Push Through, My Friend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANEY!!!

First and foremost, I am dedicating this post to my good, good friend, Daney because it’s her birthday today! This series of pictures (to be honest with you, these were just stills from the video because I only have one camera and life is hard lol) were taken last year, as she was my model for my first (serious) project for our Video Production class.

This particular project became an unforgettable and meaningful one–something that made me realize things; and that’s something I’m going to explain later on. First, the scope of the project: The project was to make a video portrait and honestly, I did not know what a video portrait was at the time. And it was also a weird timing because I remember skipping school and staying at home the day this project was announced to the class. So yes, completely clueless.

Apparently, we were instructed to feature a person, pair, trio, or a group, and make a video portrait that would sum them up, personality-wise and stuff or something.

On why I chose Daney: 1) They were on their sem break 2) Model potentials (I’m telling you, this person has the most naturally perfect lashes, eyebrows, lips and err’thaaanggg) 3) I can make up a 60’s-hipster concept if she agrees to model (although it’s been quite a looong time since we really got to hang with each during that time when I was working around the project concept, so the 60’s hipster thing may not really have been her “thing” at the time. But I was running out of time (and ideas) for this project to I just went with it and thank the heavens she accepted and was available). So anyway, I asked her to bring some of her hipster stuff, if she had any–and she does!

FUN FACTS:

1. These are all stills. Because the project was a video, and I only have 1 camera, we had very limited time, and because life is hard. Lol.

2. The location I used is just my room; moved out all the furniture and used my pale blue wall. Thank God in front of it was a window so the lighting was covered. Of course, it did result to inconsistent lighting, but hey, at least it worked out in some way.

3. I couldn’t get anyone to help us with the makeup, and quite frankly, our only experience with makeup are the few times we attended fancy parties and debuts. We do, however, have our fair share of experience with painting so we just relied on that and LOL’ed our way through. (It kinda worked, thank God.)

4. If it’s not obvious, I am broke and could not afford to buy/own or rent the proper materials and equipment needed for this project. It was just me, my room, and my 550D camera (yep, not even the full-frame ones).

And so my main point:

I guess what really made this an unforgettable experience was how everything was actually just an improvisation of stuff that eventually still worked out in the end(well, to me, at least). I’m not saying the project was kick-ass good, but when I finished it, all I can think about was how it turned out better than I expected it to be. I kind of surprised myself on how one can achieve things if they have the drive, regardless if they have the money or not–especially in this day and age where money is becoming so…(AGH I hate to say it but) an important necessity? This would be pretty obvious but, I would most definitely use proper studio lights, backdrops and what not, if given the money for it. But times were are hard, and I know I can’t just stop everything because of the lack of equipment and stuff like that(I mean look at what people in the 20’s and 30’s had accomplished with the lack of equipment– film noir is still used to this very day!). As theater people say it, “the show must go on”–life must go on. I guess what I’m saying here is that no matter how challenged you are right now, don’t let it stop you from doing whatever it is that your heart is itching to do. Find your way around it (I know you can!); find a loophole because there’s always one. Push through, my friend; you’ve got nothing to lose.