Stickers! Stickers! Stickers!

So this is finally it - The Car Park is getting some vinyl done! It took some time to really think about the designs and the particular feel I wanted TCP stickers to have, but I feel pretty satisfied with this first batch. Check these first two out and let me know what you think:



If you notice too, The Car Park blog will soon have a new home as soon as the place is built on thecarpark.org. Huge thanks to all the avid readers so far - it means a lot! It's because of you guys that TCP is taking the next step forward.

Of course, later on there will be more traditional TCP (and UMG stickers for that matter), but I figured this would be a good, roundabout way to kick things off. The gas ration sticker would go great in the literal sense on some "eco-friendly" gas-conscious machine...or provide a bit of irony on some gas guzzling power car. I know I'll be rocking one on the M3. Stickers should be going to print within the next week, so stay tuned and e-mail mike@unscenemedia.com if you want one!

Adobofest 2009

Click here to watch the video | To download right click & save

When you combine your typical forest preserve Filipino family picnic/BBQ with some good ol' fashioned culinary competition and a slew of games and talented acts, Adobofest is the deliciously fun result.

And that's exactly what it felt like. Rather than a dry, furrowed brow competition of the taste buds, it was a really casual, relaxed afternoon on an absolutely perfect Sunday to enjoy great food and good company. The Filipino American Network of Chicago (FAN Chicago) was the brains behind the operation - this being the 2nd annual Adobofest they have put together in the area. And not only did this year draw a bigger variety of entrees entrants, but it also attracted a broader, larger audience than last year's iteration including some awesome guys over at CDR Racing, the Roxas brothers, Ethnikroots and the infamous chef Ron Bilaro from Life Pinoy Style.

Not short-staffed either was the media coverage. This year's Adobofest was stacked with some serious over-the-shoulder video cameras and photography enthusiasts alike. A guy with CDR Racing even rolled through with a backdrop and strobes to keep his 1D and 5D company. Crazy! As per usual, Don from Balitang America was out in full force at Adobofest as well. Thanks for the interview, Don! I'll see you at the next big Fil-Am event, haha.

Ryne from Bakit Why and Unscene Media got together again to cover the 'fest. Be sure you check out BakitWhy.com to check out the blog! Here are some of the photos from Adobofest 2009:









































A HUGE thanks goes out to FAN Chicago for putting this together, the 'fest sponsors, Unscene Media supporters and of course CONGRATULATIONS to the Adobofest 2009 winners! For high-resolution photos seen here, full photo gallery or for any other questions/requests, please e-mail mike@unscenemedia.com.

Screw Invisible Ink.

Brooklyn based designer Reiner Tiangco has created a unqie kind of art that requires some one-on-one attention in order for its message to be revealed. He calls it the "Dirt Po(or)ster". In fact, Reiner claims that the poster isn't really finished until you put your hands on it - which is a really cool twist to buying art. More than just the purchase, it's an organic piece that the buyer can dismiss, contort, create or finish. He says it's the first of many to come.

Back to the Music

Before the blogs, the photography, the design work and the choreography, my expressive roots were always in music. It's unfortunate, but nowadays the musical side of me has taken a (seemingly permanent) backseat to life as we know it. Ho hum. As a matter of fact....damn, my guitar strings are rusted. Aaaand I never bothered to open up the Apple keyboard I bought years ago to maybe start making something of my own. Oh...and I sold my drum set. Pretty much the closest thing to music I've gotten of late is to Rockband, so thank you GJ for salvaging that last ounce of musical drive in my body, haha.

Anyway, taking a break from my indie tunes, I came across Marie Digby since she recently did a concert in the Philippines in August. Seriously...her voice is amazing.

From what I understand, she got a lot of airplay with her acoustic version of Rhianna's "Umbrella". To be honest, I was reluctant at first to give it a go seeing as I could live the rest of my life in pure bliss without hearing another "ella-ella-ehh-EHH", but I was glad I did. Check it out:

Her new album should be dropping on September 15th officially everywhere and actually on Amazon, it's already out. BTW, I have to just say really quick that she vlogs like crazy which is totally awesome (and it's really cool to see that she's got a really fun n' quirky personality). Anyway! Here are some samples from her new album along with some other homegrown vids:

And here are some covers she did that I really liked:

Incubus - Love Hurts


Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder

OH...and speaking of some really good covers, I came across this today as well from David Sides (I didn't mean to make this into a total Marie Digby blog, but it just ended up that way...SORRY, haha):



MAN...I really need to learn how to play the piano. This stuff is just way too good. One day, one day. I'll try to post up some more music-related stuffs to jump start my motivation, haha.

Le Chill Out.

Offering “an acupuncture session” in every can, the Canadian beverage maker Slow Cow, has produced a relaxation drink to calm your nerves and easy jitteriness from energy drink consumption. An antidote to drinks like Red Bull and Rockstar, Slow Cow was developed to help people de-stress.

Unlike the energy drinks that contain synthetic chemicals such as taurine and caffeine that tend to increase anxiety, Slow Cow contains theanine, chamomile, valerian, passiflora and other ingredients known for their calming effects. The beverage is formulated to increase mental awareness while improving relaxation. After a long day of work on an energy drink, or coffee high, Slow Cow can prevent the post-hit dip that caffeine and other stimulants cause. A natural fit for spas, hotels, and airlines.

Slow Cow’s tongue-in-cheek logo hasn’t gone unnoticed. The launch of the drink has stirred a strong reaction from Red Bull, and has asked them to formally shut its operations because the packaging of Slow Cow closely resembles the energy drink maker. Some critics think Slow Cow’s branding is ingenious…what do you think?

Via PSFK

Dope. Spoken. Word.

From the one and only Rafael Casal on the one and only Def Poetry.

Barbie & Ken 101

'nough said.

Cut & Paste Photos

As promised from my previous post, here are some photos from the Cut & Paste show at the Chicago Artists' Coalition gallery last week.

And by the way, how cool is it that they had FILIPINO FOOD at an art gallery? Totally amazing to see some lumpia shanghai next to bottled wine and beautiful art, haha. But anyway, I really look forward to checking out more shows here and from what I was told, they plan on a showcase for Chicago photographers in the near future. I'll definitely keep you all updated on when that is if any of you want to get in on it.

That being said, I hope you enjoy the pics!

Cut & Paste Show at Coalition Gallery

So Ryne from BakitWhy and I hit up the Coalition Gallery for their newest showcase opening called "Cut and Paste". I hadn't been to an art gallery for over a year, so it was really amazing to head over to this show. Not only was the art fantastic, but everyone at the show was a blast to talk to.

Anyway, the art was created on all sorts of medium, but all with the "Cut and Paste" theme in mind. I was inspired to work on the video coverage prior to the photos, so here's a little teaser until that is all finished up:



The gallery featured three different artists - Richard Shipps, Jun Jun Sta. Ana and Vanessa Vargas. Here's some info about them from FilAmNation:

"Richard Shipps left the world of corporate presentation arts in 2000 to re-focus on his personal art. He has shown at various venues in the Chicago area since moving here in 2007 from Michigan where he spent his childhood, attended college, and founded a company that created cutting-edge computerized multi-projector presentations, for which he received over 40 awards. Art writer Jeff Stevenson recently quoted Shipps as saying that his work “examines the dynamic tensions between light and shadow, and the interplay of negative and positive form” and “the push and pull – juxtaposition and synergy of image.”

Jun Jun Sta.Ana, was born and raised in the Philippines. He came to Chicago in 2006, and has been showing steadily since. Sta.Ana has shown frequently in the Philippines, as well as in Japan, Russia, and across the US. His collaging is done entirely in the computer. He is known particularly for his Unconventional Portraits in which he repeats images of the subject as a design element to create a larger image portraying, defining, or referencing the person.

Vanessa Vargas, who lives and works in Chicago, has shown in Illinois and Minnesota. Her work, which will be shown in this exhibition, is meticulously crafted from plexiglass and paper. The varying depths of the minute boxes that each hold part of the whole extend from the wall, create the feeling of a multitude of tiny paintings assembled into a larger image. "

For BakitWhy specifically, Ryne and I interviewed Jun Jun Sta.Ana, who had several amazing pieces including some very memorable self-portraits and an incredible piece printed on silk (that you can see on the teaser video).

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the video! Stay tuned for the Sta.Ana interview and venue photos!

Michael Copon gets Interviewed!

SO...here it is...the full Michael Copon interview I promised you all earlier! If you didn't check out the teasers and missed the hype, don't worry...you can check them out here.

Anyway, it was a blast to interview Mike - after watching, you'll see that he is a super chill guy with an honest head on his shoulders, which is really refreshing. To his avid fans and especially his Filipino American followers, you've got a lot to look forward to from the Michael Copon camp.

Big, huge, elephant-size thanks again to my friend Steph for pulling this all together and props to Ryne from BakitWhy for being the man on cam and repping it big for the Midwest. Check out the full interview after the jump:



Here are some quick shots I took before we sat down for the interview:

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OH! And BTW...I sent Jessica (Yoshi) from WTForks a Twilight FANATIC's car I spotted in Chicago for their site and she let me in on some Twilight trivia with her post:




I didn't know that Michael Copon was considered to be the new Jacob after Twilight...pretty sweet! Thanks for the post, Jessica!

500 Days of Summer

I just had to make it official on here that this movie is AMAZING. That is all. Oh, and that Kris Yee posted an awesome cartoon synopsis of the movie on her blog:








I didn't fully get the last bit until I saw the movie, but I CRACKED UP when I saw that part in the theater, haha. Here's another useful tidbit from Kris's blog:

"The art was done by a girl that goes by Starblinx on Deviantart.com. (Check her out, her stuff is cute!)"

"You can check out more videos of the cast here. They made a couple dance videos, interviews and also a mash up video between Sid & Nancy and 500 Days of Summer. It’s pretty funny."

If you haven't seen it yet, please do!

BakitWhy x Unscene Media x Michael Copon (preview)

So as some of you may know, Michael Copon was in Chicago last week. Graciously, he agreed to sit down with my good friend Ryne from BakitWhy and me for an interview.

Oh, and if you DIDN'T know, BakitWhy is the latest and greatest online resource community for FilAms. It's committed to becoming "a progressive advocate, information resource and a place for discovery for and about the Pilipino American community". If you're down with the brown, join up and start getting involved! Look out for more collabs between Unscene Media and BakitWhy in the future.

But anyway, back to Michael Copon. He is an amazing guy and really down to earth, no joke...and he's really got his hands in a lot of different projects aside from acting - including a lot of charity work which is AWESOME. Definitely be on the look out for him leaving his mark on the music industry as well. Here's a little teaser and shoutout to BakitWhy straight from Michael Copon himself after the jump:



And just for fun, I figured I'd throw in a few outtakes before we really got filming. Camera aficionados, pay attention to the end...HE KNOWS WHAT'S UP!!. Check it out after the jump.



By the way, sorry for the lack of embedded vids - Vimeo free accounts only allow 1 HD upload per week and it went to my newest short. Vids are bigger on my server anyway, so enjoy the full 1080p HD clips!

Keep it locked - the interview should be posted soon!

New Short: From Where You Are, To Where You Want To Be

So after the Art & Copy Night (I know...I can't stop talking about it), I said hello to a long lost friend of mine (the train) and got a ride home.

Since the rain spoiled any chances of whipping out my camera to take pics at the Music Box (and since I was MASSIVELY inspired to do something creative), I figured I'd bust it out during the ride home and do some filming.

The concept of this short was simple - film what you see from right where you are. Don't move. Don't look for anything other than what you would see if you were sitting in that exact spot, in that exact moment. It was all about capturing the moments that we may often take for granted along a journey - the beauty of the ordinary.

The title itself is not only about the physical want to get from point A to point B. It's also a desire to get away from a place of mediocrity, stagnancy and close-mindedness and arrive at a place of inspiration, emotion and creative freedom.

"Creativity can solve anything". - Art & Copy