A kaleidoscope world with the Philippine Idol Final 12

I grew up listening to FrancisM’s Kaleidoscope World and everytime I hear it, in my mind I see wonderful, great and meaningful images – powerful statements. Inside me, I see a world much more vivid than I can imagine.

I’m a visual artist and part of Tutok Perspektiba, an art exhibit about human rights and a volunteer videographer doing docu for the organization’s activities. There I met some of the visual artists and most of us younger artists who look up to Antipas Delotavo, Emmanuel Garibay and Jose Tence Ruiz. They are three prominent and world-renowned social realists of the Philippines who put so much meaning and passion to their work.

When I first heard about the song performed by the Philippine Idol Final 12, the same stirring feeling hit me. More so when the guys at SonyBMG offered me to do its music video, I was so excited and thought I could really use it as a way to communicate and relive the passion and the messages evoked by the song of FrancisM.

It struck me: this is not just a job, this is a tool. Then I was inspired.

In a week’s planning, my artist-friends Buen Calubayan and Mark Salvatus III, co-faculty members at the College of Fine Arts and Design of the University of Santo Tomas, accepted my invitation to help in the project.

I borrowed the works from the Tutok Perspektiba exhibit. With the help of curator Mideo Cruz, I got in touch with the above-mentioned visual arts masters and upon letting them know of my intent, they all said yes – pleasantly. I was very happy. Then, we conceptualized the visual presentations for the music video.

We all live in a simulated world, and that is how we project the video images. With the aid of great paintings and other installation art, we did simulations of trees, of birds, of a mother and her child, superheroes, animals, thoughts, messages, books. All simulations of commanding statements are based on the song.

I know for sure that, just like how the song inspired me subtly, the audience will find out I do not have to exaggerate the visuals for them to get the message. I’d like to treat them as very mature and intelligent.

It’s a simple video – yet so meaningful and full of substance. We don’t need to magnify the visuals. They are powerful enough, just like the combination of 12 potentially great singers of this time – young people living in their own kaleidoscope world.