Zerothreetwo Conversations: Interviews With The Creative Class

I started this interview with an apology. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about the LGBT community. All the more reason to talk to somebody to learn from. What are the issues plaguing the community? What might it be like to be in their shoes?   I first met Van Go in an Anthill shoot (thanks again Anthill!). Before the shoot started, they encouraged everyone to make introductions. As an introduction, Van said that he founded the Cebu Transman Equality and Awareness Movement. When he said that, I had no idea what it meant. The words just flew over me since I didn't know what Transmen meant. So I thought it would be a great idea to invite Van Go over to have a conversation.   In this episode, we talked about what it is like to be growing up Trans in Cebu, he explains the meaning of SOGIE, the most common questions he gets about testosterone, legal issues that faces the LGBT community, and much more.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES Transman Equality and Awareness Movement - Cebu, Philip

Back when I was in a band, I loved it when someone would have a photo of me playing guitar. It always felt great to be photographed doing something I was passionate about. It didn't happen often, but when it did, you can be sure that it became a profile picture on my social media accounts.   Doing this favor and more to the many musicians and artists in the music scene today is Perci Mansueto. If you've ever seen a gig photo in the last year or two, it's likely it was photographed by Perci. I didn't realize that he dove head first into photography. He literally didn't know what he was doing when he shot his first gig. It goes to show that a big part of learning is being prolific and doing the day to day work. Over the years, he has managed to shoot many of the best local artists in Cebu, as well as bands like Queso, Urbandub, Ben & Ben and Faspitch.   In this episode, we talked about his journey to photography, his struggles with shooting, how he managed to learn, getting his work critiqued, and cycli

This episode is a little different from our usual flavor. Instead of interviewing a creative, we decided to record a discussion I had with Kahlil Corazo. It started with this email.   Bai, I'm helping this guy I met in the Netherlands. He wants to create content and build an audience (see thread below).   I thought 032 would be a good case study of what he is trying to accomplish.   I thought of telling your story to him. Then I realized this might be good content for many people haha. How about I interview you on how you built your audience, your content creation system, your lessons from the many years of building 032?   Cheers, Kahlil   So that is how we got this episode together. It's really less of an interview and more of a discussion.   If you followed Zerothreetwo Conversations from the beginning, Kahlil was featured in the very first episode of this podcast. He makes an appearance again today (his third) to talk about how to market products/services and build a brand online.   There's

In this day and age when things change at a rapid pace, keeping an open mind and questioning assumptions is highly valued. When what was true last year may change today, it's more important than ever to continue to learn and just as important to unlearn.   This is something Luis Quibranza III stated again and again in our conversation. I've known Luis ever since I saw his band, Bethany, rock out in a gig back in the days of Outpost. But I got to know another side of him as we started Zerothreetwo and delved into the world of media. We talked about the importance of learning and unlearning concepts when it came to the music scene and the state of media.   In this episode, we talked about music (now and then), expressing yourself as an artist, how to apply for Best of Cebu, his work in SunStar and much more.   Enjoy the episode!   SHOWNOTES TO FOLLOW   Where can you find Luis? https://www.facebook.com/bethanyofficial/ https://www.instagram.com/influensiiir/ https://www.twitter.com/influensiiir/ htt

A few months ago, I was chatting with a good friend of mine. Then he surprised me by stating something that was in retrospect really obvious. He said that I was an introvert. We were talking about attending a few parties and I wasn't very interested in going. Then he said something to the effect of, "Of course, typical introverted Carlo." I'm guessing that most of the podcast guests would be categorized as introverts. Or at the very least, introverts with extrovert tendencies. I haven't had many conversations about this.   So it was a good surprise when Meream Pacayra brought it up in our interview. A self proclaimed introvert, she has managed to share her work with thousands of people. Whether it be through selling in bazaars, social media (her IG account has over 21k followers), stores stocking her merch, or plain talking to people, she has managed to share her work with a countless number of people.   We talked about what it is like being an introvert in today's digital world, the idea of using the 80/20

Ever since starting this podcast, I've gotten a deeper understanding of different communities, especially communities that I know nothing about. For example, the LGBTQIA is something very foreign to me.   With that in mind, I talked to Jude Bacalso. Where to start when describing Jude? She has so many accolades that it wouldn't make sense to list them all down. But I think the best description would be simple. She is one of Cebu's best story tellers. Hence, the perfect person to tell me about the LGBTQIA community.   In this episode, we talked about what Jude does for a living, the use of terms like he/she/them/bayot, the current struggles of the LGBTQIA community, and the different ways to move forward.   Enjoy this episode!   SHOWNOTES Diet in a Box Pink - music artist Lady Gaga Cebu Daily News Vice Ganda Ink Publishing Delta Magazine Silk Winds (magazine) Mabuhay Magazine Smile Magazine Jaja Chiongbian BigSeed Shangrila Mactan Radison Jason Almendras Anthill Jake Maningo Van Go T

In the past two years, I've learned a few things from interviewing skateboarders. Skateboarding teaches persistence, the ability to think for yourself, and helps give a sense of purpose. If that's not something you want for yourself, then stay away from skateboarding.   For those who know Dani Bautista, it's obvious that he doesn't think skateboarding is a bad idea. After all, much of what he does can be traced back to skateboarding. Dani is a freelance photographer and an award winning filmmaker. He has worked with big brands like Vans, Converse, NikeSB, and New Balance. Also he coaches skateboarding gold medalist Margielyn Arda Didal.   In this episode, we talked about what you get from skateboarding, his many travels for work, the first time he saw Margielyn skate, how he became her coach, and a lot more.   Enjoy the episode!     SHOWNOTES Rescue a Hero (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Zubuchon Joe Rogan Wolfgang - free diver in Cebu Carmen del Prada - filmmaker photographer Vans Canon

One of the things I try to do in Zerothreetwo is build a community. In the beginning, I thought it would be enough to be a good resource of information on the internet. Everything about Cebu, go to Zerothreetwo. But it wasn't that easy. Turns out people need to be invested in who you are, and the best way to do that is to see them in real life.   She wasn't cognizant about it, but Jill Enriquez was building a community. From when she partied with friends through Cebu Booze Cruise, to helping people in need through Volunteer in Cebu, and now to organizing dance socials through Cebu Salsa Club, she was building that community. When we talked about the history of everything she started, I saw the many things that needed to happen to make a community thrive.   In this episode, we talked about the origins of Cebu Booze Cruise, Volunteer in Cebu, and Cebu Salsa Club, the best way to meet girls, the lost Latinos of Asia, and a whole lot of music to dance to.   Enjoy the episode!     SHOWNOTES Budoy Chyre

One of the values I want to instill to my kids is to live free of fear. Sometimes this trait is inherently gifted in people, but more often than not, it is earned. How do you earn it?   An easy way to do it is to introduce kids to sports. Skateboarding, in particular, is really good at freeing you from fear and instilling confidence. When you've spent countless hours working on a skateboard trick and finally land it with consistency, that's a shot of confidence right there.   I started thinking about this when I was talking to Cliff Rigor. He is a respected skater in the Cebu skate community, a talented photographer and videographer, and he has managed to parlay his skills into Hyve - a creative collective focusing on creating film for clients. He cites skateboarding as the root of many of his creative pursuits.   In this episode, we talked about how skateboarding builds grit, the fear in street photography, shooting video for debuts and weddings, and at what age you should skate.   Enjoy the episode!

I've been a Facebook user since 2008. It may seem like a long time, but if you give my internet life an age, I'm not even a teenager on social media. We act like this technology has been around forever, but the truth is that we don't know what the long term effects are of social media and the internet in general.   That's what I ended up thinking about after my interview with Michael Anthony Curan. I initially scheduled an interview with him because of our shared passion for music. So of course, we talked a lot about the music scene, his band The Difficult Stranger, and even his record label Chainzaw Records. It was all good fun, but it got even more interesting when we talked about his offline practices to balance the negative effects of social media. We talked about how he stops himself from negatively reacting and ranting online, how journaling has centered his life, and how to react to criticism.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES Pete Holmes Joe Rogan Tim Ferriss Jacklyn Uy (Zerothreetwo Conversation

When making life changing decisions, it can be a daunting task. The tendency is to delay the choice, or find the comfortable way out. The question I like to ask when confronted with these decisions is, "What is the worst that can happen?" The answer is usually not so bad.   In the case of Jacklyn Uy, the question she asked herself before making a big leap was, "What are you afraid of?" Fast forward to today, she is doing what she loves. She is a family lifestyle photographer, capturing those in-between moments with parents and their children. And she started Deedoe Design, an avenue to share her passion for illustration.   In this episode, we talked about how we are all slashes, making a leap towards doing what you want to do, the beauty of family photography, learning about illustration, and appreciating mothers.   Enjoy the podcast!     SHOWNOTES Creative Live Chase Jarvis Click in Moms Patreon The7.ph What a girl wants Raymund Isaac ECUAD - Emily Carr University of Art + Design Kryz Uy J

I decided to take up photography in my mid twenties. Late learner, but I'm glad I took it up. When I got my first camera, I roamed our house looking for interesting subjects to shoot. Eventually I got bored and looked online. I gravitated towards street photography. I read as much as I could, but more importantly, I took to the streets.   I may not go to the streets to take photos anymore, but I still have my love for the craft. When I discovered Michael Chitru Credo, @streets_of_cebu, I made sure to follow. His love for the craft showed in his photos. These weren't random photos of strangers, there was real thought and craft in each photograph. Also his prolific nature made for new photos almost every day.   Because of the podcast, I was happy to meet Michael Chitru and have an honest to goodness geek out on street photography. We talked about how he got his start in street photography, possible projects in the future, what's it like to walk around downtown, and more.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTE

When I first started cycling, it was a way to commute from point A to B. I quickly learned that cycling is a ton of fun. So late last year, I decided to buy myself a Gravel Bike. The idea was to use the bike to explore Cebu.   As I continued with my cycling journey, I learned more about the people in cycling. When I decided to join the Cebu Epic 2019, an 80km mountain bike event, I noticed that Chyrel Gomez was one of the organizers. Then I remembered that she was one of the first people who I knew that cycled as a commute. I followed her on Strava, then I found out that she owned a couple of QOM's. This girl is for real.   I promptly reached out to her and we talked about cycling, about being a woman in a male dominated sport, about how to get more women into cycling, and the upcoming Cebu Epic 2019.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES James Altucher podcast 21 Kilometer Coffee Cuckoo Cloud Concepts Gizelle Faye Sembrano - Bunagan AltSpace Coffee Runroo - rose Sugbo Mercado Cebu Epic 2019 Man

I used to dream about being able to dunk like Vince Carter. That was something that didn't seem like a reality at all. For whatever reason, I equated basketball athlete to professional athlete. Growing up, I didn't get a sense that there were other sports and other athletes out there. I was just stuck on basketball.   In the end, that was probably not to my advantage. Don't get me wrong. I love basketball, but in terms of my skills, it wasn't the best use of my time. What if I got into other sports? Like cycling or triathlon?   For Filipinos, if you are a gifted athlete and have the will to train for hours on end, why not be a triathlete? That's something that I started thinking about in my conversation with Kristiane Lim. He is the real deal. Routinely finishing on the podium of the many triathlons in the Philippines, I knew he would be an interesting guy to talk to.   In the episode, we talked about the importance of rest, training with heart rate zones, cycling in Cebu, and many more.   Enjoy this ep

One of the stumbling blocks of a creative is knowing when to do their creative thing full time. When is the right time to say, "I am good enough and I want to see if I can make a living doing this." It's a tough question to answer for many people.   This is what I had in mind when Qube Gallery gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the artists they flew in from Manila. Reen Barrera, Terence Eduarte and Jepoy Santos (Mister S) were incredibly generous with their time and stories. I learned a lot about what it is like to make that switch to a life of art. And I got a glimpse of what it was like to be living that life in Manila.   In this episode, we talked about their art, about their journey from employee to artist, about the art community in Manila, and learning from employment.   Enjoy the episode!   SHOWNOTES Camping Trip in Qube Gallery Reen Barrera Terence Eduarte Jepoy Santos (Mister Sasquatch) Magic the Gathering Cards Bart Bros (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Wyndelle Remonde (Zerot

This is the third Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode!   Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. In order for the podcast to grow, I'm always experimenting with different formats and topics. So if you were looking for a nice break from the usual interviews, you'll enjoy this one. So something shorter, and more easily accessible.   As with previous AMA episodes, this is an inside peek as to the inner workings of Zerothreetwo Conversations. Let me know how you like it. Or how you don't like it.   If you are interested in listening to previous AMA episodes, here's a link to AMA 1 and AMA 2.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES   Bryan Onglatco (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Zoom H5 handy recorder   Shure SM58   Rescue a Hero (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Christian Linaban (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Bobby Olvido (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Franz Deadways (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Edel Tribiana (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)   Jude Gitamondoc

These are exciting times to be a musician. A million years ago when I was in a band, it was difficult to see a pathway towards being in music full time. It was the weird period of when it wasn't clear what outlets to put music online, but at the same time, everyone was pirating music via Limewire.   Fast forward to today. There's Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, etc. All these are very real ways for musicians to make money. Don't get me wrong. It's not easy, but the blueprint is there. If your music is good, there are avenues to get it out there, to get people to listen, to get clients to book you, to get attention, and to even get paid.   This was crystal clear to me after my interview with Carlisle Tabanera. He isn't someone with a song who has lucked into having a huge hit. But if I were a betting man, I would put money on him. With the rate of his releases, it's only a matter of time till one of his songs explodes in the mainstream. But despite not having a crazy hit song, he is still able to make a living

Have you taken a look at the music scene recently? There's a ton of great music out there. A lot of those  songs also happen to be sang in Bisaya. It's easy to forget, but there was a time when we didn't have a name for the genre of pop music sung in Bisaya. When Jude Gitamondoc coined the term, he thought he was simply naming a songwriting contest, but the term stuck and everyone started using it to describe a genre of music. The word "Vispop" was widely adopted and currently holds a firm place in our culture. Unfortunately, this term/genre/group/contest isn't without controversy. Behind the scenes of the music, there was drama brewing. Jude eloquently wrote a piece that helped propel this controversy into the limelight. He called it My Vispop Journey. In this episode, we get into the weeds and talk about the genesis of the Vispop dispute, explain the outrage of the artists, and take a look at the key people behind the scenes of this story. Enjoy the episode!        SHOWNOTES https://gogetfunding.com/fo

This is part two of my interview with Russell John S. Manaloto. If you haven't listened to part one, you can listen to it here, "This Song Saved My Life" with Russell Manaloto of Faspitch and Urbandub.   I've always wondered what it would be like as a professional musician. More than the music, that choice is really about embracing a way of life. I'm so grateful Russell was willing to share what it was like to move to Manila and live life as a working musician.   In this episode, he talks about his gear, reflects on the state of the music industry, talks about his time gigging in Manila, and breathing through your nose.   Enjoy the episode!   SHOWNOTES Line 6 Gearbox Toneport UX2 Cables and Space Line 6 Helix Line 6 Pod HD 500x Zoom Multi stomp MX 50g GC Rock Board Seth Lover  Tower of Doom Nemesis Group Skin - Faspitch  Tube Screamer December Avenue Curbside Cables and Space Dimebag Darrel Walk by Pantera Draven WilaBaliW  Bisaya Music Fest Big Bang Kaloy Uypuanco (Zerothreetwo Conversations ep

We don't realized it, but everyone has made art that genuinely touches another person. For example, my kid has drawn stick figures of our family that made me feel joy and pride. But there aren't many people who have created art that has touched thousands potentially millions of people.  I tried to keep this in mind when I interviewed Russell Manaloto, songwriter, musician, and music producer, notably part of Faspitch and Urbandub. He's in the rare situation of having many people paying attention to his music. I tried to get a sense of what that is like. When talking to Russell, it's easy to sense his love for the craft of music. He can talk for hours about songs, the intricacies of gear, different sounds, and the philosophies in music. I'm happy to report that we did just that. In this episode, we talked about the decision to be a full time musician, how he became part of Faspitch, how domestication was a huge challenge when they moved to Manila, and many more. Enjoy the episode!     SHOWNOTES Blackstraw Pr