Flashback and Flashforward

i was about to name my band Flash Forward. as against to Flashback, a more popular term with regards to stories whether in written or visual form.

it's either i retain the name because it's becoming prevalent with regards to expreimental filmmaking. or i drop it because it's becoming prevalent with regards to experimental filmmaking. specifically, Pinoy Indie Digital Films.

Digital Form...

according to a rising and becoming very popular indie filmmaker, the indie digital film landscape emerging in our country can be likened to the alternative rock scene in the early 90's. during that time, up and coming alternative bands sprouted like mushrooms, a lot got signed and rose to rock stardom. we all know that era.

now, with the ease of creating a film with the rise of relatively cheap digital video cameras (and becoming more and more high definition as i write this), anyone can now point and shoot.

i'm not familiar on how it all started. and i will be wrong on some details i guess. but the trend definitely starts when a major well-known actor goes the indie route. a well-known one was robin padilla doing Jon Red's Astig. That was ONE year ago, when it was shown in the cinemanila festival. Now, digital features are in full blast.

Kamulatan...

I'm definitely watching and will try to catch all digital features coming up right now. I've seen quite a few, but i'll share some thoughts on a digital film i've seen recently (more like yesterday - it was screened June 29 in UP Film Institute). I'm no critic, so criticize me as i share thoughts. Hehe.

I've mentioned the flashback and flashforward because it was the technique used in the pinoy digital film Sa Aking Pagkagising Mula Sa Kamulatan.

The F & F technique was also used in Pedro Almadovar's Talk To Her. Also some French films i've seen tell the story in reverse, it starts with the ending first. I've only become familiar with Euro films recently because i was so obssesed with Asian cinema the past 2 to 3 years.

Kamulatan is a microcosm of stories of well-known Filipino characters. Characters found in everyday life. Characters found in streets. Characters found in schools. Characters found in offices. Streetchildren, snacthers, siga, badings, you know all of them. This small story reperesents the whole country. Actually, a collection of stories of characters that interacts with themselves at the same time.

As required for a simple story, execution should be at best. As they say, the simple story is the hardest to do.

Execution was key and great for this film. Fast cut of shots. Great lighting. The F and F technique where the start of the film is actually a part of the ending of the film. A lot of foreshadowing (both fast and slow ones). Great attention to details.

My concerns are the attack and decay elements of the story gets mixed up due to F & F technique but maybe it will be clear to me on second viweing. The middle part becomes too long also before we get to the primary characters at the ending.

A lot is expected of a digital film nowadays. Being part of the revolution to try to uplift Philippine cinema is no easy task. Definitely this one contributes to that.