Mahal Amanda Adams - ALINLANGAN (Tagalog version)
“Alinlangan” by Mahal Amanda Adams © 2010
Featured in a short film written & directed by my good friend Raz De La Torre for his London Film School project called TUKSO (international title: “Missed Education”. Click link to see IMDb. Ei look! I’m on IMDb! —lol). This song became the emotional ambiance for the story’s entire plot. Well, that’s how I saw and felt about it.
This song that I made was originally written and recorded in English (that version I will post on another day). It tells of the frustrations of waking up to a morning that basically does not seem appealing to the person anymore. Feelings of being alone and lost and unappreciated encircle the lyrics. Don’t we all go through that at some point in our precious little lives?
I was honored to have been chosen by Raz to be the creator of his film’s entire music score. The film, which lasts for about 40mins, was a challenge compared to working with him in a previous 3-minute film project (that too I will talk and post about later on). I took my inspirations on what it takes to make a score from John Williams and Howard Shore who are, for me, the genius composers of my lifetime. It’s not easy to make a film score. You don’t get to act the hero and dictate what you want. It’s a relationship between the story, the director, and the composer. You need to understand all the elements that envelope the story. Otherwise, you will just create a soggy piece of supposed art. You must be keen with the edit points that match the visuals. The soundtrack, which most people apparently do not pay attention to while watching movies, is an essential key that makes you cry, laugh or get terrified. It is what makes the movie complete. Remember silent movies? They were all just music and no voice.
I also included into the film’s score my band’s original songs which you can listen to here: KIRIDA
The process of making a film score requires lots of patience and creativity. I would usually listen to other kinds of music to refresh my ears for a while then go back to working on it again. That method really helps. Try it.
So just last Oct 2, 2010, Raz held a special film screening at his beautiful home and invited many guests. I finally got to see the film with my “babies” playing in the background. It was surreal. It was fun. It was… nerve-wrecking! I’m so happy it turned out really well.
I’d like to thank Inigo Mortel (member of the bands The Haneps, Mighty Man, Gin Rhum N’ Truth, Mahasa, I-Ray & Kirida) for helping me translate the words into Tagalog and for putting his guitar skills into the song. The instrumental part that he injected into it gives me an LSS (last song syndrome). Also would like to thank Dodjie Garcia of Skunk Productions for the recording sessions, and to Raz for giving me another great opportunity to work with him. Can’t wait for the next!
