Marky Cielo: Mula Butuan hanggang Sinto

Marky Cielo is the only StarStruck suvivor who represents the widest spread of influence and hence, deserves your support to the end. He finished grade school in Butuan City (Mindanao), finished high school in Bugias, Benguet and stayed with his grandmother in Sinto, Bauko, Mountain Province at the same time (Cordillera — Luzon), started college in Baguio, auditioned in Dagupan and from thereon solidified the North again. From Metro Manila and even the Visayas, he is gathering fandom. It’s in the talent. And the personality that’s just so down to earth.

Iwa Moto, Gian Carlos and Vivo Ouano

StarStruck 3 finalists Iwa Moto, Gian Carlos and Vivo Ouano have their friendster accounts and they’re waiting for you to add them up! Check ‘em out here.

Igorot celebrities: Zorayda Ruth Adam, Eric Salvador, Marky Cielo

Marky Cielo (StarStruck 3 finalist) is not the first Igorot celebrity. We have Zorayda Ruth Adam (Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2001, a lawyer who graduated form UP Diliman) and Erik Salvador (Mr. Philippines World 1999) to say the least.

Andam is part of the all-woman prosecution panel in the high-profile Subic rape case involving six US servicemen.

Salvador was part of a movie called Abong/Small Home where Joel Torre starred.

 

*There is also a certain Eric Salvador, a Hong Kong based model who hails from Bulacan. He is not Erik Salvador the Igorot who won the Mr Philippines World title.

Why not Kankanaey?

When Marky Cielo went home to promote StarStruck and his quest for stardom, he spoke in Iluko/Ilocano. This could be a way for him to get more sympathy from a bigger audience (television audience– the whole Northern Luzon), but why didn’t he use Kankanaey more? It would have made the experience more authentic.

Anyway, I’m already convinced that he is really from here. I’m just wondering why SLU is not giving its support to him. Dahil ba hindi ito SCQ? Last year nung may nakapasok sa SCQ-Regional, na-lagay pangalan at mukha niya sa Buhay SLU (SLU Bulletin). Ngayon, wala man lang congratulations from the school? Unfair!

Ala, ulay eestem kayet Marky. Baken mo dayaw et kedeng nan naitapyam isnan StarStruck am-amed tay ad-ado ay Ili nan inumdanam. Kagagasing ay mang-ila ken sik-a isnan TV et nan pangabak mo et pangabak tako am-in.

Marky Cielo, Igorot

Halfway across Halsema, I learned what I have been looking for — Marky’s middle name. I was told it’s ‘Cadaweng.’ I’m not sure if it’s true but it basically confirms that Marc Anthony is an Igorot. Her mom is one. He grew up in Butuan but is now in Baguio. I think he is of Bauko descent.

I tried asking Marky himself via StarStruck TXT, but he never replied. Anyway, that facility is not that reliable for queries such as these and comments posted on the StarStruck blog were more helpful.

I’m back in Baguio with a Sagada windburn. And talking about home, someone with a family name of Cadaweng used to live one house away from us. I’m sure it’s not Marky’s family, but you get the idea of how close the connection can get once one tries to do some legwork around here.

So far, Marky’s still there and it seems he will continue to be there at least for a month more. Because of that, I wouldn’t mind the windburn. And I’m a southpaw, too, as if anybody cares. LOL

My next question would be: Where did he last enroll at? We’re not schoolmates because the last someone made it to the regionals of the other artista reality show, they made the whole school know by posting the info on the university bulletin board and leaflet.

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Marky is a 17-year old Architecture student of SLU, Baguio. Most likely he is on leave of absense now so he could be in Manila to try out his luck at StarStruck.

Iwa Moto, Gian Carlo and Vivo Ouano

StarStruck 3 finalists Iwa Moto, Gian Carlo and Vivo Ouano have their friendster accounts and they’re waiting for you to add them up! Check ‘em out here.

Magdaleno Pena

Is he way much older than Plinky Recto? Kasi by looking at General Jarque, some think that Magdaleno Peña must be as old as the general. Nagpi-Plates din kaya siya? O pilipit lang talaga expertise niya?
Madami kaya siyang connections talaga? He seems to have come from a landed elite family in the Visayas.

Ralph Fernan: Chicken Little animator

Walt Disney’s newest animated feature “Chicken Little” is making waves at the American box office, as grosses hit nearly $120 million since it first opened three weeks ago.

A very loose adaptation of the venerable children’s story, Chicken Little is bound to be as popular as the other Disney characters. This quirky new character is the archetype 98-ounce weakling, yet children will soon be posing for pictures with his six-foot-tall mascot in Disney’s theme parks around the world.

Nobody could be prouder of this little hero than Philippine-born Ralph Fernan, who was responsible for animating both the title character and his father, Buck Cluck. It was up to Fernan to give life to these two lead chickens. He clearly had the most challenging task of giving the film its heart.

“As you have probably noticed, there are many scenes between Chicken Little and his father,” the 40-something Fernan told Life & Times via phone patch. “So as animator, I had to build a rapport between father and son and make it look realistic.”

Many of the scenes between the older chicken and his tiny son are tender and actually human, and they comprise the best moments of this otherwise rapidly paced CGI movie. Yet Fernan refused to take the entire credit. He attributes the success of the film to a lot of contributors, from the gifted voice talents, the art directors and the overall director Mark Dindal.

With all the talented animators and art directors working on the film, it seems that director Dindal would have little else to do, but Fernan said that on the contrary, he was the central guiding force of the whole production.

“True, we all had our duties but it was Mark who set the tone and direction of the film. He’d advise us in certain scenes and describe their purpose. How the characters should react to certain situations, how the action ought to be depicted and he more or less choreographed entire scenes,” he explained.

It was Dindal who also coached the voice talents, which included major stars like Steve Zahn, Patrick Stewart, Don Knotts and Joan Cusack.

From UE’s pride to Disney’s gem

Fernan was born in Manila and is a Fine Arts graduate of the University of the East. Although he majored in painting, he found himself working on animation. “My first stint with animation was when I was hired by the local studio of Hanna-Barbera,” he said.

“That was in the eighties, not long after I finished college. You can say that it was at Hanna-Barbera where I got my formal training, where I learned the ropes.”

Most children are familiar with many of Hanna-Barbera’s beloved characters — from Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear to The Flintstones and Josie and the Pussycats.

Fernan was assistant editor of the Hanna-Barbera’s feature-length cartoon Once Upon A Forest (1993), which featured the voice talents of Michael Crawford and Ben Vereen.

Sadly, however, the company was compelled to shut down its Manila studio due to financial difficulties.

As with most of the talented Filipino animators, Fernan decided to seek his fortunes in other countries. There were fewer opportunities for animators in the Philippines, he explained. While others found employment in Australia, Fernan and a few others tried their luck in the United States. Fernan has so far been the most fortunate Filipino animator. He found work at Burbank Studios and was animator for the features of Turner Pictures and Warner Brothers. Among his credits are the highly acclaimed Iron Giant (1999) and Stuart Little 2 (2003).

Not long after, he was hired by Walt Disney and was immediately assigned to Chicken Little. “We started to work on Chicken Little two years ago. It all began with storyboarding and scripts which were continuously revised,” Fernan recalled.

Fernan noted there are several Filipinos working in Disney, both in the production and administration’s departments. “We’re all so proud to be part of this great company. I’ve met Roy Disney, the son of Walt Disney. He looks a lot like his father!” he said.

For Disney, Chicken Little was a major gamble that paid off. It was the first CGI film, the studio produced on its own. (Pixar produced most of its CGI productions.) The studio first adapted Chicken Little for the screen in 1943 using traditional animation.

“Of course, traditional animation will always have its advantages, but with CGI, the work is faster and easier. I would like to work on conventional animation again,” he said.

Fernan resides with his wife and son in Altadena, California. While he’s enjoying his work in Disney, he said he hopes the animation industry in the Philippines would eventually get off the ground. “Then perhaps the talent wouldn’t have to migrate to other countries,” he said.

Article written by Dennis Ladaw
Ralph Fernan: The big Pinoy behind ‘Chicken Little’
The Manila Times November 30, 2005