words by Camy Francisco-Cabral
Manila-based illustrator and artist Camy Francisco Cabral (@origamidreamer) shares the lessons she learned (and relates to) from the Rebelde Class with Filipino animation writer, story artist, story supervisor and production designer Ronnie Del Carmen:
I was ready to tackle another day of quarantine productivity with commission work, when my husband, Patrick sent me a link through messenger, asking if I would like to join Rebelde Film Orgs’ Online Talk Session with Ronnie Del Carmen, writer and storyboard director/artist from PIXAR, whose work we both admired since Finding Nemo.
I knew of Ronnie Del Carmen when UP was released in the cinemas back in 2009. The film left such an impact on me, that I searched his blog and left a comment, telling him how much I loved it.
Ever since, I have casually followed his career.
He is after all, one of the epitomes of a successful Filipino creative, who, against all odds, has managed to carve out a place in the global animation industry.
My husband (the lucky one), saw him twice, the first being in a conference organized by LaSalle Greenhills back in 2006. And the other time in 2012, where he saw the man himself on a stroll at one of the malls in Makati, but was too shy back to approach him and say hello.
Fast forward to 11 years later, my husband and I settled into our respective home workstations and waited to be let in at the session in the form of a zoom meeting with Ronnie, the hosts and organizers of Rebelde and fellow attendees…all 150-something of them.
Now, we have been consistently productive so far throughout our ever-changing quarantine state, and part of that productivity state of mind is to try and learn/hone a new skill, and for the past years, between art commissions and projects, we have been learning how to write and storyboard for film. My husband and I have been developing a story for a long time. And it was only last 2019, we were able to dedicate a huge block of time to really sit down and do it. We had attended a scriptwriting workshop organized by adobo magazine that same time, just to get our feet wet in the process. We met good people, had a great time and learned a lot. It was also through adobo, that Patrick learned about this session with Rebelde and Ronnie Del Carmen.
The workshop started a little after 2pm, and for two hours after, my head felt stuffed, my notes haphazard, but overall informative. Throughout the session, I saw parallels between Ronnie and my husband. From growing up poor at their respective provinces which offered little to no opportunities, to having to beat against all odds to have a fulfilling career, filled with admiration and accolades, while enjoying the fruits of their success and wisdom that came with it. Here’s what I learned in those hours:
- In storytelling, no matter how you try to distance yourself from the material you are writing, a part of you will still end up in what you make.The story we are currently writing is based on my husband’s one event growing up. It is very personal to him, and so I was tasked, not just as his partner in life, but also in creative pursuits, to translate it for him in the best way I could possibly can.Even if I tried to separate myself from the story, because after all it is his story to begin with, I still found myself injecting bits of my own personal vignettes into the writing, whether it is a certain description of a character, the way this dialogue will progressed, or a certain shot to set the mood for the whole story.
- Human experience is a valid experience.We know that best. So write that. “Making movies hurt. It hurts where it matters.” Said Ronnie, as he patted a hand on the left side of his chest. Instantly, I knew what he meant. In all creative pursuits, or in living a creative life, it does hurt. This is coming from a man who co-wrote INSIDE OUT, a film about human emotions.
This film is probably the biggest confrontation of one’s self, and I can imagine writing and enduring that pain day in, day out. The human experience gives us the power to relate to others in writing stories. Each experience differ from individual to individual, but it is the human experience that act as a bridge between. It is its importance, its rawness that marks its validity.
- Make stories all the time.This rings true in any creative pursuit. So to myself and to my husband, as artists with different creative disciplines, it’s to make things ALL THE TIME.
- Do great enough work to get noticed. Agents or those interested in your work will come to you, not the other way around. This also rings very true. In the past years since we pursued art full time, my husband and I both saw how the work progressed beyond our expectations. Clients both local and abroad loved it enough to see its potential and to this day championed it. But it took a lot of work, and a lot of rejection. But in every rejection, comes another opportunity to advance our trajectory.
- You’re not a people person? Well Ronnie has news for you: GET OVER IT.
Because if you will write and then direct, or heck be involved in the film industry, you have to work with a lot of people. Collaboration is the key word here. - Take an Acting or Improv Class to better understand the other side of storytelling. It is not just through the written words, but it is also through presence, voice, and movement. The body is another instrument to tell a story. But Ronnie will warn you, you may (or may not) hate those sessions. He admitted hated those classes. But it definitely helped expand and understand other means to tell stories.
- For a story to exist, it has to manifest into something tangible.It is through your body, words, pictures or a song. There is a shortcut to success: Be really, really good at what your passionate about.Ronnie shared he would not be successful at what he does If he doesn’t draw all the time and to keep learning/relearning your craft. It goes the same to all disciplines, especially if it holds a great deal of interest for the individual.
- Geography plays a big part if you want to be seen by the right people and given the right opportunity. Ronnie mentioned had he not changed his geography (him migrating to the other side of the world), his fate would had resulted to a very different outcome.It has always been the situation in our country for as long as I remember.The need to move to ‘greener’ pastures just to advance our careers, to change our fate, to better our lives. Admittedly though in times of frustration, I would speak (either passively or passionately) of the what-ifs, the could-haves and the should-haves, if we are in another place.Maybe we would be more successful, our careers would advance more, or gain the right connections.
And lastly, and most importantly, for people to not question our credibility just because of our current geography. Until now, we are still on the fence about it. But as long as we are here, and there are opportunities that would enable us to create without limits, then we do not need to leave…yet.
When the session ended, it had left us contemplative, wishing it was a longer. Usually, after Patrick and I attend a talk or a session, we would get into lengthy discussions ourselves, sometimes lasting until the wee hours of the morning.
This time, it led me to ask him if the Ronnie today is different from the Ronnie he witnessed back in 2006 at that conference at LaSalle Greenhills. He said compared to his first experience, this second experience gave him an opportunity to listen to a man who gave advise that is realistic to the nature of the industry.
And with the advice he gave, given his history, his experiences and body of work, I am sure we, as well as the rest of the attendees, had clarity and guidance in writing our opus.
About the Author
Camy Francisco-Cabral is a freelance illustrator and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She goes by Origamidreamer on Instagram.
