Our 5th rabito video has been uploaded during the same week as the release of the final Harry Potter film. (H.P. opens tomorrow here in North America). This is not by accident. Clearly, the filmmakers want to take advantage of our video’s success to help promote their film. (I’m joking, of course).
The idea of rabito entertaining a group of children was something that came to me after seeing pictures the designer had taken. They were photos of children holding the rabito case at an Art and Design exhibition, where rabito seemed to be the most kid-friendly item. This story concept developed into a magic show, since that seemed like a natural setting for a rabbit-shaped phone case. I was particularly excited to make this video, because whenever I pitched rabito stories to other people, this one always generated the most interest. But filming it wasn’t easy.
On February 27th, 2011, our lead Actress: Marcia Yu, performed a magic show in front of 6 children. Not only did she have to maintain their attention, but she also had to elicit certain expressions and reactions that we needed for the video. Sadly, I have zero footage of the magic she learned to perform, since I had to capture the children’s reactions. But when you see how happy and captivated each child looks, remember that Marcia was responsible for giving them such a fantastic show.
There was about 40 minutes of footage that had to be edited down to under 2 minutes. For me, this process was like putting together a puzzle: trying as many different options as possible to see what fits together best. I’m grateful to Michael Wilson, for composing a beautiful score within an incredibly short time frame. I’d also like to thank the Yu Family, Joanna Lui, and everyone who participated in the making of this video. If by chance the final Harry Potter film causes you to feel depressed, then I hope our magic-themed video will help your smile return. : )
Yesterday I watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 3D. They actually used 3D well in several quick shots (but that’s about 2 minutes in total out of 2.5 hours). So overall, I don’t think seeing it in IMAX or in 3D is really worth it. Save your money. The movie was more fun than I expected, and I actually liked it better than the first 2 Transformer movies. Here’s why:
In the previous films, whenever the machines transform, it was usually done in tight close-up shots, often with the camera moving around the moving parts. This made me confused and dizzy. In this film, finally I could see what was going on. Apparently, those vehicles are the ones turning into the “autobots.” I also realized that you shouldn’t trust “Decepticons” because they frequently deceive everyone else. Optimus Prime is kind of like the primary optimum leader/robot/hero. Basically, the entire story is embedded in everyone’s names (except for Dutch, because he is actually German. But “German” wouldn’t make a good name, I guess).
Megan Fox was not in this film, and I didn’t really miss her. Sam has a new girlfriend. Her name is “Carly”. Coincidentally, she likes cars. That’s convenient for the filmmakers AND the characters! John Malkovich has fun with his new role. And then there’s Ken Jeong playing a weird Chinese guy. I think Michael Bay and the film’s Producers watched “The Hangover”, “Even Stevens”, guys wearing flight suits on Youtube, “Godzilla”, “The Matrix Revolutions” and his first 2 Transformers films to decide casting, action sequences, and film’s plot. You’ve actually already seen half of this movie.
Former President John F. Kennedy appears in this film too. He’s in 2 action movies this summer (this film and X-Men: First Class).
While the previous Transformers movies seemed like US army/navy/airforce promotional material mixed with car ads and giant robots, this film…um…was exactly the same. However, I feel it took the filmmakers 3 movies to finally achieve the right balance. The film isn’t perfect: it’s still too long, predictable, and sometimes boring. But a good chunk in the middle is actually quite entertaining.
If you love films as much as I do, then you’ll be able to enjoy this film almost entirely from its fantastic sound design. Kudos to Erik Aadahl and his sound team. They deserve more credit for their work.
Before filming a commercial for the rabitoTM iPhone case (designed by Mina Kwag) for rabito Co., Ltd., we asked 6 children to re-design the rabito logo. It was a chance for them to express their creativity and for us to learn. They did such a great job that we wanted to share their work with this video.
Featuring Artwork by: Tyler Chei, Chloe Chei, Samantha Pang, Nathan Pang, Serena Chi, and Nicholas Chi.
Special Thanks to: Marcia Yu, Joanna Lui, Lily Yu, Ling Yu Xiu Zhong, and Katharine Qu.
Video and Music Produced by Andrew Zeller
Visit heyrabito.com for more rabito designs, products, info, and artwork.
Some of my friends loved this movie, while others thought it was “horrible”. It seemed necessary for me to see it myself to form my own opinion. The main point of contention among my friends seemed to be over the character development (or lack thereof) within the film. After watching it, I would argue that there is character development. Almost all of it pertains to the main character, Po, and the method in which he grows as a character may be unsatisfactory for certain people. But before I talk about that, let’s compare this film with its predecessor.
Kung Fu Panda 2 was a better made film, in my opinion, than the first Kung Fu Panda. However, it is important to note that the second film draws much from the first and they work better when viewed together as a whole. In the first film, a great deal of time was spent introducing the many characters. It was fast, fun, and exciting, but training sequences went on a little too long. Most of the film’s jokes relied on Po being frequently hungry and thus very chubby. In the second film, the characters have grown more skilled in Kung Fu and it’s fun to watch the teamwork between Po and his friends. This time the humor relies more on Po’s clumsiness and lack of stealthiness, which I found less offensive than hungry-fat-bear jokes. Some of the physical comedy was juvenile and familiar, but the little boy sitting next to me clearly enjoyed it. The drama seemed to be much more powerful too as the same little boy held onto his father during one particularly moving scene. I already had tears in my eyes.
The Kung Fu Panda filmmakers are very talented at creating memorable and unique characters. Tigress (voiced by Angelina Jolie) gives a subtle yet effective performance, while Po (voiced by Jack Black) and his Father, Mr. Ping (voiced by James Hong) give the film it’s heart. The film’s new villain, Lord Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman), is a peacock with an intimidating presence. His manipulative interaction with Po drives the suspense of the film. I was happy to hear the beautiful voice of Michelle Yeoh as the fortune teller/goat. I have huge respect for Michelle Yeoh, because she plays intelligent and strong female characters. (I’m curious to see her in the upcoming film being directed by Luc Besson entitled “The Lady”, about Burma’s democracy movement.)
Ironically, both Kung Fu Panda 2 and X-Men: First Class shared the exact same philosophy: in order to reach your full fighting potential, you must find inner peace (and come to terms with repressed memories). In X-Men, this involved one character thinking of a happy memory to fully access his superpower. In Kung Fu Panda 2, Po has to do more than “think happy thoughts” (Peter Pan, anyone?) to reach serenity and learn from his Master. The lessons he learns are illustrated clearly in the film, so I don’t think I need to repeat them here. But how you interpret what Po learns and his methods to do so will significantly affect your appreciation of the film.
For a film aimed at children, Kung Fu Panda 2 addresses very personal and poignant issues: parents loving, fearing, or abandoning their child and children being curious about their past. At one point the villain says to Po: “Are you willing to die to learn the truth?” Po replies: “Yes. But I would prefer not (to die).” It’s an important question and a wonderfully honest answer. I also give this film originality bonus points for not having the obligatory romantic story, and instead focusing on a parent-child relationship and friendships. If you’re looking for action, colorful visuals, and a story with heart, I would have to recommend seeing the panda.
Note: I saw the film in 2D and it looked great to me. 3D might make some of the action a bit more exciting, but I don’t think it’s necessary to enjoy the film.
This past week, I went to the theatre see the latest in the X-Men series with two friends: Alex and Mark. Overall, we enjoyed watching the film. I don’t think it’s a particularly memorable movie, but it is a fun summer action flick. It is much better than X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) which should have been titled like X-Men: The Last Straw. However, I think I would rate the first two X-Men movies ahead of this film. The character of Nightcrawler and the opening sequence of X2 (2003) were both quite impressive, and the first X-Men (2000) really set the standard for ensemble superhero movies. (Mystery Men came out in 1999; as a parody of superhero films, it was really ahead of its time.)
Let’s talk about X-Men: First Class and what makes it unique. First, there are significantly long scenes where the dialogue is not in English. I praise the filmmakers for doing this since it gave the actors a challenge and gave the story added depth. It defied the commonly accepted notion that all speakers of English are mutants. Second, you get to meet new characters with new abilities. (SPOILER ALERT) I don’t want to give away too much, but this movie made me wonder: wouldn’t it be difficult to choose a engagement ring for a woman who can change into diamonds?This film takes place in the 1960’s, which allows characters to say “Groovy” and Charles Xavier’s telepathic power to seem much more valuable in an era without cell phones, smart phones, and technology named after fruit. If you’re having trouble guessing who is good and who is evil, just remember that this is an American Hollywood film. If the character speaks with a Russian or German accent, they are probably evil. If they speak with an American accent, they are probably good. And if they speak with a British accent, they are probably supposed to be smarter than all of the other characters.
“Mutant and Proud!” That’s a slogan which is spoken several times during the film. My friends Alex and Mark said this to me after the film, which moved me to reveal my mutant powers for the first time in many years. Rather than being horrified by my ability to sit through all of Pride and Prejudice (2005) and still retain my masculinity, they welcomed me. I discovered that they too were mutants. Alex told us all to stand back, while he proceeded to expel a rapidly expanding ball of selective energy, consuming all grammar textbooks in its path. Mark unveiled his ability to rapidly adapt to any situation, exemplified by his sudden switch to unintelligible ebonics when we encountered some tough-looking girl scouts trying to take our money and exchange it for cookies.
Now we can look forward to next X-Men film, which I’m guessing will be entitled: X-Men: Business Class. It should be decent, but I’m not expecting much from Economy Class. It will probably feel too familiar.
This was actually the first of all 6 videos that we filmed. It required the most time to prepare because of the complex location and props necessary to tell the story. In addition to those challenges, we wanted people to accept rabitoTM as more than a phone case, but as a character. Mina Kwag’s design has so much personality already that many people already anticipated this in our videos. Honestly, I have never seen a more expressive phone case than rabito, and I think that quality contributes to its appeal across continents. I credit our talented actress, Claire Lindsay, for her believable interaction with rabito. Her professionalism was a great help to us. Lastly, I am indebted to my team, particularly Marcia Yu and Cristina Istrate, for their continued dedication to the each video. We hope you enjoy seeing the FEARLESS side of rabito, and look forward to our next 2 videos.
I can’t think of a better way to start your day than to watch and listen to an Alvin Pingol song (whether it is a cover of a song by Pogo or an original). Check out Alvin’s latest track below (recommend viewing it in 720P HD for the highest quality). I would say “Hope you enjoy it” but I already know you will!
We wanted Hot Pink rabitoTM to be SEXY, fun, friendly, adventurous, and outgoing. I watched many music videos and commercials to find the style, pacing, lighting, and movement with which to shoot and edit this video. Renee Jin helped us a great deal , since makeup and fashion was very important. I am grateful for her huge creative contribution. Having 3 beautiful models was also very important, and these particular actresses were also patient, hard-working, and maintained their energy even after many hours of filming. They exceeded my already high expectations. I will never forget the feeling of having all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ after this long day of filming. It was a satisfying conclusion to the day.
Editing took me twice as long as I anticipated (2 weeks instead of 1 week). I had a song from Cristina Istrate (whose experience as both a composer and a DJ have been valuable assets) that I had already chosen for this video. The task remaining was to make the music match the video and vice-versa, without letting one dictate the other. They had to be complimentary. Marcia Yu once again provided helpful editing and pacing suggestions, as well as a much needed female perspective. I also had to learn how to use a new program, Adobe After Effects, to finish this video, but that is another story. I hope you enjoy the result of our collaboration!
We decided to give each rabitoTM phone case a different personality. For the Transparent Pink color, we wanted it to be sweet, shy, imaginative, cute, and curious. So here is a story about a boyfriend doing something sweet for his girlfriend. Guys, consider this a free suggestion! Girls, show the video to your boyfriend to inspire him. ; )
In December 2010, I had the honour of being asked by designer Mina Kwag to shoot several advertisements for her latest product: rabitoTM. I had ambitious ideas for the project, and the number of planned videos increased from 1 to 3 to 6! After assembling a talented team, which I knew was vital if I ever hoped to complete these videos, we have filmed all 6 videos in Vancouver.
What is rabito? It is a case for the iPhone, but it is also more than that. To me, it represents a character, a friend, and a future where the creative dreams of young people are thrown into an often intolerant reality, yet remain unafraid to express themselves. Mina has gone in a bold direction: to work with close friends and family rather than remain with a large and successful company. She has faced the challenges of people stealing her design and trying to profit from it. Sometimes, these things are out of our control. But with this video and the 5 to come, I hope Mina and rabito will receive the attention they deserve. It’s their time to shine!
Thanks to TVR (Team Vancouver rabito) and all who support us!