I love how full the last quarter of 2008 was for me, despite the fact that I wasn’t able to write about any of it here. There were two main things that kept me occupied then: Asia Momentum 2008, and B.I.T.A.W. acting workshop.

Asia Momentum 2008

Every year, delegates from Fitness First branches all over Asia converge in one country for three days of seminars and other activities. In 2008, Fitness First Philippines was the host (the last time this happened was in 2005) and assigned the group exercise department (that’s us!) to perform three production numbers. Rehearsals began in October for the shows that would run on November 21 and 22.

The end product impressed our bosses enough to ask us to perform one of our production numbers two more times: at the BodyCombat Main Event III and at the corporate Christmas Party. (Perhaps also to get their money’s worth, because they paid us quite a lot for the rehearsals we held.) It was a lot of hard work with many sacrifices along the way. During rehearsals and run-throughs, tempers flared, egos were singed, and friendships burned to the ground based on mutual misunderstandings and unwillingness to talk things out. The most important lesson I learned? People will talk about you behind your back, so put your best face forward in front of everyone — even those you consider your friends.

B.I.T.A.W. Improv Acting Workshop

Sometime in October, I was invited to an acting workshop by two of my friends from church. It was being run for free over 12 weeks, so I thought, “Why not?”

Turns out, it was a workshop where improvisational acting exercises and techniques would be used to help draw out creativity and spur learning among the participants.

Our “graduation ceremony” was a showcase at My Little Art Place.

When I say “draw out” and “spur”, I do mean to imply there was a certain level of pain and discomfort in the process (practically drawing blood and tears). I had to take a good look at myself, my goals in the television and film industry, and the work I was putting in to achieve those goals. The most important lessons I learned are Truth, and Union. Without truth in my acting process, the end product looks artificial, forced, and mechanical. Without union among my heart, mind, and soul when it comes to acting, I cannot give my all.

Between those two activities, I realized that when it comes to acting and performing, you’ve really got to give it all you have for anything you do to be worthwhile. At the same time, you can’t railroad anyone into doing the same thing; they’ve got to come to that realization by themselves.

I can’t wait for what this year will bring!

Tags: Acting, Performing