manila City Office of Cultural Affairs which was then headed by a well-known screen actor Mr. Jaime de la Rosa. My parents' love story was a musical set-up where my father's piano playing accompanied my mother's singing. My father was a good keyboard instrument and guitar player. Aside from the guitar, piano and organ, he can also play the accordion. Though I did not have his good looks, I got his creative passion and temper.
Paco Catholic School (PCS) and my former parish priest and school director Father Francis Libeer CICM are tops on my acknowledgement list. My elementary and high school Alma Mater introduced me to several musical genres which are not commonly appreciated and popular in the Philippines then. These genres (with no specific criteria such as period, era, region, etc.) include Western Classical, Broadway, Filipino Ethnic and Filipino Classics. This was made possible by being a member of the PCS Boys Choir in the early 1970s. I do not have a good voice but I remember that I can carry a melody in "tiple" (Spanish term meaning soprano voice of a boy). I still remember Father Francis would check on us if we were practicing in the choir. Once, we chose to play hide and seek with Father Francis to avoid the regular choral practice.
Our choirmaster Ms. Virginia Pabalan was very patient and tolerant with me since I just wanted to sing the melody of the song. During choir practices, I frequently questioned myself why do I have to sing portions of a musical piece in a "directed" manner or other than the melodic line. That is when I learned the concept of harmony. Well, melody, harmony, etc. are musical tech terms which are still to be clearly defined to me. The important thing was that I understood the purpose of a "choir". Imagine several people singing in different melodic progressions producing a harmonized and recognizable blend of vocal lines. Whew! I cannot clearly explain that but it might help if you watch the videos above and below.
Looking back, being a choir member was an honor and a great experience for me. I got to perform at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater stage in a choral competition for boys in the 1970s. I could not recall the outcome of the contest but that was roughly the start time when I became a Las Pinas Boys Choir fan. Coming from PCS Boys Choir which was also formed by the same Belgian missionary order CICM as the Las Pinas Boys Choir, it was easy for me to admire the superb and meritorious performances of the latter choir.
Overlapping with my intermediate and high school education, I took up my classical piano course at PWU under Mrs. Felipa Francia. She patiently introduced me to the world of Mozart, Bach, Chopin and Bartok. Like a linguist who must be proficient in a language, a classical pianist ,at the very least, must have the tolerance and discipline to play every classical sonata. Unfortunately, my heart and mind could only learn and perform the musical pieces which interested me. Thus, I had to let go of my piano course.
Although I took up a college course which was not my choice, I was fortunate to finish my college studies at De La Salle University DLSU with an objective of just obtaining a diploma. Before getting my Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics, I was so enthusiastic to complete and defend my undergraduate thesis with my thesis partner Ms. Leila Verceles. The thesis was "Mathematical Methods of Scheduling Television Network Programs" which incidentally uses Game Theory in coming up with programming strategies for two competing television channels 2 (not yet ABS-CBN) and 7. The thesis ,by the way, was made prior to the death of the late martyr Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino.
The above 1982 thesis was finished with the help of Mr. J. Roy of Channel 7 (now GMA 7). Just for this experience, my deepest gratitude to De La Salle University (which subsidized my college studies) and GMA 7 via Mr. Roy's participation in our thesis. It was also my time at DLSU when I became glued to American Top 40 (AT 40) of Casey Kasem in the radio. The weekly Billboard Top 40 rankings fascinated me and my classmates more than how the rankings were derived at and statistical data were gathered considering Statistics was part of my undergraduate course. I remembered entering college at the height of Donna Summer's popularity (the "Bad Girls" album year) and finishing my undergraduate studies during the height of VIVA Films top grossing movies and melodic themes ("Sinasamba Kita" translated I Adore You, and other songs).
In large part, my videos and choices are indirectly influenced by my personal experiences. I was very lucky to witness the first major Philippine Popular Music festival Metropop with exceptional songwriters Ryan Cayabyab (Mr. C), Freddie Aguilar, Jose Mari Chan, et. al. Together with Mr. C, Hajji Alejandro who is the featured artist in the video below won the initial Metropop contest.
Until now, the songwriters featured in the pioneering Philippine popular music festival continue to make an impact in every Filipinos' musical digestion. As an example, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab who composed the monumental/epic song "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" continues to deliver compositions that any Filipino could be proud of.
Mr. C's compositions include Smokey Mountain's hit "Paraiso" to Voices for Visayas' "Just Believe" which is a collaboration with Mr. Jose Javier Reyes. The latter song was the finale for the Benefit Concert for the victims of typhoon Yolanda.
It is not unusual for most Filipinos to like foreign music. In my case, I encountered the Spanish song "Eres Tu" in college and immediately liked it. I even remember our Spanish class instructor led the class for a vocal exercise of this song. Prior to college, I also encountered a French song on Television (probably a movie shown on TV) "Un Homme et Une Femme (A Man and a Woman)" and liked it as well.
The initial Metropop and weekly AT40 with Casey Kasem were key events which provided the balance in my musical choices. Some people hate to be considered old. For me, I am quite lucky to hear the various sounds of different generations. I might be partial to the sounds of a certain era but I can "dig" and appreciate the latest compositions.
Aside from music, I am thankful for the visual events which I have attended to. Specifically for the Philippines, there was a time that a moviegoer can repeatedly watch for free a movie from the theater's opening to the last full show. There were festivals dedicated to showing of films - from the Metro Manila Film festival to the Manila International Film Festival.
Even if I do not have a photographic memory, I must admit that each local or foreign film and video which I have seen before may indirectly affect my video creation. The content, pacing, lighting, shots, angles, etc. of my video rely heavily on personal preference rather than on documented and accepted technical standards. Although experimentation is encouraged by this field, I still adhere to certain technical and content limits. There are things which we cannot and/or must not do in a video. Our imagination can be endless but reality dictates that there are dreams which will remain forever as such.
The above reminds me to especially thank the various artists, performers and subjects who shared their talents, time and effort in my videos. These people enabled me to realize my dream of creating videos. Next to these video subjects, I am indebted to the personnel of various concert/show venues like malls, to organizers of covered events, and to the handlers of these performers that include recording companies, television networks and management companies.
Aside from the people above, I also need to make special mention of two communities where I resided and gave me video opportunities and ideas. The first is the city which I consider my hometown. In the literal sense, this city was originally a town. When I was born and during the first decade of my life, Makati City was just a town of Rizal. I still remember having indicated "Makati, Rizal" as my home address then.
Definitely, I did not intend to have a very unfortunate incident for my initial Makati City video. Although the fire was a news item, the video was intended to get a special message across - our proximity to an issue determine our mindset. If we are not directly affected by an issue or we are far from it, we live somewhere with an uneasy tranquility. The closer we are or involve more ourselves to an issue, we hear a lot of noise and sadly some noise, news or talks, are disturbances or false. However, if we are in ground zero then we would know the truth. The video above was shot in three different locations which the viewer can associate with what I have mentioned regarding proximity to an issue and mindset.
This year 2014, I was relieved to come up with a video which shows another side of my hometown-city. I see hope and triumph with the performers of this video. These students are the future of my hometown-city. If they get their acts together and aim for a common objective such as working for the advancement of the community's welfare (like what they have accomplished during the street dance competition), Makati can become one of the most desirable cities to live in the world.
The other place is Manila where I got my education and I lived the longest (as of this writing). My earliest videos were mostly recorded in Manila. I got to show the street which is the heart of Paco district in Manila. Calle Paz or Paz street could very well represent the country today. It is old but still a work in progress - meaning Hope Floats and NOT Lost.
Aside from history, Manila has a certain character that many Filipinos can get used to. In fact, a song clearly described such getting used to and longing for Manila. Aside from local artists, foreign acts have their covers of the song titled "Manila".
(Click MANILA (Konsyerto Pinoy Mix Version) to watch the video.)
Aside from films, movies and videos, live concerts are visual events which I attended to. After college specifically from the mid-1980s to the 1990s, this video maker was fortunate enough to witness musical icons of previous generations perform. I will never forget Whitney Houston's impressive vocal performance at Frankfurt Festhalle in 1988. She has yet to record songs from the Bodyguard movie at that time and "One Moment in Time" has just entered the top of the charts.
I quite admire four (4) foreign vocal pop artists - Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Christopher Cross and ,of course, Whitney Houston. Creating the "Queen of the Night" video by the Philippine Madrigal Singers Madz during Pasinaya 2014 was very familiar because of my interest in both Donna Summer and Whitney Houston. What has Summer got to do with this?
Prior to the above video, I was unaware of other Madz "Queen of the Night" cover videos which I just recently watched. When the Madz began performing their final song during Pasinaya 2014 Golden Voices, I immediately noticed a very different arrangement of the announced song. Yes, the arrangement is an exact fit for the Madz but how could this song turn out to be what was announced at the beginning of the show?
Then I remember the structure of Donna Summer's "Last Dance" song which starts with a slow and soulful ballad-like prelude and progresses to the remaining upbeat portion. In a similar manner, I associated the Aria prelude prior to the upbeat portion and the actual melody of Whitney Houston' original version.
For the above experience, I must not forget the influence of the Cultural Center of the Philippines CCP in my musical life and definitely CCP's help in my video making endeavor. It was also a supervising usher from CCP who suggested that I attend shows of Paco Park Presents to cover vocal performances. In doing so, not only my video making activity benefited but my understanding of Culture and the Arts have been broadened by CCP and the National Parks Development Committee of the Philippines NPDC that handles Paco Park Presents.
Before I started creating musical videos, I did not know the relevance of certain events in my life like becoming a choir boy, learning to play the piano or watching classical concerts and musical TV shows. Even with a limited vocal and instrument-playing talent, I did not aspire to become a musician or a singer. I just took the ride which served to be a familiarization tour and preparation for a recent hobby which became very dear to me. These events happened by accident and with a purpose.
Together with my musical and film interests during and after college, these life events would have made video making a hobby by choice. Partly true but the trigger point is somewhat by fate and a real accident. Some people do not always have the means (time, financial means or simply budget, and freedom from social or familial obligations) to direct their efforts in finding their vocation or ,less passionately. career path.
When I worked for a European computer firm, I met people who are certain of what they want in life. Due to their chosen career path - Information Technology, they are simply content with their work. With dedication, they became successful in their field. In my case, these encounters with such colleagues inspired me to continue searching for the task that will bring out my life's essence.
The accidental discovery of such task will be discussed in my last and fifth throwback post. Together with the people and entities mentioned in this post, I would thank in advance my supportive relatives, Nokia, LimeWire, YouTube and a special education school that provided a series of accidental events which triggered my video making activity.
For some people, they discover early in life what they are good at and what they enjoy doing. For others like me, a long journey is needed to discover a task or hobby that will complete our being. Like the ancient Jews who had a long journey in the Sinai desert before they reached the promised land Canaan, I did not forget my goal and searched for the task that will make me happy. Video creation was a deliverance from a state of restlessness in my career life. No matter how I dedicate and focus myself in my previous jobs and activities, I was still unsatisfied with whatever outcome. Today, it only takes a good video to bring the utmost joy in my heart.
Sometimes, such discovery takes nearly a life time and ,in my case, nearly half a century. For what this discovery is worth, I consider myself very fortunate to realize my passion and ,probably, a vocation. At this point, I also have learned and accepted the fact that video making - a task which is dear to me - may not be forever done. I just hope that it would be easy on my part to bid video making goodbye if I have to.
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