CCP’s Spectacular Lightshow: SINAG 2020

Cultural Center of the Philippines officially closed its 50th anniversary celebration and begins its journey to another five decades with a light and sound show SINAG 2020, last September 16, 2020, 7:00pm, at its Main Building façade and front lawn. Photo by Jude Bautista

Written and photographed

By Jude Bautista

In Manila, there is no façade more iconic than the Cultural Center of the Philippines, designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. Especially combined with its distinctive ramp, expansive, circular fountain that shoots water to heights so high its simulates light rain to anyone walking by.

It is a wonder why no one has ever thought of using the monolithic rectangle as a movie screen in the past. But talking to award winning Projection Designer G.A. Fallarme, we find out that it’s today’s recent technology that allowed them to execute that perfectly.

Panasonic Projector, the PT-RZ31K to be exact, now uses lasers instead of the bulb. Lasers allow more powerful light, detail and color to be shown on a wider area, even as wide as the CCP face itself. The light has to be strong as it competes with the surrounding ambient light sources from lampposts, car headlights and buildings like Hotel Jen right across Roxas Boulevard.

The result is SINAG 2020, a spectacular 10 minute light and sound show encapsulating the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ last 50 Years. THE Cultural Center of the Philippines officially closes its 50th anniversary celebration and begins its journey to another five decades of art making with a simple yet meaningful fitting finale, a light and sound show, last September 16, 2020, 7:00pm, at its Main Building façade and front lawn.

BP’s Erl Sorilla is both dancer and choreographer in GHOSTLIGHT, shown as video prologue. SINAG 2020; Cultural Center of the Philippines officially closed its 50th anniversary celebration and begins its journey to another five decades with a light and sound show SINAG 2020, last September 16, 2020, 7:00pm, at its Main Building façade and front lawn. Photo by Jude Bautista

Ghostlight Prologue

‘Ghostlight’ is a somber but fitting prologue with the changes brought by the COVID pandemic. The solo dance piece expresses the resilience of artists given the absence of live performances in the hallowed halls of the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo and other theaters within.

Choreographed and performed by Erl Sorilla of Ballet Philippines, it begins with a solitary figure silhouetted by a single light source. The curtain slowly reveals desolation. Sorilla looks out to the empty seats of the Main theater as the piece ends.

The distinctive logo, comes alive emblazoned with a golden fire, slowly rotating as it reaches the midpoint of the building. The black background creates the illusion that the symbol is a heavenly body in the night sky. Suddenly a comet bursts through, illuminating it as it revolves around the CCP symbol.

Animation brings to life its meaning, ‘The logo, derived from the Baybayin character Ka and styled based on a Katipunan design, represents Katotohanan, Kagandahan at Kabutihan (Truth, Beauty and Goodness). From wikiwand.

Flashing quickly but easily comprehensible; years are demarcated by significant creative and cultural achievements that happened in CCP. Providing a journey of sight and sound through the decades of music, arts, dance… all from the very best Filipinos have to offer and sometimes from the rest of the world.

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2020 – Year of Resilience

Before SINAG 2020, organizers acknowledged the sea change brought about by the COVID Pandemic. Theater and performing arts has been especially hard hit not just here but around the world.

In the best of times it was already challenging to produce, finance and market shows. Especially because of the high expectations and caliber of CCP resident companies like Tanghalang Pilipino, Ballet Philippines, Bayanihan Dance Troupe, UST Symphony Orchestra, Philippine Madrigal Singers.

Imagine the unthinkable of removing live audiences, live performances altogether. Without them, it’s a financial and logistical nightmare. The easiest thing would’ve been to give up in the face of seemingly insurmountable trials.

Through all this CCP Chairman Margie Moran-Floirendo proudly enumerated how they’ve adapted: “But we did not sit still. That is not the way of the artist nor the way of the cultural worker. As artists and lovers of the arts we stood strong. We moved forward and even as we kept saying the show must go on, we hatched our plans.”

“PORTRAITURE AND THE PHILIPPINE TERNO: Commissioned Paintings of Filipinas” by Rafael del Casal

“As chairman of the Board of the Cultural Center of the Philippines it is with immense pride that I report to you Pasinaya was the first and last festival that we cancelled. The Virgin Lab Fest pushed through creating history as the very first online theater festival. Cinemalaya was a resounding success with its online screenings. Screening the new films to an even wider audience worldwide. Wi-fi Body Virtual 2020 opened to critical success and the list goes on and on.”

The last one has also been adapted to the new online reality, “WifiBody is a choreographers’ competition for the solo-duet form. It is the first tier of the CCP Choreographers’ Series, a three-part platform in support of the Filipino choreographer. The competition is for the solo-duet form because we believe that the intimacy and conciseness of these forms pushes choreographers to bare their choreographic vision.” From CCP website.

CCP Youtube channel

The disappearance of live audiences has accelerated the adaptation to online performances. Although like most institutions, CCP is still figuring out the best way to monetize videos and other activities online. You can donate whenever you watch a streaming show from Tanghalang Pilipino, right there in Youtube as well.

Chairman Margie Moran-Floirendo continues, “We have gone well beyond simply coping. Through the extensive archival material of the CCP we have brought art to every person’s mood through CCP Youtube channel and the CCP’s Social Media pages. We have made art of the building and the selection of documented performances available to an even bigger audience…Having navigated the waters of the internet, we will forever use these ways. All our programs when we return to the theater will now have online components. Once the pandemic ends our doors will be open to our public and we will once again mingle with each other enjoying performances and exhibits together.”

The Philippine Madrigal Singers in Tanghalan Naming Tahanan; Video of event held June 29 – 30, 2019 | 8:00 PM & 5:00 PM; Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

G.A. Fallarme

For the light and sound show, SINAG 2020, there are only a few names that can be tapped as reputable creators. G.A. Fallarme may be at the top of that list. He is a Projection Designer whose work has encompassed theater, concerts and large scale video installations here and abroad.

A majority of Pinoys have seen his work in theater most especially in Resort’s World Manila. RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) boasts of the largest indoor LED screen in Southeast Asia. Fallarme’s animation, video designs include the latest musicals held in RWM NPAT: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and ANG HULING EL BIMBO.

Fallarme also helped revamp the production design in BITUING WALANG NINGNING which earned a host of Aliw Awards in 2016.

The difference with SINAG is that it’s a projection as opposed to an LED screen. The CCP façade is far bigger than the RWM NPAT LED screen (as large as that is).

Fallarme’s recent projection work include another historic façade in Manila Peninsula, last year (2019). It was for THE ART FAIR which he has done projection work for the past two years / installments.

Panasonic

Any artist however, is only as good as his materials. In this case, the partnership with Panasonic Philippines proved instrumental. They were able to allow the use of at least 3 of their high end projectors. Fallarme said, “We’re very grateful to Panasonic. I’ve collaborated with Panasonic with other projects with Ayala naman. For THE ART FAIR this year and last year.”

Panasonic is a brand that Fallarme is very much familiar with having used it in the Manila Peninsula project also for ART FAIR.

SINAG 2020 however, is especially challenging because of the wide expanse of the CCP façade. Typically, they would use several projectors, “Usually for a space like this we‘d use 2-3 projectors. But for this, its so powerful we were able to make use of one. Even if we positioned it further than usual.”

PT-RZ31K

The Projector Fallarme was referring to is the Panasonic PT-RZ31K, which has a rating of more than 30,000 Ansi Lumens; the unit of measure referring to the brightness of projectors. (A normal office setting would have, 500 lumens.)

Fallarme said, “We decided, in order to preserve the integrity of the visuals just to use one. Visually if you’re here live, it still has an impact.” The power of the PT-RZ31K also comes at a cost. The retail price for it is: USD $ 109,000.00, or Php P 5,285,410.00

He shared that the model is also versatile having been used as an outdoor cinema projector. The Philippine Stock Exchange Dome ceiling was used as a cinema screen. Viewers at the cinema component of ART FAIR were provided mattresses and cushions. They were reclined looking up at the PSE Dome ceiling as an improvised movie screen.

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“Underneath the dome you can lie down and watch the movie on the ceiling. We did it there. SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN and several other films. Nakahiga ka talaga. What they did sound wise para hindi ma-ingay, you could listen through an app on your phone. The only limitation for this projector is the ambience. It has to be used at night (for outdoor use).”

from right: CCP VP and Artistic Dir Chris Millado, SINAG Project Designer G.A. Fallarme, Project Director Ariel Yonzon, Production manager Renee Angela Manay and Assistant Project director Ricardo Eric Cruz. SINAG 2020 was held last September 16, 2020, 7:00pm, at its Main Building façade and front lawn. Photo by Jude Bautista (12)

Message of Hope

Fallarme has the honor of being Projection Designer from beginning to end of CCP’s 50^th Anniversary, “I really feel privileged because I also did the opening gala. The performance show in the main theater. It’s a huge privilege for me being an artist.”

The significance does not escape him. “It’s something new, the first time we projected anything on the façade (of CCP). People don’t even have to be here. We have several options of showing it to them online. And for people to catch a glimpse of it when they pass or drive by. This gives a glimmer of hope that things will eventually get better.”