W H A T ’ S N E W ? !

HELLO WORLD!!

WELCOME TO THE QUESTOR LOG!

So far this channel has been quite busy these days. But finally we've got great news from the academy! I now introduce and present to you the first D.Slayer Academy entry of 2020!

JUNE 20, 2020

LESSON 1 : FIND YOUR NICHE! & FIND YOUR VOICE!

By: Joshua Ravelas

June 20, 2020. This is one of the days that I would never forget. This was the day when I’ve first entered my first zoom webinar under Creativoices Productions. This was the day of the Certified Voice Artist Program. The last time I’ve ever done a webinar similar to this was when I was being trained as a Digital Marketing Officer for a certain company. When I’ve first entered the digital room, I was honestly anxious and curious of what kind of topics that we would be tackling in this webinar as a program. Would this be like my multimedia arts degree? Would this be like how we did it in a studio I’ve worked with prior to enrolling in this program? What kind of professor and teacher would I encounter? With these thoughts, I wondered.

Then an old thought of mine came to mind, the phrase was “Empty your mind.” When I’ve heard this simple phrase in my head, I knew exactly what I should do in this situation. Like most of the arts and style’s I have ever learned throughout my years both as a professional multimedia artist and as a student. I have always had the discipline of emptying my mind and forgetting what I know for me to become better. Because of this, I would surrender to the current of knowledge placed before me rather than question and doubt the information that hindered my progress.

As I’ve sat comfortably on my chair and waited for my webinar host. I took the liberty of writing a few notes down for myself. This was also the time I’ve written my original scripts. Since during this time, I was also working on some of the adventures that my original characters had been going through for the for my upcoming novel. Thinking of what I could accomplish during this time. I’ve patiently waited with excitement as to who would my host and speakers be?

What I did not expect was that it would hosted by the voice talents from VG8 Radio and I would be later introduced to the living legend known to all as Mr. Pocholo “The Voice Master!” De Leon Gonzalez. Knowing this on the first few seconds of my time in the webinar. I was filled with excitement because I’ve heard of this name before through a few friends of mine in the multimedia arts world. Excited to learn more I took my notebook and pen and began to write from the lessons revealed before me. For the first few seconds were greeted by our hosts with a game that would also serve as an ice breaker for people to loosen up. Next we were given a few exercises through our breakout rooms.

This was my first time to have a breakout room with people I hardly knew. During this experience, I saw that most of the people I’ve encountered had different purposes to why they took the program in the first place. I can also see that most of them had similar dreams and ambitions like mine.

Because of this I grew to love my group more and more that I wanted to get to know each and everyone of them. I was touched by some of their humble beginnings too. It also made me realize that despite having a tragic pandemic on our hands. There are still good people showing up and refusing to quit on their dreams. Having known this first hand, I became inspired by my group.

During our time in our breakout group, I was placed in breakout room 5 and exercises that were given. We were asked to introduce ourselves. So we’ve come up with a unique way to tell our stories and in doing that I wrote a script based from what my workmates/voicemates gave as a way of introducing themselves and then I created an epic story out of their introductions.

This was the time I’ve felt my passion for writing renewed as I was able to create a story in a small amount of time. I am glad that I was able to place my writing skills to the test. But the later part of voice over can’t be said with the same passion because I wasn’t a good voice artist to begin with. Yet again I am here to learn right?

In the later part my leader read my script and what I did not expect was that people loved the story. Then I asked myself, “Hey, do you think I’ll make it this time?” Then the thought of “Maybe” was through my mind with a smile on my face.

With a slight smirk in my heart, I continued to listen to the lessons that were presented before me. I learned more about the myths of voice acting, the pros and cons of voice acting. I’ve also learned the slight history of voice overs in the Philippine Industry as well as the world. The voice master even showed us how lines should and would be executed. I also loved the words of wisdom given by our voice master himself.

After the first session it got me thinking… After this who do I want to be?

Then I’ve thought of the Voice Master’s words. He said, “Voice Acting is not Real Acting. But it is the art of Becoming.” Then a thought came to my mind. “Just be simply you.”

I was inspired by the story the voice master shared during his journey to become one of the best voice talents in the world. Despite imitating a thousand voices. He stayed humbly himself and helped others.

Then I’ve realized that what he was doing is similar to my goals in life. I’ve always wanted to help people. I’ve always wanted to be their voice of reason. I’ve always wanted to share my talents and make the world a better place.

With this program, I can see that I have much to learn and yet, I can’t help but be inspired by the good that it showed me. This program taught me a lot not just in the lines of voice acting but in the lines of real life. It taught me to value my relationships. It taught me to value people. It also taught me one important aspect that I’ve lost. It taught me how to believe in myself again.

Like what the voice master had shared. His words were:

“The best time to believe in yourself is the time when no one believes in you.”

After hearing those words it also made me evaluate how much I have learned and what I had forgotten throughout my life. Being in this program made me see and realize that I have more to give and share to the world than just my art. It showed me how much I love this world and its people.

I do hope to show this same love on my future career, channel, and in my content.

If you guys want to know more about voice acting and the Certified Voice Artist Program.

Please visit https://creativoices.com/ or like their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CreatiVoicesProductions/

#VoiceFromHome #Creativoices #CertifiedVoiceArtist

June 27,2020

LESSON 2: THE ART OF BECOMING & VOICE CARE

By: Joshua Ravelas

Apart from last weeks exercise, We’ve been given a new and exciting avenue to learn from the best by changing our breakout room groupmates and tackling another part of voice acting. In the exercises given to us. Our Voice master taught us the different ways to create different characters and voices using the voice master formula and system perfected and created by him.

When I’ve used this, I was able to distinguish my other characters from the rest. It also showed me a way to create characters more easily than just internalizing them as if it were a character in a theater play and script. I then realized that voice acting does have similarities in theater. But it is a lot more easier to comprehend than theater. By this I mean that its easier to act as a different character than a theater actor/actress would do.

Because in theater, based from my experience. You had to do many things at once like dance, face expressions, sing, vocalize each character and be heard till you’re at the end of the room. Its stuff like that that made theater special. But in voice acting the setting is simpler.

The only thing you have to think about is the script, tone of voice, setting of voice, and kind of voice to portray your character well.

I also noticed that if you’re not a good reader, you’re also not a good actor. Because reading and acting are different. This program teaches you to do both at the same time. Which also interests and inspires me to perfect my craft.

I do hope to apply what I’ve learned in later time.

Do you guys want to know more about voice acting and the Certified Voice Artist Program. Then by all means visit

https://creativoices.com/ or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CreatiVoicesProductions/

#VoiceFromHome #Creativoices #CertifiedVoiceArtist

July 04,2020

Lesson 3: Your Brand, Your Service, Your Mark.

BY: JOSHUA RAVELAS

In today’s episode of the CVAP Program, majority of us found ourselves having challenging moments due to our assignments and tasks. But the good part was that some have still managed to finish most of the assignments required of us on time. This was also the time that we’ve recognized our main niches/ forte more. In this lesson we have gone through modules 5-6. This was the part of Branding and Marketing yourself as a voice artist. It was also in this time that our websites and branding were placed into the limelight of events. This lead us to a more intense assignments for the upcoming final week.

In this module, I’ve re-discovered the basic ways of marketing and branding yourself that I’ve not just taken from this workshop but from my own past experiences as a former Marketing Assistant/ Officer. Going back to these basic lessons through the CVAP really helped me form this website “The D.Slayer Academy” and this also lead to the birth of a new mission and passion in me. It was a passion that I have thought I’ve lost. It was also because of this lesson that I’ve created this website in the hopes of helping others reach their goals and dreams the same way I did. So that in one way or another I could help re-shape the world and make it a better place for all people to share. This also lead me to think about my former employer too. I remember the humble words of 5 great Taipans I once knew to be my mentors in business.

They’ve told me that anyone can be your customer. They’ve also taught me that the best kinds of customer service are the services that are simple to execute and what brings people closer. They taught me that brand isn’t just the name but the excellent service they give that makes the world better. And services are meaningless if your relationships are irrelevant if and only if you don’t take great care of them. I saw that in this program. It reminded me of how I used to love my job as marketing professional and why I do my job well. I didn’t do it for the money but for the passion of serving people. This lead me to create one unique service in my brand that I will uphold as both my mission and my vision for a new world.

In this day, I’ve also been given a new group which is Breakout Room number 7. I’ve met new friends and I’ve had fun working with these exceptionally talented people. I want to know them more as this program comes to an end. Being with these people inspires me to become greater artist than myself. Meeting people here was no coincidence. Because of this another quote came to my mind.

“When a student is ready, a Master appears…”

This quote has struck me more and I am currently living its reality at present. Anyone could be your master. But what matters more is how you treat people. I’ve learned more about teamwork, diligence, and perseverance as I’ve worked with these amazing people.

Hopefully one day, I could work with them on my own show. Also in this module, I’ve also learned how to practice to become better as a Voice Artist by using tongue twisters, reading the script with emotion, and by adapting to different scenes and scenarios in any script.

This also made me realize that as a Voice Artist, you don’t have the power to change the script. But, you do have the power to express the script better. This is why I love this line of work, it challenges you to be more creative in delivering lines better and with the right emotions for it.

And this concludes my third log for this week. Stay tuned for the next article.

Do you guys want to know more about voice acting and the Certified Voice Artist Program. Then by all means visit

https://creativoices.com/ or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CreatiVoicesProductions/

#VoiceFromHome #Creativoices #CertifiedVoiceArtist

July 11,2020

Lesson 4: FAREWELL CVAP, HELLO FUTURE! WE’RE DUBBING THE WORLD!!!

BY: JOSHUA RAVELAS

July 11, 2020

This is the final entry for this log. This marks the final chapter of my time in the Certified Voice Artist Program Batch 1 by CreatiVoices Productions. This also marks the beginning of my new career as a Voice Artist.

This was the day that we were all waiting for… This is the day of the final module.

To be honest, I didn’t want the program to end. I was having so much fun meeting new friends and doing what I love to do. It gave me a reason to wake up every morning and challenged me to do better as each day passes. 1 month of training isn’t enough but this was all the time we had. It was very real and memorable for me and I will carry this feeling and memories for the rest of my days as I walk towards a new future in my career. The feeling is very bittersweet. But this bittersweetness was also replaced by two emotions. It was replaced by faith’s inspiration and God’s love. It gave me something to look forward to.

In this episode, we were able to present as a group as Breakout Room 7 for Voice Dubbing. Our project was simple, we were given the task to parody dub Voltes V. (My childhood favorite) And be creative enough to use our own script to perform. In the scene I've played the youngest member of the Voltes Team Lil John (a.k.a Hiyoshi Go in the original Japanese Dub). The task was a bit of a challenge because we were all having lags and technical problems due to internet connection with our computers. But one way or another we’ve managed to get back on track and perform as we could. Then we were oriented on the kind of gadgets and tools we needed for our home studio set up.

We were taught different mics, different platforms, and different programs. It feels nostalgic to learn these because these were taught to me as a subject in my former college. But one thing that made it different was that the equipment is now updated. There are better software and equipment today compared to 10-15 years ago when I was still working in my former studio.

I thank God so much for helping me though these dark times with the help of these amazing people. I look forward to a brighter future with the smiles of every talent that I’ve been with in this workshop.

This officially concludes my fourth article. Stay Tuned because the real chapter begins here…

Do you guys want to know more about voice acting and the Certified Voice Artist Program. Then by all means visit

https://creativoices.com/ or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CreatiVoicesProductions/

#VoiceFromHome #Creativoices #CertifiedVoiceArtist

Aug 14,2020

An Inside Look at “Basurero”: Direk Eileen’s Lessons from a Filipino Fisherman

By: Joshua Ravelas

Today was Aug 7, 2020, 9am. As I’ve started my day through the tunes of sweet blended coffee and the warm greetings of early breakfast to begin my daily tasks. I was surprised by an unexpected message from a great friend regarding an interview and live Q&A session with a Fil-Am Hollywood based film maker named Eileen Cabiling making her debut with an independent film called Basurero at 10 am this very morning. Slapped awake and Intrigued by this, I became curious to learn from what she’s been talking about along with my colleagues. Because of this I’ve taken the liberty of humoring her sweet message and pursuing this interview and live Q&A session at 10 am on VG8 Radio.

As I’ve opened my browser to see my StreamYard link for this interview. I was met by my fellow voice artists from VG8 Radio backstage. During that time, I was patiently waiting and preparing my notebook for the best notes and questions for this interview. Excited with spark and passion in my eyes, I’ve patiently waited for my turn to give some of my questions. As the live stream began, the show was greeted with a colorful film trailer of the film Basurero.

Then our beloved hosts Richard Abalos & Nikie Esmero began interviewing our special guest indie film writer-director Eileen Cabiling with passion and enthusiasm. As the special guest was introduced, I was reminded of the time when I was still a film student in film school. I would be surrounded by a panelist of independent film makers as we’ve taken the time to defend our thesis and explain why we did our project. It feels so nostalgic to me that the feeling was like a complete roller coaster ride all over again. But the only difference now is that the tables have turned and instead of being the student, I am seated like one of the panelists to see what the project was all about.

As the show on VG8 Radio proceeded, I’ve noticed a different a perspective of what the independent film Basurero was all about. I’ve learned that the film was a poetic, neo-realist, short film that showed the complex world and life of an ordinary Filipino fisherman who found himself embroiled in a dangerous undertaking.

Starring in this film was the well renowned Filipino film and television leading man, Jericho “Echo” Rosales (also known for starring in other films such as Alagwa, Baler, Siargao) who plays as the film’s lead character “Bong.” We’ve also learned that Basurero also marked the directorial debut of our special guest Direk Eileen Cabiling. Learning more about her personal life, we learned that she was a Manila/Los Angeles based screenwriter. Born to immigrant Filipino parents in the U.S., Cabiling was drawn to the subject matter by a desire to explore the psychology of her ancestral home. She graduated from the prestigious American Film Institute. She later worked as a writer and story development producer for Disney.

Basurero made its world premiere in competition on October 2019 at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, where Asian Film Festivals named it one of “10 short films you cannot miss.” Said Asian Movie Pulse upon its review, “… bound to leave a strong impact on any viewer and push towards a deeper conversation. “

The way in which she weaved the story of human atrocities while focusing on the plights of one individual elicits a strong emotional connection had boast an eye for visual storytelling and a strong performance from Jericho Rosales. I say, Basurero was a must-watch in the realm of short films.

Basurero also premiered in Europe in competition at the 50th annual Tampere Film Festival on March 4-8 2020, in Tampere, Finland. One of Europe’s most important short film festivals, attracting more than 30,000 attendees, Tampere’s international competition is Oscar-, BAFTA- and EFA-qualifying. It was also an Official Selection and slated to be in competition at the 34th edition of the Fribourg International Film Festival Switzerland, and was a nominee for The Golden Gate Award at the 63rd edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival. But due to COVID-19, the two festivals were canceled.

However, Basurero did screen online at the Hollywood-centric Sun Valley Film Festival in Idaho and is slated to screen at The MINIKINO FILM WEEK in Bali in September 2020.

The story of the film is about Bong, an urban Manila fisherman, who struggled to survive. Desperate for money, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous undertaking. Wracked with guilt and fear, Bong feverishly seeks a way out. A fictional expose inspired by actual events, and a story anonymously related to a Filipino fisherman by Al Jazeera, who told of widespread human rights abuses among the nation’s most vulnerable. Rather than serving audiences a high-octane expose of the violence, Director Cabiling rendered a more nuanced portrait, taking viewers inside the psychology of a man trapped by impossible circumstances.

The tone of the story was quite mysterious, innovative, realistic, and modern that it made me think of the basic essence of film making and how you told your story on screen through a different perspective.

Joshua Ravelas (a.k.a Voice D. Slayer) interviews Direk Eileen Cabiling during live Q&A.

After learning these amazing facts. Within the interview we’ve tackled a lot of questions regarding the modern-day challenges, techniques, and production processes that an independent film maker goes through in a modern-day film set. Graced by the knowledge and wisdom from our special guest, I’ve come to realize that the American and Filipino Film Industry wasn’t really that far from how film processes were executed and how things managed and done on film sets.

On the contrary, we’ve come to realize that the difference only came from the culture and the settings of the project. The production processes are almost the same as how it’s done in the Philippines except for the policies in shooting the film’s setting. For in the U.S. and in the Philippines, the policies and laws for shooting a film were way different. These were one of the biggest and toughest challenges a modern film maker had in doing a film on set and most especially time. Time is the biggest factor every film maker would have as a challenge in any film project they pursue.

Looking at how things are by their great team under her leadership, it re-sparked my imagination as a film student and film maker once more. As it came to my turn to ask the questions. I was so excited to ask her how she would prepare for her films. She responded in a very practical way with one simple word. “Prepare. You prepare yourself, you prepare your team, you prepare for your project, you do your homework, research, and you consult and communicate with your team because that’s what making films is all about.”

Hearing that kind of advice, reminded me of my professor in college who told me the same thing. This is what re-ignited my love and passion for film making. Hopefully one day I would do the same with my own film and screenplay. But for now, I’m just a humble student once again learning from the professionals and masters of this industry.

The Live Talkbacks for Basurero, which is scheduled along with the premiere screening on August 10 at 6 pm, will be attended by Lead Actor Jericho Rosales, Executive Producer Darlene Malimas, and Writer-Director Eileen Cabiling.

Tickets are available at the Cinemalaya ’16 Vimeo account.

It is available with the Premium Bundle and Triple Feature Bundle.

Like Basurero’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/BasureroFilm to be informed on the latest updates about the film.

#VG8RADIO #VOICEDSLAYER #DSLAYERACADEMY #CERTIFIEDVOICEARTIST #VOICEARTIST #VG8EXCLUSIVE #BASURERO #CINEMALAYA #JERICHOROSALES #DIREKEILEENCABILING #CINEMALAYA2020 #indiefilm #CreativoicesProduction #exclusive #media #news

d.SLAYER ACADEMY

BY: VOICE D. SLAYER

W H A T ’ S N E W ? !