The CSB Experience 4: Graphique Manille

What happens when after so many unsuccessful and unfortunate attempts to do a certain thing you finally got it right? Eternal happiness? Well, maybe...At least that's what I felt after finally being able to attend to this year's Graphika Manila.

Graphika Manila, like the one I attended last June in Singapore, is a highly-anticipated international multimedia event: A gathering of students, professionals, designers, and new media art enthusiasts. But unlike CG Overdrive, GM is a one-day event. More than just a one-day event to be exact, it serves as the opening kick-off for this year's Manila Design Week.

There have been attempts by me to get the chance on going to this event since second year college. The first time, GM was in conflict with my NSTP1 class, with both being on a Saturday so I was forced to sell my ticket to someone who needs it the most.

The second time, I thought nothing would go wrong this time until the day before the event, I made a fool of myself getting victimized by the Budol-Budol gang syndicate (on the day RT30 made its debut on 99.5RT).

(Note: By coincidence, it's been a year since that happened, on August 14)

Maybe this time, third time's a charm although I wouldn't have count on it because of circumstances occurred early this month. But it's a good thing that I made it past that episode and went to GM without a hitch.

A lot of people were there in attendance at the event's venue, the SMX Convention Center. I manage to arrive there atr the nick of time just when the first set of speakers have started their session that morning. I don't want to elaborate further so here's the rundown on what occured:

1. Arnold and Cynthia Arre=Husband and wife team who were "best known for their individual works". Cynthia is best known as the cover artists for the greatest hits album of the E-Heads while her hubby is behind some popular Pinoy graphic novels which I've yet to get avail of myself.

2.  Phunk Studio=Several guys from SIngapore who were behind the production of several OBB's of some programs for MTV Asia. 2 of them were present. I wasn;t able to hear much of them when I went out to go to the restroom but happened to have see by chance Jeo, Alyssa and Clarizze along the way.

3. Underground Logic=It;s a production house who were behind some successful ad campaigns for which they were responsible for breathing life into their ads. Among them was the Pepsi 2010 campaign, the Nissin Cup Noodles campaign (the Japanese-inspired one), the ad campaign for Sunsilk (featuring Marian Rivera, Nikki Gil and Maja Salvador), among others.

4. Danny Yount=The guy who not only was involved in creating the intros for Ironman 2 and The Invasion but also behind the conceptualization and awesome production of the several show opening credits (Six Feet Under and Pushing Daisies) and promos for Cartoon Network and Discovery Channel in the US. Exciting as his portfolio is though, his discussion on how he made some of his work began to bore a few however.

5. Tara McPherson=The only international female speaker in GM according to the hosts. She's quite the psychedlc artist with a style that she calls her own. Many of the works she showed us contains a common thing, women and carved out hearts. Don't asky me why but more ore less that's how she define her style. One thing I learned from her is that to become a better artist, you need to continually build up your portfolio. Did I mentioned she looks a bit like Lady Gaga (but to a lesser extent).

6.  Rocketsheep Post=This year's fan-favorite. Rocketsheep Post's leading man showed us the Pinoy way of making movie magic through the use of "Jejeworks" (?) and "Dayamation" but at the same time stressed the importance of planning things out while making big-budget projects like this one ongoing movie project that has been under production since my high school days. The movie stars Rhian Ramos and hopefully, they get to finish the movie soon before I get my first job after college.

It was a fun experience and no doubt that, it turned things for the better, for my sake.

Until next year!