Speakers at AIFFA 2019

Anne and I found ourselves on a flight to Malaysia, just several hours after DAGSIN's last commercial screening. We were on a plane to attend the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) in Kuching, Malaysia for the 2nd time after 2017, when DAGSIN was among the "official" films selected to compete.

This time around, Anne and I had been invited to give a "talk" (about our experiences in producing DAGSIN, our two year journey though the festival circuit, and finally releasing the movie commercially, just a week prior) in AIFFA BIZ, the professional media industry portion of the festival.

Atom and Anne with the welcoming party to Sarawak, dressed in their native costumes.

The Philippine Delegation to AIFFA 2019 at the Kuching Airport.

The Philippine Delegation this time around was smaller, despite the increase in the number of Filipino Films officially competing. We flew in with the Filipino contingent, but since we were booked in a separate hotel with the other ASEAN AIFFA BIZ participants, Anne and I still found ways to hang-out with our compatriots.

Atom and Anne with AIFFA heads - good friend Adelina Iskandar, Head of
AIFFA BIZ with husband Malaysian Actor Fish Fazil, Livan Tajang, AIFFA Festival Director and Filipino Filmmaker Joe Laban.

Atom and Anne with Filipino Direk Joe Laban and Direk Tikoy Aguiluz with the other Filipino Delegates.

Atom and Anne with writer Rody Vera, Cinematographer Rain Yamson and actress Elora Españo.

The Pinoys singing, drinking and hanging-out together in a Karaoke Bar.

Atom and Anne had their turn with the mic.

The Filipinos having lunch together almost every day.

The Filipino Delegation with AIFFA special guest Steven Seagal.

Anne with Philippine Director Tikoy Aguiluz and the other ASEAN filmmaker Jurors of AIFFA.

Our Talk was scheduled on the second day. After listening to the other "Talks" by various Media Professionals invited from all over the ASEAN, Anne and I began feel that maybe we were invited by mistake. Most, if not all, of the other Presenters are Commercial Production Houses and veterans of the industry, not only from Asia but also from Hollywood. So when the audience approached us one by one after our presentation, congratulating us both for DAGSIN and exclaiming how we inspired them to keep on making movies, Anne and I were both surprised and elated!

Atom discussing the intricacies of making DAGSIN. 

Anne summarising our three year long journey with DAGSIN,
from actual production, film festival runs and finally distribution.

The AIFFA awards night is a formal sit-down dinner affair that is televised nationwide in Malaysia and several other ASEAN countries. The Philippine Delegation came home with the most awards, including Best Film for Chito Roño's "Signal Rock and a post humous Best Actor trophy for Kristoffer King for his performance in Howard Yambao's "Kristo."

The AIFFA Awards Night inside the Ballroom of Kuching's most prestigious hotel. 

Atom and Anne seated with their fellow AIFFA Speakers,
who have since become business associates and friends.

Atom with Mell Navarro and AIFFA Lifetime Achievement Awardee,
Indonesian filmmaker Slamet Rahardjo.

The Philippine Delegation celebrating our sweep.

With actresses Teri Malvar and Mai Fanglayan and AIFFA hosts Rovilson Fernandez and Marc Nelson.

The Philippine Delegation celebrating the multiple win on the AIFFA stage.

Anne and I were scheduled to leave on April 28 so that I can celebrate my birthday in Manila, but  our good friend Adelina surprised us by extending our stay for an extra day and offered us our own driver and car so we can tour Sarawak. We had been to Kuching before, but we did not have any time to go around. Anne and I were just so grateful to be finally given the chance to see some of Sarawak.

As we were having breakfast in our hotel dinning-room in the morning of my birthday, the hotel staff surprised us with a birthday dessert. Adelina Iskandar, AIFFA BIZ head, who was directly responsible for our participation in AIFFA 2019 and our extra tour day, was also behind this special birthday treat for me. Thank you, thank you so so much Adelina! I hope one day we can return the favour and treat you and Fish to a wonderful holiday in the Philippines.

Atom and Anne at the AIFFA Awards Night with good friends, Malaysian Power
Couple Adelina Iskandar and Fish Fazil, and Philippine Press veterans Mell Navarro and Pilar Mateo.

Atom's special birthday dessert surprise from the staff of the Kuching Waterfront Hotel.

Atom and Anne delighted by the surprise birthday dessert.

Atom and Anne on tour on our extra day in Sarawak.

I fell in love with the Sapek, the Bornea Guitar. I will definitely buy one someday.

-- All photos are the exclusive property of Atom & Anne Mediaworks, Corp.

Veteran Actor Cast in Dagsin

...with veteran stage and screen actor Tommy Abuel

(reprinted from http://dagsin.blogspot.com)

The Dagsin family is very proud and happy to welcome multi-award winning veteran stage and screen actor Tommy Abuel in the lead role of Justino.

 

An actor with a long and illustrious career in both Theater and Cinema, Mr. Abuel is known as an "actor's actor," a consummate artist who internalizes his characters and brings them to life in the most creative way. He has been nominated for his work consistently since he began working in 1973 (has won for both stage and screen), and has worked with some of the country's most singularly artistic Film Directors including Lino Brocka, Ismael Bernal and Mike De Leon.

--Photo by Anne Prado-Magadia

My Feature Film Project Gets Into Cinemalaya

Last Saturday, August 15, 2015, the Cinemalaya Foundation finally announced the 10 lucky finalist for its 2016 Main Competition on Full-length Features, during the 2015 Festival Awards Night at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Cinemalaya is considered to be the most prestigious Independent Film Festival in the Philippines, so film fans from all over the country as well as the Press enthusiastically welcomed the 10 projects that were chosen from an original pool of more than 150 submissions. I am ecstatic to announce that "Dagsin" (Gravity), my first Full-length Feature project, is among the lucky ten.

 

The finalist with Foundation Pres. Laurice Guillen and Festival Head Mel Chionglo

  

With its goal to promote and develop the Independent Film Industry of the Philippines,  the Cinemalaya Film Festival is arguably the most anticipated yearly independent film competition (our version of Sundance or Cannes) in the Philippines. In the last ten years of its existence, the festival has given birth to most of the country's up-and-coming filmmakers, ushering forth the digital age of Philippine Cinema widely known as "The Philippine New Wave." The festival aims to encourage "works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity," and Cinemalaya has consistently delivered on this promise by having 5 films, from its ten year roster, be nominated by the Film Academy of the Philippines to represent the country for the annual Academy Awards' (Oscars) Best Foreign-Language film category.

 

The directors (and some writers) of the 10 Feature Films for 2016

Weekly Street Photos #39

This week's theme: CHILDHOOD FANTASIES

These are not posed. I had to wait a year to complete this set of three, since the elements in the photographs all happened by chance. I did not go around stalking children with this theme in mind, it was all luck. The photos are testaments to the wonderful magic that can happen when you become totally present and aware of everything that is happening around you. Serendipitous moments like these are what keeps me shooting "Street."    

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Cupid"

 

"The Princess and the Frog" Singapore

 

"Mirror Mirror..."

 

This will be my last installment of "Weekly Street Photos" for awhile, since my first full-length feature movie "Dagsin" (Gravity) was just green-lighted for production, and I will be super busy. Although there would be less photography entries maybe until the end of this year, it will be replaced by updates on our production for "Dagsin." Thank you for your support, and salamat sa Maykapal! 

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #37

This week's theme: ADVERTISING GRAPHICS

Large graphic Ads are the easiest elements to juxtapose in "Street" photography, specially in urban spaces. In fact, a lot of photographers would actually wait in front of a particular image (or location) until something or someone walks into their shot. Although this strategy is quite effective and has been used by a lot of "Street Photography" Masters including Henri Cartier-Bresson; I prefer to run into my images synchronously, never spending more than a minute to compose and take my shot before walking on to the next subject, since I do "Street Photography" mainly as a form of Zen meditation.  Here are three  photos I captured serendipitously, incorporating graphic Ads.   

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"I Feel You Bro"

 

"The Watcher Watching" Singapore

 

"Instant Family"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #36

This week's theme: SILHOUETTE

Photographing silhouette is an imaging technique commonly used by most photographers, because it is fairly easy to do. But it is also one of the most stunningly graphic ways we can create photos, particularly in Black & White. Here are three examples: two high-contrast (1 dark, 1 light) and one low-contrast, I shot recently.   

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Into The Light" Singapore

 

"Bars And Wires"

"The Edge Of Darkness" Los Angeles, USA

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

Weekly Street Photos #35

This week's theme: SINGAPORE PHOTOGRAPHERS

I thought it would be appropriate to restart my weekly street posts with photos from my recent trip to Singapore. My children were still on Summer Vacation, so my wife and I decided to take the family to the Lion City for a week.

 

Despite my desperate need for R&R, I took my cameras with me (to my wife's chagrin)-- fearing that I will regret not having them around when the urge to shoot arises. I'm glad I did, because I came back with tons of pictures. It's a good thing my Fujis are so compact that I was able to carry my travel kit (2 bodies, 4 lenses) around in a photo-vest or in my small  camera bag.

 

Among the many things that fascinated me when I was walking around Singapore were the photographers I met on the streets. I guess the city is situated in such a compact area that you are bound to run into a fellow camera bug wherever you go. Here are some of the Pros I bumped into...

 

(Click on Photos for better viewing)

"Cosplay Shooter"

"Catalogue Shoot"

"Memories By The Bay"

--All Photos are the exclusive property of Atom Magadia

"Street" with my Fuji X Cameras

My Fuji X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras

I am now one of those who can testify that the Fuji X cameras are indeed revolutionary. They are compact and small, yet boast of the best features most professionals require in a digital camera system.

 

The Fuji X series cameras, particularly the X-Pro1 and the X-E1 (X-E2), are amazing photographic tools. Both are equipped with  the  16 megapixel  APS-C X-Trans CMOS that professional users swear equal the "top of the line full-frame DSLRS" in picture and color quality-- some even claim that it rivals Leica. The sensor's sensitivity is also highly praised for its extreme low-noise up to ISO 6400 (ISO can be extended up to 25600). Although the X-E1 has a built in flash, I never saw the need to use it even underneath the light of the moon. The X cameras are mirrorless, so are rock steady and quiet handheld even at 1/15th of a sec.; with the image stabilized zoom lenses I have been able to hand hold them without blur even at  1/4th of a sec. My two cameras are beautifully "retro-styled" like analog-era rangefinders, the X-Pro1 even has a state of the art optical viewfinder that shifts frame-lines automatically. Lighter and half the size of my professional DSLRs, with lenses equal in quality to Canon's L series, my Fuji X system is a dream come true.

 

I am not trading-in my Canon, Mamiya or Sinar systems just yet. In my line of photography, each system has its advantages. I still prefer my Canons for rapid action and motion/cinematic-imaging jobs (high fashion, sports, wildlife) and my Mamiya RZs & Sinar P for high-resolution commercial projects; but the Fuji X system has certainly added new dimensions to my work-- street and travel photography.

 

My XPro-1 with my old manual Canon FL lenses.

My Fuji cameras' compact, light, quiet and unimposing build; and its ability to tackle natural light in any condition makes them the perfect companion cameras to carry everyday wherever I go. The Fuji X system is also robust, currently supporting 7 high quality prime lenses and 5 zoom lenses with more in the pipeline. The system also has dedicated flash units (which I probably will never need) and attachments to tailor fit the cameras to the user. With the cameras' "shoot w/o lens" feature, I could also choose to mount 3rd party lenses using adapters. My old manual Canon FL prime lenses have a new life and are now back in service!

 

When I started my photography, I was essentially doing "street photography." But when I became a professional my subject matter became focused, I specialized and narrowed down my imaging to studio based techniques. It is so refreshing to be able to shoot anything, anywhere, in any light. This flexible camera system has given me back a fresh perspective on Photography that I have been missing for a long time.

 

Here is a sample of my work using the Fuji X cameras: 

 

"The Wedding Party"

 

"Peking Road"

 

"Uninterested"