JAN-FEB 2015 Gabby Dario Photographed by Pat Nabong
GIANCARLO ABRAHAN, WAKING UP WITH GABBY DARIO, THE INFLUENCE OF A UP STUDENT
Cedri c S . Rey es Editor-in-chief
C E
@ced r itor eyes
M ar i an Pano pi o Marketing Officer @Mar ianDaMar tian
Anne Yap Editorial Assistant @anne27y ap
Kari nna E ng raci a Editorial Assistant @k ar innaengr acia
Mi k k a M al o nz o Art Director @m ikkam alonzo
Pai g e V i cent e Vice President for Publicity and @anem p ty p aige
Communications, UP JMA
Ry ann Li m Chairperson for Publicity and @R yannLim
Communications, UP JMA
P R O J E C T C O O R D I N AT O R S D u do A n c h e t a Ni c ol e E u ge n i o S h e a J osu e K e n n e t h Na c i on A n ge l a Ra yos de l S ol S u sh i Ta n A C Te m e 単 a
T h e L ig h t n in g L u min e is p rod uced b y Team Press und er the Unive r sity of th e P h ilippin e s Junior M ar keting Association (UP JM A) C ontact us at team p ress@up jm a.com F or adve r tising, contact: cor p or aterelations@up jma .c om F a ceb ook: officialU PJM A Twitter : @U P_JM A Dig it al ed ition availab le on: www.issuu.com / team pre ss
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CONT ENTS
06 10 ABRA KADABRA: THE MAGIC OF GIANCARLO ABRAHAN
WAKING UP WITH GABBY DARIO
B U I LT- I N : THE INFLUENCE OF A UP STUDENT
CONT RIBU TORS LE F T T O RI G H T Ches Gatpayat A r t is t A b r a Ka d a b r a http:/ / www.c h e sga tpa ya t. t u m blr.c om Twitte r : @twowr istwa tc h e s
Pat Nabong Photographer M a in F e a t u re f lic kr.c om / pa tr ic ia n a bon g
Angela Rayos d e l So l W r it e r M a in F e a t u re Twitte r / I n sta gr a m : @ge la ito
A C Te m e 単 a S e t De s ig n e r, R e s e a r c h As s is t a n t M a in F e a t u re & D e s ig n Sp re a d Twitte r : @a c te m e n a I n sta gr a m : @a lyssa te m e n a
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The first time you stumble upon the idea that the things you admire, the things you aspire to, the things that blow your mind, are all actually reiterations of something that existed before it, you might feel something not unlike an all-consuming existential crisis, or that time you caught your mom changing your tooth for a coin under your pillow. For me, this happened one slow afternoon on the Internet, when I found a series of videos entitled Everything Is a Remix. In the web series, creator Kirby Ferguson lays down the true origins of famous songs from Bob Dylan and the Beatles, all while making the assertion that nothing is entirely original. Disheartening as this might be to some creators, to me, this idea felt like something that had to be pursued further, and it was exciting to see how this played out with creations that struck close to home. This study of sorts felt more obvious with formats like film, and we were privileged to speak with director and screenwriter Giancarlo Abrahan about his personal influences, particularly for his most recent indie darling Dagitab (page 6). To talk about influences in a local context now would have also been to talk about one girl in particular, and we see the influences that have touched her life through the eyes of
EDIT OR’S
a fellow dancer.
It is with these thoughts that the people behind Lightning Lumine worked tirelessly for this issue, and what we keep in mind as we start this new year of creation. Ultimately, influences are things to be cele-
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brated, and remixes embraced.
CEDRIC S. REYES Editor-In-Chief
Abra THE MAGIC OF Kadabra GIANCARLO ABRAHAN I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y C H E S G AT PAYAT WORDS BY CEDRIC REYES
G i ancar lo Abrahan arri ved at Diliman fresh from drama club and read y t o ear n his No b el p riz e in Eco nomi cs. In t he sho rt spa n of ti me since, Abr ahan has been awarded B es t Direct or in Cinemal aya 2 01 4’s New B reed Cat eg or y, and ch os en t o represen t the P hilippines in t he 86th Academy Awards. S ti l l no No bel prize , b ut, smoking a cigarette while he wait s fo r h i s p ast a t o arrive, t he you n g aut eur doesn’t seem t o mind. There a re many t hing s that Giancarlo Abr ah-
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a n c a n do, bu t f i l l you r f re sh ou t of c ol l e ge yu ppi e st e re ot ype c e rt a i n l y i sn ’t on e of t h e m . Th e c a re e r t h a t t h e you n g w ri t e r ( Tra n si t ) t u r n e d di re c t or ( D a g i t a b) forge d f or h i mse l f i n t h e ye a r si n c e h e gra du a t e d f rom U P D i l i m a n h a s be e n e ve ryt h i n g bu t pre di c ta bl e . We m e t h i m i n be t w e e n c l a sse s, a t a re st a u ra n t on c a m pu s. U pon a rri vi n g, h e i n t rodu c e s h i m se l f a s G i a n w i t h a h a rd G a n d se t s dow n h i s ba gs, w h i c h l ook l i k e t h e y’ re c a rryi n g f i l m e qu i pm e n t . “Ma gt a t ra ba h o a ko m a m a ya , ” h e sa ys w i t h
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a s h rug. We t alk t o him ab ou t his long er t han u su al colleg e st int , Di sn ey Channel, and art as explor at ion. It’s only been a few months since his directori a l debut , Dagi tab , bagg ed t hree aw ard s at t he 20 14 C i n emalay a Film Fest ival , b u t Gian is already h ard at wor k on a proj ect. H e lat er confesses to b ei ng a wor kaho lic , l i vi ng and breat hing h i s p roject s from co n cep ti on t o execut io n . F ol l ow ing his g raduati on from t he UP Film Insti tu t e in 2 01 3, wo rk i s p ract ically all he’s d on e. So me mig ht say that Abr ahan, who was an Ec o nomics major for th ree year s be fore shift ing int o Film , i s making up fo r los t ti me. On t he cont r ary, G i an says wo rking in the fi l m indust ry has mad e him realize ho w you n g he is, and humb l ed him wit h t he re-
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“I don’t und ersta nd writers who s ay, ‘I write to be understood.’”
a l i za t i on that t h e re i s st i l l m u c h t o l e a r n . W h e n a sk e d w h y h e sh i f t e d i n t o F i l m , G i a n sa ys si m pl y, “I w a n t e d t o w ri t e . ” Th e u n i ve rsi t y’s F i l i pi n o c re a t i ve w ri t i n g progra m w a s a n opt i on , bu t be c a u se h e w a n t e d som e t h i n g m ore f l e xi bl e i n t e rm s of m e di u m , G i a n c h ose t h e In st i t u t e of F i l m . Iron i c a l l y, on c e i n F i l m , t h e on l y c l a ss t h a t t h e a w a rd-w i n n i n g sc re e n pl a y w ri t e r di st i n c t l y re m e m be rs st ru ggl i n g i n w a s sc ri pt w ri t i n g.
A n d ye t , t h e c on st ru c t i on of i de a s t h a t fu e l h i s w ork se e m s t o c om e qu i t e n a t u ra l l y. L ook i n g ba c k a t h i s ye a rs i n U P, G i a n c l e a rl y re m e m be rs t h e f i e l d a c ross t h e Col l e ge of M a ss Com m u n i c a t i on s, a n d t h e i mprom pt u ph ot osh oot s h e a n d h i s f ri e n ds w ou l d h a ve t h e re a t du sk , fi re fl i e s provi d i n g l i gh t . Th i s l a t e r
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b ecame t he inspir at ion for one o f t he scene s of Dagit ab. In exp ressing his deep i n teres t in languag e , G i an l oo ks back on his ch i l d hoo d, and growi n g u p wit h a famil y that s po ke almo st ex cl u si ve ly in deep Fili p i no. “T he only Eng lish w ord s I knew were from Car t oo n Net wor k , N i ckel odeo n, and Disn ey.” Abr ahan says he h as hi s ho bby o f read i n g to t hank for his ab i l i ty t o speak both En gl i s h and Filipino, b ut sti ll t he disco nnec t b etw ee n t he languag e h e gre w up wit h and the l ang uage he no w u ses for co mmunica ti on as his films g ain i n ter nat io nal recog niti on i s so met hing t ha t confounds him. But that i s n’t a bad t hing . In fact , t his cur iosit y, among o t hers of t he same sor t , is what fuel s h i s craft .
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“Art is about dec iding that you don’t know about s omet hing”
“I don ’t u n de rst a n d w ri t e rs w h o sa y, ‘ I w ri t e t o be u n de rst ood. ’ ” F or A bra h a n , t h e j u m p i n g poi n t f or a rt i sn ’t a pl a c e w h e re on e k n ow s c om pl e t e l y w h a t h e w a n t s t o sa y. “If you l ove som e on e , j u st sa y so. D on ’t gi ve t h e m a f l ow e r. ” In st e a d, a rt i s a bou t de c i di n g t h a t you don ’t k n ow a bou t som e t h i n g, a n d t h a t i s w h y you w a n t t o pu rsu e i t f u rt h e r, w h e t h e r w i t h pe n a n d pa pe r, or w i t h fi l m e qu i pm e n t . Tow a rds t h e e n d of ou r i n t e rvi e w, G i a n c a rl o A bra h a n pu t s a h a n d on t h e ba gs w h i c h l ook l i k e t h e y’ re c a rryi n g f i l m e qu i pm e n t . He de c l a re s, “Not e ve ryon e ge t s a c h a n c e t o do t h e t h i n gs t h e y w a n t t o do. ” S om e m i gh t sa y t h a t t h e a w a rd-w i n n i n g di re c t or’s got t e n l u c k y. We sa y, w i t h a bi t of m a gi c , n ot h i n g’s i m possi bl e .
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P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y PAT N A B O N G STYLING BY KARINNA ENGRACIA I N T E R V I E W E D B Y A N N E YA P W O R D S B Y A N G E L A R AY O S D E L S O L
F i r st l ook and yo u wonder h ow t h i s gi rl c a n h a ve a pre se n c e s o commanding fo r at t enti on , ye t a sm i l e so c h a rm i n g a n d w arm. H er ener gy effor t le ssl y ra di a t e s t h rou gh ou t t h e ro o m an d you i mmediat ely know sh e ’s som e t h i n g. P e rh a ps i t ’s t h e f act that she’s always bee n i n t h e l i m e l i gh t t h a t sh e c o m e s o u t so b ol d. Whet her or n ot t h i s i s t ru e , sh e ’s h a d e ve r y o n e cap ti vated from t he mo me n t sh e f i rst a ppe a re d on n a tio n a l tel evi si on.
“IT’S LIKE AUDITIONS sh e l a u gh s a s w e be gi n t o ta lk . G a bby, a Broa dc a st c om m u n ic a t io n s e n io r, h a s a l w a ys h a d t h i s c e rt a i n fire t h a t b u r n s in s id e h e r, a l w a ys goi n g f or bi gg e r t h in g s a n d b ig g e r dre a m s. J u st t h i s pa st se m e s t e r, s h e h a s a ppe a re d a t va ri ou s e ve n t s a n d o n T V a s t h e o ff i c i a l c ou rt si de re port e r f or UP in t h e UAAP’s 7 7 t h se a son . Bu t , h e r pa ssi on f o r s p o r t s re a c h e s f a r pa st t h e re c e n t se m e st e r a l o n e . P ri or t o re port i n g c ou rt si de , t h e f ie ld o f s p o r t s w a sn ’t a t a l l n e w t o G a b b y. L o o k in g a f e w ye a rs ba c k , w e se e a you ng G a b b y Da r io s it t in g a m on gst a se a of gre e n a n d s h o u t in g a lo n g w it h t h e c row d, “A n i m o L a S a l l e ! ” H a ilin g f ro m a L a S a l l i a n f a t h e r a n d a n A t e n e a n m o t h e r, G a b b y gre w u p e xpose d t o t h e u n iv e r s it y s p o r t s s c e n e . W h i l e sh e sa ys h e r m ot he r d id n ’t re a lly c a re m u c h a bou t ba sk e t ba l l , h e r f a t h e r, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d, w a s a n a l l -t i m e e n t h us ia s t . “ G ro w in g u p , I 12
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S ALL OVER AGAIN,” w as a super big fan o f L a S al le,” she recalls. “My d a d wo uld brain w as h m e when I was you n ge r and t ake me to al l th e La Salle g ames an d condit ion my mind, ‘you ’re g oing t o La Sal l e, you’re g oing t o La S al l e.’” And upo n seei n g that t he t hree previ ous L a Salle co urt side rep orters were also A ssu mpt ion gr aduat es l i ke her, she knew. “O h , y o u’re next ,” he r d ad had t o ld her. But thi n gs don’t always g o as exp e ct ed. Wh en she found he r n ame list ed among
t h ose fort u n a t e e n ou gh t o pa ss t h e U P CAT, t h e t h ou gh t of be i n g L a S a l l e ’s n e xt c ou rt si de re port e r i m m e di a t el y w e n t ou t t h e w i ndow. “M a ybe I c a n be t h e c ou rt si de re porte r for U P, ” sh e re c a l l s t h i n k i n g, “bu t i t w on ’t be a s fu n be c a u se w e don ’t re a c h f i n a l f ou r, ” sh e l a u gh s. Bu t w i t h f orm e r U P c ou rt si de re port e r a n d pe rsona l i dol Ri k i F l ore s, t h e ye a rl y da zzl i n g pe rform a n c e s of U P P e p, a n d h e r da d’s w ords of e nc ou ra ge m e n t i n m i n d, sh e ga ve t h e t h ou gh t
a no t h e r c h a n c e . G a b b y s a y s t h e a udi t io n p ro c e s s was gr u e lin g ly t o u g h . Sh e sh a re s , “ p e o p le w e re c r y in g a n d s t u ff . I t ’ ll re a lly t a k e a t o ll o n y o u be c a u s e h a la t a if y o u do n ’t k n o w w h a t y o u ’ re sa y in g . ” De s p it e h a ving the edge of knowi n g a n d u n d e r s t a n d in g t he s p o r t , b e in g a q u o sp e c t a t o r w a s s t ill v e r y di ff e re n t f ro m a c t u a ll y lis t e n in g t o h o w t h e t e a m is b e in g c o a c h e d . Be in g s e le c t e d a s UP D ilim a n ’s c o u r t s id e repo r t e r c a m e in t o G a b -
“ H U M B L E YO U R S E L F A N D WO R K H A R D E R TO G E T W H AT Y O U WA N T ”
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b y’s l i fe as a blessing a n d a su rp ri se. “ It was o ver w h e l m i n g a n d u n exp e ct ed when I rec e i ve d t h e l e t ter, ” she recount s. “ It w a s so ove rw hel mi ng because yo u ’ re c a rryi n g the n ame o f t he Univ e rsi t y of t h e P h i l i p p ines, and t hat i n i t se l f pu t s so much weig ht t o it .” G ab b y admit s t hat proba bl y t h e bi gges t h ighlig ht o f her c ou rt si de ye a r w as U P’s fir st win aft e r a 27-ga m e l os i n g st reak dur ing it s ga m e a ga i n st the Adamson So aring F a l c on s l a st A u gust . “ It ’s so funny, be c a u se a l l the other gir ls wo uld e xpe ri e n c e i t sob rang dalas,” she re c ou n t s, gri n n i n g. “ Like when t hey w i n , i t ’s l i k e , “Yay, I’m happy !” But w h e n w e w on , as i n,g rabe, we had a bon fi re ! It w as so much fun! We w e re j u st re al l y happy t o be able t o e xpe ri e n c e that one win.” She also poi n t s ou t that she is t hankful for t h e pe opl e w ho cont inue t o put t he i r h e a rt a n d soul i n t o suppo rt ing t he U P Ba sk e t b al l tea m despit e our s e ve n t h ou t of ei ght finish t his year. “E ve ry si n gl e oun ce o f help really me a n s so m u c h to th em. To be wit h UP, I m e a n , i t ’s n ot gl amo rous. But it ’s re a l l y so i n sp i ri n g t o see [t he t ea m ] pu sh e ve n i f w e d o n’t get t he mo st su pport . ” A si d e f rom being UP’s c ou rt si de rep orter, Gabby is also a n a c t i ve pa rt of th e Philippine hip ho p c om m u n i t y. “My fi rst lo ve was reall y da n c e , ” sh e tel l s us. “ I fell in lo ve w i t h i t be c a u se i t w as really me.” But s h e w a sn ’t a lw ays the most soug ht -a f t e r t a l e n t i n the w o rld. Having ente re d t h e fi e l d p retty lat e co mpared t o h e r c on t e m p orari es, she faced not j u st on e , bu t three reject ions. “ Here ’s m y st ory:
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f i rst , se c on d, a n d t h ird y e a r, I d id n ’t ge t i n t o m y sc h o o l’s d a n c e t ro u p e , A CD T. A n d t h e n , I t r ie d m y f o u r t h t i m e a n d fi n a l l y g o t in . ” Ab o u t a y e a r l a t e r, sh e fou n d h e r s e lf re p re s e n t in g t h e c ou n t ry i n o n e o f t h e b ig g e s t c om pe t i t i on s i n t h e f ie ld , t h e Wo r ld Hi p Hop D a n c e C h a m p io n s h ip in L a s Ve ga s, w h e re s h e p la c e d 5 t h o u t o f 40 c ou n t ri e s w it h L e g it St a t u s . “ F o r m e , i t w a s h u g e . L ik e it ’s n o t a g o ld m e da l , bu t t o b e f if t h , w h e n y o u ’ re on l y e i gh t on s t a g e , t h a t ’s p ro b a b ly m y bi gge st a c hie v e m e n t . ” Be i n g on e of t h e p e o p le s e v e r a l UP st u de n t s l ook u p t o a t t h e m o m e n t , w e a sk e d G a bb y h o w s h e t h in k s b e i n g a pa rt of t he UP c o m m u n it y h a s c h a n ge d h e r. “ St u d y in g in UP h a s re a l l y l e d m e t o a p p re c ia t e p e o p le f rom e ve ryw h e re a n d s e e t h a t t h e re a re so m a n y pe o p le w h o a re s m a r t e r t h a n you a n d b e t t e r t h a n y o u a t e ve ryt h i n g so you h a v e n o r ig h t t o f e e l l i k e you ’ re t h e b e s t , ” s h e s h a re s . “You h a ve t o h u m b le y o u r s e lf a n d w ork e ve n h a rd e r t o g e t w h a t y o u want.” W i t h ou t a dou b t , re p re s e n t in g t h e pre m i e r st a t e un iv e r s it y w o u ld p la c e a h u ge w e i gh t o n a n y o n e ’s s h o u l de rs. O u t si de th e s t a n d s , o u r c o u r t si de re port e r is a s t u d e n t lik e e v e ryon e e l se . D e s p it e a ll t h a t , G a b b y c on t i n u e s t o g r a c e f u lly d a n c e , lite ra l l y a n d fi gur a t iv e ly, t h ro u g h t h e c h a l l e n ge s t h a t c o m e h e r w a y – a n e pi t om e t h e t rue e s s e n c e o f a f ig h ti n g m a roon i n m in d , in h e a r t , a n d i n spi ri t .
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