Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

On Behalf of Bigfoot Entertainment and the orphans of the Albert Schweitzer Foundation we wish you Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year 2009!

photography by michalgarcia.com

Education and Work

Brian Valdez came all the way from Dallas, Texas to the International Academy of Film and Television over a year ago and truly made his mark in that time. Not only did he win the award for best thesis film (in 16mm no less!) but he has been working the past four months as assistant production coordinator on Bigfoot's latest feature film project Tears From Afar. Brian has nearly finished his work with Tears, as we call it back at the studios, and the last major shots are currently being filmed in the south of Viet Nam. Congratulations Brian, and best wishes for Los Angeles!

Click here for further information about Brian and the International Academy of Film and Television.

Vote early and often

United States citizens residing at Bigfoot voted absentee throughout the past few weeks. Whichever candidate you may be rooting for, this is a time the world is watching in anticipation. Personally, I was surprised that my Filipino roommate was watching the election more closely than myself, a US citizen. It's not surprising really, considering the impact the United States has on the world, plus many Filipino citizens go to the US and Canada to work.

Thanks to Lori Blackburn for hand-modeling. She is Filipino American and she voted with me a few weeks ago. Suffrage Rocks!

Say hello to my little friend!

We have a new friend in the marketing department. Just outside on our balcony, this cute spider of unknown variety keeps us safe from the mozzies.

It's not very small, but is very welcome :-)

If you know what kind of spider this is, leave a comment!

Congratulations Graduates!

Twelve more students are now graduates of the International Academy of Film and Television, which had its graduation ceremony this past Saturday. Graduates of the program hail from the Philippines, the United States, India, and Holland. Some of the graduates are returning home, while others have been employed at Bigfoot Entertainment with a new film currently titled "Tears From Afar" which begins production Monday. In addition, some of their thesis films which were screened at their graduation will be submitted to festivals around the globe. You can view some of the unsubmitted films online here.


Mentor Jeff Bacon squeezes in between a few of the graduates on this festive occasion.

Genesis

In anyone’s life there comes a time where you’d have to crawl your way out of your comfortable shell, for whatever reason it may be, desire for independence or perhaps the age old nightmare of being disowned. I fervently pushed for the former.

On a wet and humid afternoon, wearing nothing but a bacon gartered underwear in front of a radiating and irritatingly blinding monitor at home in Manila, Bigfoot gives me a ring. Exchanges went on for about month, negotiating minor details on lodging issues and compensation. Somehow, I just couldn’t resist the temptation of working in a high-end, fancy office with blonds randomly sprouting from corners. Oh, plus the fact that Fashion TV is affiliated with Bigfoot, and how can anyone forget those midnight shows on FTV? H.O.T.

Bigfoot's Lobby

The Lobby from another angle

Being the nerd-stricken, phlegm-swallowing boy that I am, signed the contract and took the next flight to Cebu. And here I am, typing on as a passionate (yes, hail to self-promotion) copywriter serving Michael Gleissner and his army of filmmakers.

Note to self, never believe pictures – they’re the new age devils. I feel like Adam & Eve squished into one atrocious walking mammal. White sand beach? What beach?!

A shot of the main Bigfoot building

A pristine and concrete open area between the main building and Casablanca apartments? More like a complex terrain of quasi hills and a fraction of the rain forest.

We can’t have everything can we, and even with all the superficial gripes and rants the Bigfoot premises rightly deserves, this is an adventure and experience that’s worth a peek.

(Post by Ricky Gonzalez)