Creative Manki

Creativemanki has moved!

2009-02-02T02:38:00.001+08:00

Visit the new and improved creativemanki website at www.creativemanki.com

Another Dadaist Moe

2008-12-28T16:35:00.002+08:00

A tattooed Moe found in an interesting LJ account by a Greek artist called tebe-interesno.

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

2008-12-25T19:03:00.001+08:00

As Reprinted from FOCUS Magazine -- January 5, 1983

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

Being prepared is half the battle.

If you are one of those executive types unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. The job interview is considered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face-to- face with the future boss. One must prepare for it with the same tenacity and quickness as one does for a fencing tournament or a chess match.

This article has been excerpted from "PARTING COMPANY: How to Survive the Loss of a Job and Find Another Successfully" by William J. Morin and James C. Cabrera. Copyright by Drake Beam Morin, inc. Publised by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Morin is chairman and Cabrera is president of New York-based Drake Beam Morin, nation's major outplacement firm, which has opened offices in Philadelphia.

1. Tell me about yourself.

Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extracareful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don't waste your best points on it.

2. What do you know about our organization?

You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. But don't act as if you know everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more.

You might start your answer in this manner: "In my job search, I've investigated a number of companies.

Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons..."

Give your answer a positive tone. Don't say, "Well, everyone tells me that you're in all sorts of trouble, and that's why I'm here", even if that is why you're there.

3. Why do you want to work for us?

The deadliest answer you can give is "Because I like people." What else would you like-animals?

Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you. For example, if the organization is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact and show that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal of emphasis on research and development, emphasize the fact that you want to create new things and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers.

If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question - if, for example, the company stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really doesn't interest you- then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn't be considering a job with that organization.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able -or wouldn't want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don't really want.

4. What can you do for us that someone else can't?

Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.

5. What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?

List three or four attractive factors of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item.

6. Why should we hire you?

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. (See question 4.)

7. What do you look for in a job?

Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for your contributions. Make your answer oriented toward opportunity rather than personal security.

8. Please give me your defintion of [the position for which you are being interviewed].

Keep your answer brief and taskoriented. Think in in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you are not certain. ask the interviewer; he or she may answer the question for you.

9. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

10. How long would you stay with us?

Say that you are interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organization. Think in terms of, "As long as we both feel achievement-oriented."

11. Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?

Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organization, and say that you assume that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so wellqualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment. Say that a growing, energetic company can never have too much talent.

12. What is your management style?

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management style will complement it. Possible styles include: task oriented (I'll enjoy problem-solving identifying what's wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it"), results-oriented ("Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line"), or even paternalistic ("I'm committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction").

A participative style is currently quite popular: an open-door method of managing in which you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.

As you consider this question, think about whether your style will let you work hatppily and effectively within the organization.

13. Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential?

Keep your answer achievementand ask-oriented. Rely on examples from your career to buttress your argument. Stress your experience and your energy.

14. What do you look for when You hire people?

Think in terms of skills. initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in the organization.

15. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?

Admit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company and, you think, for the individual. Show that, like anyone else, you don't enjoy unpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely.

16. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive?

Mention planning, execution, and cost-control. The most difficult task is to motivate and manage employess to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget.

17. What important trends do you see in our industry?

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the direction in which your business is heading.

18. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. where you considered this topic as you set your reference statements. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts.

The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The "We agreed to disagree" approach may be useful. Remember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for an interview.

19. How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job?

Mention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to accept some risk to find the right job for yourself. Don't suggest that security might interest you more than getting the job done successfully.

20. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?

Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don't cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now.

21. What do you think of your boss?

Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.

22. Why aren't you earning more at your age?

Say that this is one reason that you are conducting this job search. Don't be defensive.

23. What do you feel this position should pay?

Salary is a delicate topic. We suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure for as long as you can do so politely. You might say, "I understand that the range for this job is between $______ and $______. That seems appropriate for the job as I understand it." You might answer the question with a question: "Perhaps you can help me on this one. Can you tell me if there is a range for similar jobs in the organization?"

If you are asked the question during an initial screening interview, you might say that you feel you need to know more about the position's responsibilities before you could give a meaningful answer to that question. Here, too, either by asking the interviewer or search executive (if one is involved), or in research done as part of your homework, you can try to find out whether there is a salary grade attached to the job. If there is, and if you can live with it, say that the range seems right to you.

If the interviewer continues to probe, you might say, "You know that I'm making $______ now. Like everyone else, I'd like to improve on that figure, but my major interest is with the job itself." Remember that the act of taking a new job does not, in and of itself, make you worth more money.

If a search firm is involved, your contact there may be able to help with the salary question. He or she may even be able to run interference for you. If, for instance, he tells you what the position pays, and you tell him that you are earning that amount now and would Like to do a bit better, he might go back to the employer and propose that you be offered an additional 10%.

If no price range is attached to the job, and the interviewer continues to press the subject, then you will have to restpond with a number. You cannot leave the impression that it does not really matter, that you'll accept whatever is offered. If you've been making $80,000 a year, you can't say that a $35,000 figure would be fine without sounding as if you've given up on yourself. (If you are making a radical career change, however, this kind of disparity may be more reasonable and understandable.)

Don't sell yourself short, but continue to stress the fact that the job itself is the most important thing in your mind. The interviewer may be trying to determine just how much you want the job. Don't leave the impression that money is the only thing that is important to you. Link questions of salary to the work itself.

But whenever possible, say as little as you can about salary until you reach the "final" stage of the interview process. At that point, you know that the company is genuinely interested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.

24. What are your long-range goals?

Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. Don't answer, "I want the job you've advertised." Relate your goals to the company you are interviewing: 'in a firm like yours, I would like to..."

25. How successful do you you've been so far?

Say that, all-in-all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed so far. Given the normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done quite well and have no complaints.

Present a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. An answer like, "Everything's wonderful! I can't think of a time when things were going better! I'm overjoyed!" is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying to fool him . . . or yourself. The most convincing confidence is usually quiet confidence.

FAME III's VERSES Poster

2008-11-19T23:24:00.003+08:00

The FAME III: Verses poster was conceptualized and designed by Hix Santiago of Vitalstrats. The handwritten fonts, paper texture, ink blots and the free flowing body of a woman represent the event's artistic spontaneity.

The Female Artists' and Musicians' Evolution aims to promote women artists and musicians. The event, Verses, was hosted by Gabby dela Merced and featured women artists and bands namely Wakeup Your Seatmate, Jaycee and Honey, Blush, Mating Season, Sun Down Muse, Tao Aves, Romancing Venus, Libay Cantor and Flush and the Toilets.

IKEA: Tidy Up Commercials

2008-11-02T00:04:00.000+08:00

Banned Ads: Strip Poker

2008-11-01T23:53:00.000+08:00

Nostalgic Pinoy Ads: Dragon Katol

2008-11-01T23:45:00.001+08:00

I can't stop laughing! Do you still remember this ad? :)

Web/Graphic Design Glossary

2008-10-29T19:42:00.001+08:00

by Creative Public

Alpha Channel: An eight bit grayscale channel within some image processing software programs which is used for masking objects, making them transparent or adding specific color instructions.

Anti-Aliasing: The process of elimination of jagged or-"stair stepped" pixel edges or single pixels by a software algorithm, which blends the contrasting colors and shapes.

Binary: The basis for all digital computer information. Relates to the coding of data in terms of either a 1 or 0.

Bit: A shortened form of the term "binary digit," the smallest unit of information that can be stored in a computer. One digit of binary information can be either a mark or a space.

Bit Depth: A measure of a computer monitor's ability to display different colors at the same time. While a monitor with a bit depth of 1 can only display monochrome information, a monitor with a bit depth of 4 can display 16 colors; an 8-bit monitor can display 256 colors and a 24-bit monitor can display 16.7 million colors. A 32-bit monitor has an additional 8-bits for transparency effects or masking as in the case of an Alpha channel.

Bitmap: A pixel-by-pixel description of an image. Each pixel is a separate element. Also referred to as a raster image.

Bitmapped: An image, which is formed by a collection of square pixels in a rectangular format. The more bits per pixel the smoother the final image will be.

Byte: The computer standard of measure for file size, which is made up of 8-bits of information. One megabyte is 1,024 kilobytes. One gigabyte is 1,024 megabytes or about one million bytes. One kilobyte is 1,024 bytes.

Cache: Storage within the computer, which processes data very quickly. Often in RAM or can be a supplemental board. Increases operating speed and efficiency.

READ THE FULL GLOSSARY HERE

Marciano’s Italian New Yorker Cuisine

2008-10-29T18:53:00.002+08:00

Watch out for the launch of the Marciano’s Menu by VitalStrats Creative Solutions.

Marciano’s Italian New Yorker Cuisine is inspired by the greatst Italian-American Boxer who proved that dreams do come true.

Here we feature the great city of New York where it all began for most early Italian immigrants. New York, with its character, sophistication, energy, and abundance gave new life to their rustic Italian dishes. The product of which is a dynamic Italian-New Yorker cuisine you will certainly enjoy.

Marciano’s is located at second floor, Greenbelt 2, Makati, Philippines.

Specialize

2008-10-29T02:21:00.003+08:00

Find one thing you're good at and then specialize until you are special. It could be a sport, a task, a natural ability, or a personally developed talent. Use that strength as much as you can to build your level of assurance and specialization.

John Maxwell

THE SURVIVOR TEST FOR REPUBLIC CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

2008-10-21T15:14:00.003+08:00

VitalStrats Creative Solutions will put the Republic Chemicals Industries Inc. (RCI) to a “Survivor” test in the white sands of Boracay on Oct 23-24.

VitalStrats will be in charge of creating the concept to hype up the sales conference of RCI, the country’s leader in adhesives and sealant. Collaborating with the client, VitalStrats conceived a series of physical challenges based on the popular TV reality show “Survivor.”

All the materials VitalStrats are preparing for the event – the audio-visual production (AVP), event title and tagline, banners and teambuilding games dovetail with that “Survivor” look and feel.

Aside from conceptualizing the AVP, VitalStrats also wrote, shot and edited the material. As for the teambuilding games, they were not just fun physical challenges; these events aim to bring out the sales force’s core values that RCI prides itself with. To ensure that the games are done right, the staff of VitalStrats will be on hand to supervise and act as marshals in the games.

The “Survivor” handle met the RCI management’s objectives of motivating its sales force to work as a team and to pursue excellence.

VitalStrats Creative Solutions is a creative shop that specializes in below-the-line creative solutions, audio-visual productions and the management of sales conferences.

Serge Seidlitz

2008-10-20T01:40:00.001+08:00

Check out the awesome work of Serge Seidlitz

45 Rules for Creating a Great Logo Design

2008-10-19T21:59:00.000+08:00

Do not use more than three colors.
Get rid of everything that is not absolutely necessary.
Type must be easy enough for your grandma to read.
The logo must be recognizable.
Create a unique shape or layout for the logo.
Completely ignore what your parents and/or spouse think about the design.
Confirm that the logo looks appealing to more than just three (3) individuals.
Do not combine elements from popular logos and claim it as original work.
Do not use clipart under any circumstances.
The logo should look good in black and white.
Make sure that the logo is recognizable when inverted.
Make sure that the logo is recognizable when resized.
If the logo contains an icon or symbol, as well as text, place each so that they complement one another.
Avoid recent logo design trends. Instead, make the logo look timeless.
Do not use special effects (including, but not limited to: gradients, drop shadows, reflections, and light bursts).
Fit the logo into a square layout if possible, avoid obscure layouts.
Avoid intricate details.
Consider the different places and ways that the logo will be presented.
Invoke feelings of being bold and confident, never dull and weak.
Realize that you will not create a perfect logo.
Use sharp lines for sharp businesses, smooth lines for smooth businesses.
The logo must have some connection to what it is representing.
A photo does not make a logo.
You must surprise customers with presentation.
Do not use more than two fonts.
Each element of the logo needs to be aligned. Left, center, right, top, or bottom.
The logo should look solid, with no trailing elements.
Know who is going to be looking at the logo before you think of ideas for it.
Always choose function over innovation.
If the brand name is memorable, the brand name should be the logo.
The logo should be recognizable when mirrored.
Even large companies need small logos.
Everyone should like the logo design, not just the business that will use it.
Create variations. The more variations, the more likely you are to get it right.
The logo must look consistent across multiple platforms.
The logo must be easy to describe.
Do not use taglines in the logo.
Sketch out ideas using paper and pencil before working on a computer.
Keep the design simple.
Do not use any “swoosh” or “globe”symbols.
The logo should not be distracting.
It should be honest in its representation.
The logo should be balanced visually.
Avoid bright, neon colors and dark, dull colors.
The logo must not break any of the above rules.

Source

Cool Gig Posters

2008-10-19T18:17:00.005+08:00

Cool gig posters by Cody Fennell:

All posters are illustrated and laid out by Cody Fennell.

Brainstorming Tip: Think Inside the Box

2008-10-19T13:46:00.003+08:00

Oftentimes we hear the phrase "think outside the box" to generate brilliant ideas. This brainstorming tip by Michael Karnjanaprakor proves it otherwise:

When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost – and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl."

— T.S. Eliot

As creative professionals, we’re always told to “think outside the box” and "go crazy with creative ideas." But, as you know, that comes with tons of frustrations and brainstorming sessions that lead to nowhere. How many times have you left a creative session in a worse place than where you started? Now innovative thinkers are saying that we should think inside the box to come up with creative innovative ideas. I’ve been reading a lot of the Harvard Business Review lately and came across this great article. Excerpt below..

“Many managers fail to generate a stream of solid ideas because they employ two common techniques: They encourage their people to go wild and think outside the box or they assign them the task of slicing and dicing the old boxes (in the form of existing market and financial data or specially commissioned market research) in new ways.

In its descriptions of how Nobel laureates and other creative people achieved their breakthroughs, an interesting insight emerged: Once they asked themselves the right question, their ideas flowed rapidly. This revelation prompted us to examine how the most successful companies in recent history had achieved their positions. We found that a number of their innovations sprang from responses to particular questions. But, subsequently, we realized that it didn’t matter whether they had actually asked a question or not. What mattered was whether there was a question that could have uncovered the kind of extraordinary opportunities that CNN, Google, USA Today, eBay, and Amazon identified and exploited.”

And what do you know? The Made to Stick guys wrote a recent article in this month’s Fast Company along the same lines..

Boutique hotelier Chip Conley has used this principle ingeniously in creating his unique properties. He told his team: Let’s bring magazines to life. His company, Joie de Vivre Hospitality, designed the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco to be “Real Simple meets Dwell.” That’s a crystal-clear box. And it makes it easy for his team to brainstorm features of the new hotel. The architects elevated the yoga studio to a prime top-floor location, rather than tossing some token yoga mats next to the elliptical machines in the gym. The front-desk clerks waged war on clutter: Imagine a countertop with no pen cups or frequent-stay rewards-club brochures. The housekeepers don’t just clean the rooms; they organize them. Other Conley hotels feature a Rolling Stone theme and a New Yorker theme. We can all be grateful that he hasn’t yet unveiled the Economist hotel, where staffers continually remind you of your ignorance of foreign affairs.

So what does this all mean? Most innovation and creativity occurs with a good starting and end point. Without a good starting point, great ideas can and will not happen. Here are some tips on how you can run an effective creative brainstorming session.

1) Keep the brainstorming session groups small (no more than 4). Gather people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and interests. The best ideas happen when different people with different experiences collaborate. If you have a big group, break them into smaller groups and keep them separate from each other.

2) Start each session by asking the right questions - “If your city got destroyed, how would you rebuild it?”

3) Or start each session with the right context and framework as guidelines - “Imagine if Good Magazine meshed with Apple to create a hotel. What would that look like?"

4) Hold more than ONE brainstorming session with an end goal at each one - "What are we trying to accomplish? A new product."

5) Leave the meeting with ACTION STEPS. Hold each person accountable for always moving the ball forward.

That’s all for today. Feel free to leave your thoughts below! Or if you have any tips you would like to add, I would love to hear them!

When Cloning Goes Wrong

2008-10-19T00:44:00.000+08:00

I envy the photo manipulation skills of the artist who did these. Look very closely on the details and check if you see some flaws.

View the rest here.

13 Signs You’re A Bad Graphic Designer

2008-10-19T00:15:00.000+08:00

Do you hate rainbow gradients, Comic Sans and Bevel and Emboss?

Find out how to do bad typography on the list compiled by graphic designer Jason Cass.

13 Signs You’re A Bad Graphic Designer

Interesting article! Find out if you're guilty of these signs. Feel free to react if you think there's anything objectionable.

Drunk Driving Ad

2008-10-19T00:09:00.000+08:00

OVERSENSITIVITY

2008-10-18T21:40:00.000+08:00

Oversensitive people are constantly licking their wounds. They look inward and are not aware of the needs of others. Naturally, people don't flock around them.

John Maxwell

PERFECTIONISM

2008-10-17T21:43:00.000+08:00

Perfectionism is an obsessive need to perform flawlessly. It stifles creativity and freedom and it turns people away. Perfectionists can rarely affirm themselves; therefore, it's very difficult for them to affirm others.

John Maxwell

Animator vs. Animation

2008-10-16T23:05:00.000+08:00

This video was shared to me by altumviditur.

Awesome animation by Alan Becker

Clorets Ad

2008-10-14T21:12:00.001+08:00

This ad has a very strong and effective visual representation of a stinky mouth/breath. If this happens to me, I think I'd feel like cutting off my tongue rather than resorting to Clorets. :P

Playboy Beach Towel

2008-10-14T18:54:00.000+08:00

Will you use it if you had one? :)

PEPSI "Straws" Ad

2008-10-14T18:37:00.000+08:00

Unforgettable PETA Ad

2008-10-14T17:28:00.000+08:00

"The action is named ‘None of us would like to end up like this.. neither would other-than-human animals’ and it was done with four big foam trays, each of them containing a naked activist inside, and covered with a see-through plastic with a ‘Human meat’ sticker on it. The idea was to imitate the ‘meat’ trays we can find at the supermarkets and to show that we are also animals, just as other-than-human animals, we neither would like to end up there."

Sources: Vegan Activist | Unforgettable Advertisments

COLOURlovers™

2008-10-14T16:13:00.000+08:00

COLOURlovers™ is a resource that monitors and influences color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns, product design, or in architectural specification - a place to check out a world of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related articles and interviews. See More Color

Plus63

2008-10-14T08:56:00.000+08:00

+63 is a collective blog dedicated to providing an online venue for Philippine creatives. The idea behind +63 is to create a rallying point for the industry by adapting and updating the international country code for the Philippines into a recognizable trademark for Filipino culture, design, and art.  

PRIDE

2008-10-14T08:38:00.000+08:00

A prideful person will have a tendency to look down on other people, feeling a sense of superiority. People will not follow or identify with a snobbish personality who is conscious of status and position.

John Maxwell

AFFIRMATION

2008-10-13T18:13:00.000+08:00

Affirmation - the ability to build up. We tend to become what the most important person on our life thinks we will become. Think the best, believe the best, and express the best in others.

John Maxwell

2008-10-10T08:48:00.000+08:00

What happens to you speaks of your circumstances. What happens in you speaks of your character. And what happens through you speaks of your charisma.

John Maxwell

Our First Out-of-Luzon Event

2008-10-10T08:27:00.000+08:00

We just acquired an events management project! We're all excited about it because its going to be held in Boracay two weeks from now.

This will be our second project for the Filipino-owned adhesive company. We handled their sales convention which we mounted at Mount Sea Resorts last January. I guess they liked our work so they're getting us again for their next sales con.

Our general tasks: coming up with the main concept of the event which includes the event title, design and activities aligned to the sales objectives; management of the event flow, production of an AVP -- overall we're planning an experience that the company's sales people will not forget and at the same time will let them inculcate the values, motivation and empowerment the top management wants to instill.

As I am writing this, our director and account manager are boarding the plane to Caticlan for an ocular and our writer is already drafting the AVP script. Our creative team has already executed design studies for the approved event title and I am tasked to submit adjustments on the costs within the day. It feels nice that everything is under control. :)

We have exactly 12 days to make everything happen. Here comes the adrenalin rush!

"BAYANI" A Short Film on the life of a Modern-Day Hero

2008-10-09T22:12:00.000+08:00

"BAYANI"
Story and Direction: Mike Alcazaren
Script: Patrick Manahan
Production Company: Vitalstrats Creative Solutions
Produced by BPI

Bayani, an IT specialist, is duped the first time he goes abroad intending to seek the proverbial “greener pastures”. Wife Felize is all heart and would not find fault, in spite of her man's obvious blunder. Meanwhile, Bayani's mother-in-law Lola Conching, is much less understanding. Fact is, she has never liked plain-looking Bayani for her pretty daughter. The couple has an only child, Roland, from whose point of view the story curiously unfolds. From gaffes to triumphs and a curious twist at the end, follow the travails of Bayani and his family as he attempts to overcome his first failed foray as a migrant worker and try a second time around. A light-hearted tale about the Pinoy modern-day hero.

MAIN ACTORS
Jun king Austria
Kalila Aguilos
Abner Delina
Julius Danielle Gareza
Maribel Escover
Bernard Laxa

STAFF AND CREW
Director - Mike Alcazaren
Screenplay - Patrick Manahan
Director of Photography - Pao Pangan
Assistant Director - Melvin Lee
Musical Score/ 2ND AD - Nani Naguit
Producer/Editor - Amrei Dizon
Assistant Editor - Francis Ventura
Production Designer - Joy Puntawe

"Bayani" will premiere tomorrow and will be shown to over a hundred people at BPI's posh function hall at their main office. Most of the attendees are from the top management of BPI and their clients from other big corporations. Press people will be present too.

VitalStrats has co-produced two full-length independent films -- Nick Olanka's 2006 Cinemalaya entry "Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo" (starring Johnny Delgado, Boots Anson-Roa, Baron Geisler) and Ed Lejano's "SEROKS" (Juliana Palermo, Neil Ryan Sese) for Cinemaone Originals. The premiere for these two films were both held in cinemas (CCP and Robinson's Galleria Indie Sine).

"Bayani" gave us a different experience because it is a commercial work. Although we worked with the same team for our independent film projects, the experience with veteran advertising director Mike Alcazaren and Melvin Lee gave us a taste of how it is in a TV commercial production setting.

VitalStrats has produced a number of corporate videos and producing TV commercials in the near future is one of our goals. This project has been a great big opportunity because it leads us one step ahead. ;)

INFLUENCE

2008-10-09T22:06:00.000+08:00

Influence - the ability to lead. Leadership is influence. If something new, exciting, and interesting is happening in your life, you will want to share it. In doing so, you will influence others and they will want to follow your lead.

John Maxwell

RESULTS

2008-10-08T18:06:00.000+08:00

Results - the ability to produce. Charismatic people want to be on the winning side of life. People like being around winners and want to play on the winning team. Find your strength and then find someone who needs your strength. That creates productivity.

John Maxwell

ACTION

2008-10-07T23:17:00.000+08:00

Action - the ability to make things happen. Something exciting always seems to be happening around a person with charisma. The charismatic person has an aversion to being boring. He or she may be controversial, unusual, or entertaining, but never boring.

John Maxwell

HELP

2008-10-06T23:01:00.000+08:00

The ability to reach out. Put simply, charismatic people are helpers. They are out to see others profit; they have the gift of grace. In fact, the Greek word of gift is "charisma" meaning "gift of grace."

John Maxwell

CONCERN

2008-10-05T14:26:00.000+08:00

Concern - the ability to show you care. Charismatic people have the ability to show concern for people's deepest needs and interests. That doesn't mean charismatic people are mushy or patronizing, but when you are around them, you sense their interest and care and leave them feeling that you are important.

John Maxwell

Going into Food Photography

2008-10-05T01:12:00.000+08:00

Photography is one of the artistic skills that I want to develop. I am a photography enthusiast and I started to photograph commercially when our agency acquired restaurant clients that required for us to shoot their food items.

Way back in 2004, I used a point-and-shoot camera to shoot food for banners and menu boards. Last year, since client's budget cannot afford the rates of our freelance photographer, I took the plunge and went for it. I only had a few DSLR technical knowledge, composition skills and a lot of guts. I borrowed a Canon 400D and lighting equipment for our first stint. After the succesful trial, we were referred to other restaurants and had regular food photography projects.

All the shots above were taken with just the lens kits. You may view the rest at my food photography set in flickr.

CHARISMA

2008-10-04T23:30:00.000+08:00

C-Concern
H-Help
A-Action
R-Results
I-Influence
S-Sensitivity
M-Motivation
A-Affirmation

Keep in mind that these traits are not simply inborn; they are attainable by anyone who cares about other people and wants to develop his or her rational skills.

John Maxwell

Our Home-Office

2007-06-20T00:23:00.000+08:00

We used to have a home-office set-up for VitalStrats during its first few months of operation.

We set-up our own telephone line, bought a fax machine along with our then powerful single PC workstation. I sleep next to the computer and fax machine and we have no definite working hours. I work till the wee hours of the morning and wake up with the sound of the phone ringing. I answer the clients with a husky bedroom voice.

Whenever we leave for meetings, I tell my mother to answer the phone with our company greeting spiel, and to note down client messages and queries. We don’t pay electrical bills, I just contribute a meager amount to my parents. Meals are served for breakfast till dinner and I am free to watch tv anytime I want. It was so comforting and I felt so free. It’s like being a bum and working when I just feel like it.

So what made us decide to rent our own place when working at home can be oh so comforting?

After a few months, we started to feel that it’s about time to move out. Being a below the line advertising company, we can’t avoid situations where clients have to come over, view our work as we revise impromptu. One time, a client-friend surprised us and I had no choice but to let him in my messy room where our workstation is. He had to tip-toe through my unmade bed and scattered pillows. There was another time when a prospective American-Swedish client called to discuss a website design project. I had to breathe deep before engaging in the call because I have to project a very confident, business-like, articulate English-speaking conversational tone to be able to impress him and close the deal. As I manage to control my nose and ears from bleeding, suddenly my 8–month old visiting baby cousin helplessly cries in the background. Can you imagine that? On other scenarios, our dog Nina barks furiously whenever somebody peaks at our gate. It’s even worse when speeding motorcycles and tricycles pass by.

Last April was our third year in our humble Quezon City office. We plan to stay there in the next couple of years until we feel the need to get a bigger space. The rent, the electricity, the distance from my home, the 9-6 work hours – having a real working space --- has been a big leap for the company and has brought us a lot of opportunities.

Whenever I dream big and have a vision of the very long road we still need to take to realize our vision, sometimes looking back to where we were a few years back makes me realize that we’ve traveled a long way after all. It makes me feel good and inspired that we have managed to survive the three long years. Up to now our client base is still growing and there are plans of expanding. We’re taking it slowly but surely. We’re walking in the right direction and there’s no turning back.

A Vow to Learn Accounting and Finance

2005-03-22T00:59:00.000+08:00

It's been awhile! I've been really busy organizing our office's Admin. I am now surrendering and opening myself into learning DETAILS and PROCEDURES involving finances, taxes (all kinds of taxes imposed on our company!), income statements, etc, etc!

From now on, I will not just sign payments my accountant presents. I will always have the time to ask 'why'. I have to know what each tax means, and how it is computed and where an amount is derived. I have to have time to CLOSELY analyze income statements, determine where the company has been overspending, and find out in which areas we can cut costs.

I am involving myself directly and will have the command in organizing the filing systems. I will have a hands on training with Admin work. I have to know EVERY ASPECT of the business, and not just the creative side of it. That was my mistake during our first business year. I am hanging on because I am doing what I love -- and I thought I could get away with the left brain and logical stuff. :)

To be an entrepreneur also means having knowledge with accounting and finance, not just being skilled and innovative with your interest and line of business.

I am still in the process of improving our business system. I am awaiting for the time when it can run by itself and grow even when I am not physically there!

I truly have learned a lot, and I am still learning! It's a never ending process and I truly enjoy it!

Career Check: Dreams Do Come True

2004-07-21T16:56:00.000+08:00

In the middle of exporting video files and copying vcds, I got a chance to browse my old journal. I am amazed to have read my ranting about my regular job, and how I wanted to be free and to go freelance. That was a few months back.

Looking back makes me appreciate what I have at present. Well, there have been a lot of moments that I feel so down, lost and empty. But when I come to realize my achievements, it makes me feel proud and more challenged to climb a higher ladder.

I have acquired a business at the early age of 23. Vitalstrats, now seven months old, have come as far as having an office unit where we could accommodate our clients. Now we can take on projects that require the clients to stay on while it’s progressing, such as video editing accounts, and projects that require computer viewing. Before, we used to have my small room as our office area. One time we had to rush a project and the client had to give instructions in front of my computer. I had no choice but to let him inside my cramped and messy room! Imagine the mess – scattered clothes, unmade bed, books on the floor, clothes everywhere! I am so thankful we have an office now!

Another turning point for me as entrepreneurs is the experience of hiring our first employee -- our messenger and housekeeper, Arthur. At first, we were faced with the dilemma of losing track of our cash flow since hiring extra manpower would mean more expenses. It also means more pressure to get regular projects. But thank god, we were not mistaken. In fact we even became more productive. Instead of my partner and me having to go out most of the time to deliver big rolls of tarpaulin banners, or pick up a single file in Makati, we were able to use up our executive time in being more productive in our fields of specializations. My partner gets to focus more on accounts, admin and correspondences, while I get to focus my energies on conceptualizing and implementing designs for our projects.

We’ve come as far as having a project aired on national television, and we’re proud to say that those projects came in because of goodwill. From doing 1 pro-bono editing project, referrals came in and projects were non-stop. That’s an indication that they like our work. We haven’t even started marketing. All the projects came from direct referrals and repeat businesses.

We’re on the stage of considering to hire help for our admin and accounts. We’ll be starting to market our services to upgrade our market reach. Hopefully, we’ll get to expand soon in terms of equipment and human resource. I am now dreaming of a power book for myself, so I can bring it to client presentations and I can edit videos anywhere. I’ll pass on the Power Mac G5 to our future in-house Art Director. (Sigh!) It’s always nice to dream… And all I’ve got to do is follow where my heart beats. Before I know it, a wish from the past has come true.

I know that I will only fail if I let myself. And so I live everyday as a challenge. Other aspects of my life may pull me down the drain, but this endeavor, this path, and my goal to achieve my dreams will always be my inspiration.

Some Notes About the Biz

2004-04-07T01:06:00.000+08:00

Starting up a business is more challenging than I expected. It’s a big test of one’s capabilities. And I am not just pertaining to what one’s ‘talent’ and ‘skill’ can contribute in his field of expertise. Attitude and leadership qualities are what usually matter most.

In the span of three months, it’s just occurred to me that handling a business is pretty much the same as my job description in heading a theater organization way back in college. Back then, I got so engrossed because I was doing what I loved most. I didn’t care if I had to work overtime. The organization became my top priority. I loved managing the people – and I loved the people I worked with. I held on to the company’s vision and goals – be it long term or short term. Everyday was a challenge. And each performance gave me a very high satisfaction rate because I believe in what we did and we were all passionate with what we were fighting for.

Being a leader entails having to take the initiative. Being a leader requires a huge amount of self-discipline.

Starting now, I would have a different and better outlook on how I’d go about our business. I have realized that this is it – this is what I love to do and this is what I am doing for the rest of my life. My dream to succeed is really up to me. There is no such thing as luck. Successful people made it because of their hard work. And I should bear that in mind. From now on, I’d put double value on time and money. No more lying around, no more snoozing of alarm and asking for 10 more minutes when it’s really time to wake up. (Except when I work straight til 6 or 7AM and I am really doing injustice to myself by waking up at 9am).

So, there! Right now I’m in the mood to bring it on and give out my best in this endeavor!

Moving Out of the Home-Office Set-up

2004-04-06T23:25:00.000+08:00

Today we went to see the office. There are a lot of advantages in getting it and it seems that I am already 70% convinced to go for it. My number one drawback is that it’s far from home, far from my room, and I won’t be able to be with my G5 when I leave the office. I want to use the G5 for both home and office. Next are the hassles of traveling from home to office and back home late at night. It’ll be like a regular office set-up once again. But I guess that’s how it really should be. I shouldn’t waste my time lingering and lying around whenever I feel like it. Time should be spent wisely and I should make sure that every minute is not wasted and I can become very productive.

Though I am being bothered by my drawbacks, I feel like we should take the risk and sacrifice a little for our business. We ventured into business to earn money. So a little sacrifice won’t hurt because later on it would really pay off.

When I was in college I thought I’d never become a millionaire before I reach 30 years. And I never thought I’d be in business (with my life partner! – that’s an extra bonus!) at the age of 23. Now I believe my goals are really within reach – if only I continue striving to work and not lose my motivation.

I just feel like I don’t have enough time for all the things that I want to accomplish… I have a lot of pending web projects and I can’t manage to fit my schedule and finish all of them one by one. It’s as if I am overwhelmed by the quantity of workload and how I’d use my freedom to apply all the designs I have in mind that’s why I can’t seem to get started.

My resolution is to make productive use of my time during Holy Week! I should get the websites done, one by one!

Drawbacks in Quitting My Job

2004-02-01T19:29:00.000+08:00

In a moment, I'll be preparing myself for another long session of video editing. I love editing, esp. the techy stuff, and the best part in this job is that I get to work with a dual processor 1.5 g powermac G4 with a big flat LCD screen. It used to motivate me a lot. But then I suddenly lost excitement over my day job. For a month I thought about it carefully. I've been torn with the decision of quitting and just going freelance because I want to explore and broaden my horizon on design and all its aspects.

The only drawback is the cashflow. Honestly, I'm quite scared because when you go freelance, there is no regularity of pay. Oh, well.. my only baon is my love for risk and adventure + perseverance in achieving what I want. Hindi ko rin naman malalaman kung tama ang naging desisyon ko kung hindi ko susubukan, And I won't learn if I don't experience it. Besides, I told myself that I don't want to be an employee forever. And there are a lot of things that I want to do -- so I guess it's just right to start a business at a young age. :)