NOISE VOL. 66 NO. 4

["DISCUSSION OnlyFans: A VIP underground trade? An excavation of an exclusive platform which supports an erotic trade. Words by EJ NELL VOEN A. FLORENDO & ESTHER JOYCE M. LIMBA\u00d1A Photos by KYLE JOBE B. DE GUZMAN What first comes to mind when you think of OnlyFans? matters, it has gained a name for itself because of the Is it a mere haven for x-rated content creators or a global extensive explicit content that makes most of its money. porno powerhouse? Generally, it\u2019s known as a subscription service wherein accounts earn money through exchange However, there is more to it than that. Making coin by providing desired content. More than that, though, it's from homemade pornos highlights the site\u2019s potential for a platform that allows creators to produce and scatter their net worth; but there is so much pressure from banking content while granting certain fans those premium bits they associates and payment processors that the content can\u2019t get anywhere else. guidelines get legitimately blurred out in the process. Despite all that, OnlyFans has always assured sex workers a But beyond the sly grins and suggestive smirks of its safe space to stay in their seats. content creators, what really lies beneath the sheets of OnlyFans? As the pandemic continued on, the increased usage of social media surged in millions of new users indulging in OnlyFans is an exclusive, subscription-based platform exclusive content. OnlyFans\u2019 main income comes from those that lets users share multimedia posts and covers all kinds contents, so the widespread gain of new users made it all of content behind a paywall. While it carries a variety of the more surprising when the site suddenly announced they 51","'' Inhabited by over two million content creators, the platform is not uncharted territory for Filipinos. would be banning all Not Safe for Work (NSFW) content. But despite earning two to three times the monthly This shocked the multitude of sex workers who relied on the minimum wage online, the trade also has its drawback\u2014the company to be the backbone of their income. digital service's bank partners have strict requirements in terms of payment processing. Content creators from Asian \\\"The short answer is [because of] banks,\\\" Tim Stokely, countries, including the Philippines, experience payment the chief executive of OnlyFans, declared when he was complications since the platform can't send money directly asked for the rationale behind the abrupt ban. to them. Several sex workers were aggrieved on the need to pay a middleman, who took portions of their earnings But just as suddenly, the site decided to reverse their inasmuch as to route payments from Western banks to decision and undo the ban, which only brought more theirs. confusion, but the platform reasoned out that they secured the assurances necessary to support their diverse creator Moreover, concerns of digital privacy still arise despite community. exclusivity being one of the best features of the platform. With leaks still being possible, it is fearsome for content Some believed it was only an excuse and that there\u2019s creators who value their privacy, especially those in more underneath that narrative. Others saw it as a safety countries where sex workers are taboo. measure to self-preserve and get ahead of future issues similar to the ones dealt by Pornhub, a neighboring porn OnlyFans also encountered their own issues with site. underage users. Complaints about child porn were raised, likely caused by the site's insufficiency to verify their users\u2019 However, OnlyFans is not primarily for sexual interests. age. It is made up of a diverse community of photographers, fitness coaches, make-up gurus, and other creatives. They As a response, OnlyFans released a statement on how may have been buried due to the insurmountable amount they take such issues very seriously, adding that they use of sexual content, but these non-porn accounts are real and \\\"state-of-the-art technology\\\" and \\\"human monitoring\\\" in exist in fair numbers. Yet, the NSFW content continues to preventing minors from sharing explicit content. Regardless, amass extensive demand from the fans' subscriptions. the authorities still believe the platform is only doing the bare minimum to safeguard children and those underaged There will always be a high demand for porn, yet the from exploitation, and in worst cases, violence and rape. financial assurance of the individuals working for it has become questionable. The prohibition of sexual content has The history of pornography is nothing new. Presently, deprived sex workers of their rights to do their job, which it has become nearly ubiquitous in society, fueling the is their only source for their financial necessities. Because sexualization of almost everything. Along with porn sites with of this, sex workers have slowly begun leaving OnlyFans, well-built reputations, OnlyFans has also popularized sex placing the company in a tight bind. work globally. In opposition, the anti-sex-work movement remains adamant to reduce the industry to scraps, while Inhabited by over two million content creators, the concurrently, a movement of sex workers also propels the platform is not uncharted territory for Filipinos. With the decriminalization of their trade and the right to continue Philippines being a third-world country, financial instability while being given the same financial stability as others. prompted some to find a new stream of income by becoming content creators. Selling a feed of thirst traps As if a perpetual conflict, the matter of normalizing sex and enticing viewers to pay for even more sexually explicit work remains for generations and continues to beg the content, OnlyFans has helped Filipino sex workers centralize question: Should we consider porn as normal just because the monetization of their nudes. it\u2019s normalized? S 52","PORCELAIN FACE Photo essay by PHOEBE DAIDOJI Q. JABONETE 53","SOCIETY THE METAMORPHOSIS OF COLORS: PH LGBTQ+ HISTORY Words by FERRY LYRA B. FRONDA I Photos by RODNEY A. JARDER JR. Discussion on the history of LGBTQ+ in the country through the lens of queers who braved through such time. Flags are fluid in the breeze\u2014puffing up and drawing men brandished themselves with fair dresses. These men vibrancy to the streets like colors tossed from a box of not only resembled the demeanor of women, but were also pastels. Lavender, pink, blue, white, and rainbow banners granted social recognition. Archives would color the trails of are hoisted high under a tropical sky. People are dressed in them being \u201cmarried\u201d to men whom they had sexual relations drag and some flamboyant costumes such as acid-neon hair, with. feather boas, and chap-boots, while littering fictitious pixie dust in their trail. In a fleeting rainbow of seasons, how did When the Spaniards took the reins of the country, these bright colors transform into the boldest of hues? gender crossers were ridiculed like filthy sinners by a Spanish brand of medieval machismo. As Americans Before globalization gathered its momentum, the toppled the Spanish regime, Filipinos were clothed into country\u2019s LGBTQ+ (an initialism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, a Western design of thinking that pieces up gender and transgender, and other disctinct groups under gay culture) sexual identity formation. had already implanted its roots to create a new landscape in our modern community, like other marginalized groups in From that point forward, queer culture or the expressions the country that were built through grit. of uniqueness of those whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual, escaped from their cocoon to The LGBTQ+ in the country have lingered long enough undo the silence. The 1990s heard the first ring of political to be celebrated. In the 16th and 17th centuries, battlecry, and at the end of the decade, the LGBTQ+ transvestism was a cultural feature of pre- stretched their wings in both representation and activities in colonial communities where local the new epoch. 54","When asked about the previous climate of the local lot in terms of acceptance, but in terms of legislation, there queers, Atty. Samantha Tan, a law professor and a are things that still hold us back. 52-year-old gay, shared that the presence of the LGBTQ+ community was like a quiet breath in the \u201870s. There While Alex also awaits for same-sex legal partnerships may have been little hums, but discussion was piped to be in effect, Samantha imparted a practical democratic down. There was awareness in the \u201880s, but the call for Marxist view, reckoning the legal maturity to embark into acceptance was stifled; then it echoed a more concrete that course of action. \u201cBefore we cry for our rights, before we meaning in the community during the \u201890s. Now, in demand something from our government, we have to ask the 2000s, there is an open market of ideas, where ourselves\u2014if the government gives this to us and imposes heterosexuals are already forming an alliance to support obligations, can we fulfill it? Ay kung pagboto lang nga nang the LGBTQ+ community. tama, hirap tayo (Even with just voting wisely, we are already having difficulties),\u201d she argued. The scarcity of information that would allow queers to introspect themselves steered them to find safe space in Shards of history would illumine the fact that the queer one another. \u201cOnce you get into a certain group of people, community existed from time immemorial, but society has it will groom you. It\u2019s [through] word of mouth, disco steps, been lax about its presence. It has become an issue today gay bars, resto and clubs with frequent gay people\u2014that\u2019s because of the pressing standards of morality that were shaped how you meet the community,\u201d Alex* expounded on how by the community. Thus, the norms and barriers we cave in and queers forged a safe space before, as a 59-year-old gay subscribe to have the power to dim or color diversity. man who was raised in a highly-urbanized community. We are living through the consequences of our history\u2014 Probing into the policies that protect the LGBTQ+, the radiant triumphs and the gloomy tragedies. There will educator and 54-year-old gay Kenneth Benignos is always be times where we will face unanswered questions hoping to see developments in the policies, especially about sexuality. This is why we try to discover and evolve to on same-sex legal partnership, as he compared it to arc our own rainbow on Earth. These three individuals who business partnerships. \u201cDuring a time that you build up a braved through a kaleidoscopic time unfold a message for relationship, you are also putting up the security of your lard today\u2019s generation: learn to love, and unlearn hate. [assets]. We want security, so it must be a legal partnership of [the] same sex,\u201d he stated. The struggle of the queer community may not yet be close to the finish line, but the trajectory of our past will Existing policies seem to be crafted with idle words that always push us forward and onward\u2014marching with pride fail to spark real change. We might have progressed quite a and brimming with colors. S 55","FEATURE THE BEAUTY IN DISSONANCE An introduction of the niche, underground music genre and why people listen to it; what is the appeal of something so harsh and chaotic? Words by ANGELA A. CORONEL Photo courtesy of Noisebath PH & Gen Thalz An unbearable screech of high-frequency static rings Revolution would give men the opportunity to appreciate sharply in your ears. Cringing from the unexpected pain, unusual sounds, and so Russolo drew inspiration from the your gaze locks to the nearby chaotic crowd on the local \u201cSix Families of Noise\u201d for his orchestra: roars, whistles, plaza. As you hesitantly approach the scene, their muffled whispers, screechings, beating on metals, and voices of voices slowly turn into audible, violent reactions: \u201cTama animals and people. na \u2018yan! Tigil niyo na \u2018yan! Ang ingay niyo!\u201d You begin to comprehend the complaints of the audience as your ears Throughout Russolo\u2019s career, the mainstream public stop ringing, enough to separate the commotion of the showed strong disapproval toward his work (as he crowd from the noise of the stage speakers. Curious, you expected). Still, he continued on, and his legacy proved itself think to yourself: How do people actually listen to this stuff? with the rise of the \u201cJapanoise\u201d genre in the 1980s, which eventually paved the way for the future of noise music. While these thoughts fill your head, a voice echoes through the speakers, competing with the vexed audience: Although noise doesn\u2019t have a mainstream audience, the genre does have its own underground community. Here in the \\\"Magandang gabi! Pasensya na po kung na-ingayan country, Filipinos have Noisebath PH, a collective of noise and kayo. Hindi po kami nag-iingay lang dito at hindi rin po experimental artists based in Metro Manila. Founded by Ryan namin kayo pinagti-tripan. Yung ginagawa po namin ngayon Pangilinan, Noisebath serves as a platform for artists to share ay isa pong uri ng sining. Opo, sa maniwala po kayo o hindi, their creative ventures and enthusiasm for the said genre. ito po ay art.\u201d WHERE IT ALL STARTED THE CREATION OF CHAOS In the early 1910s, an Italian Futurist artist by the name Noise is still considered experimental; hence, it evolves of Luigi Russolo decided to challenge the traditional, as artists try to incorporate new sounds and layers in their melodic standard of music. According to him, the Industrial projects. 56","''But then again, what we like about music will always be subjective; this is why we all have varying tastes. When Russolo founded the genre, he invented various and decided to enlighten them while his partner was setting noise-generating devices called intonarumori in the early up. The spotlight shone on him as his voice echoed through 19th century. These devices produced sounds that mimic the speakers to cancel out the boos from the irritated sirens, guns, and motors incorporated into compositions. But crowd. He went on to explain that the simplest idea he nowadays, static, frequencies, and interference coming from could give the audience was to compare them to sound different machines are commonly used in modern tracks. artists who produce soundtracks and effects in movies: In the local scene, Gen Thalz, one of the featured artists \u201c...[ngunit] bukod sa paggawa ng mga musical in Noisebath PH, is a noisemaker and instrument builder soundtracks, kung mapapansin niyo po yung ibang based in Bulacan. Most noise artists, including Thalz, not only instrumento namin ay kakaiba, kasi po [...] kami mismo ang produce noise, but they also resourcefully create their own gumagawa [\u2026] Bukod po sa paglikha ng art, isa rin po sa instruments to produce these sounds. The artist typically mga challenges namin ay kung paano makakagawa ng builds noise generators including modular synths, semi- panibagong uri ng musika, \u2018yun bang musika na hindi mo pa modular synths, drum machines, guitar effects, and signal napapakinggan.\u201d controllers. After his passionate spiel, they proceeded to perform, In an interview, Thalz passionately described his but this time the audience was actually listening despite unique favorite among the instruments: \u201cThey are all like the \u201cnoise\u201d they produced. Not a single complaint was my children, but my current favorite is the Post Traumatic heard and some even approached the artists after the Signal Disorder or P.T.S.D. It's so special to me because it is show. gyroscopic, which means you can tilt it in any direction and it generates or affects the sound it produces.\u201d Now, what makes noise so appealing? Well, some would say they enjoy the textures and layers, while others highlight UNDERSTANDING NICHE ART how the rawness and violence sync with their emotions. Perhaps it may be the deep appreciation of the artistry and Every artist\u2019s goal is to create something that inspires. For creative expression of making noise. But then again, what we Jon Romero, a sound art practitioner based in Caloocan, like about music will always be subjective; this is why we all he aims to keep developing and evolving to a new type of have varying tastes. music. In a separate interview, Romero shared a memorable experience in one of his early gigs organized by the Though you may think that noise is easy to replicate Ruthless Sound Collective in Daet, Camarines Norte. and would be pointless to reproduce, it actually requires a certain amount of skill and creativity to produce. Even During the performance of a preceding artist, Romero something so violent and loud is built with passion\u2014and noticed the audience\u2019s negative reaction to the noise genre that\u2019s why it\u2019s still art. S 57","FEATURE Unfit for the Filipino Screen Delving into the realm of local and foreign films that were banned in the country. Words by DREXEL JOHN N. AMIT Art by JAZIEL ANN V. SEBALLOS & TRIZIA C. HASSIM I know we are all too familiar with a low-budget movie written and ''Unquestionably, the adage \u201cart is subjective.\u201d Well, produced by Nakoula Basseley artists would conform to this by saying Nakoula, was deemed as a blasphemy art is not just made that one\u2019s perception of art may be of the Islamic prophet. to be appreciated; different from another. Yet, seemingly, it is also created some people\u2019s personal opinions After two versions of the 14-minute to open the eyes towards certain forms of art are so motion picture were uploaded via of many toward extreme that they make decisions for YouTube, violence sparked across the realities of the the general audience. How so? By the globe, leading to injuries and world. censorship and banning controversial even death for some protesters. In art forms. September 25, 2012, the Supreme MTRCB saw the film as too graphic Court coordinated with the Movie and and sexual, giving it an X rating (aka Music and paintings get banned for Television Review and Classification \u201cnot suitable for public exhibition\u201d) various reasons, but the film industry Board (MTRCB) to preclude the on November 6, 2019. Tiglao\u2019s debut gets the worst of it. Would you be showing of the said film\u2014but no ruling film features 14-year-old Adam and his able to watch the Oscar-winning film was done to ask YouTube to block the battles on identity crisis and religion as Brokeback Mountain in China? No, due anti-Islamic videos. a person born with both the male and to its homosexual plot. Do you think female genitalia. Lebanon would ever show the first ABOMINABLE (2019) female-led superhero movie Wonder In a Facebook post, Tiglao refuted Woman? Never, because Gal Gadot is Yes, icy creatures like Olaf are the board\u2019s claims, saying that the an Israeli. Why did Malaysia prohibit adorable, so how could a country ban daring scenes were not just about the first movie of the kids show an animated family-adventure movie lust but rather about humanizing the Barney? Well, because they deemed it about a yeti? Add nine dashes of a line character who is intersex. Eventually, \u201cunsuitable for children.\u201d to the equation and you got a movie the film was reviewed once more and that mocks the territorial battle of the got reclassified as R-16 with no re-edits The abovementioned instances Philippines against China. or cuts applied. may have occurred internationally, but the Philippines also has its own set Abominable, produced by Unquestionably, art is not just made of banned films for reasons as trivial DreamWorks Animation and Pearl to be appreciated; it is also created as nudity to something as significant Studio in 2019, tells the story of a to open the eyes of many toward the as territorial disputes. Now, get your Chinese teenager on a quest to reunite realities of the world. Even so, some art popcorn and soda ready as we roll the a Yeti to its family. The film sparked forms may go overboard, and it is in reels of some recently banned films in controversy after a map depicting the these circumstances that art should be the country. nine-dash line\u2014a policy used by China regulated. Now, the question remains: to claim ownership over disputed Which controversial films do you think INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS (2012) seas\u2014was shown. The film was off the should be censored or banned? S Philippine market just two weeks after In a country that has Islam as their its release. second most predominant religion, it would be no shock that a short METAMORPHOSIS (2019) film which ridicules the prophet Muhammad and tags him as a fraud, For the LGBTQIA+ community, J.E. womanizer, and child molester would Tiglao\u2019s Metamorphosis is a pioneer be banned. Innocence of Muslims, in intersex representation. However, 58","MADSHACK Wsuitrhvicvloernscfhaecdedfistthseaunndreraleznotri-negdgsteadticeyheesa,dthoens.e asnItxnoaidiolseimevmiadbanutedeaaletgssxrwoaishmutonaiddsectttehhltishepetrisicormehucoatoghonnheisve.:disctrhttoioeonneoinsnngdtlyoufiwarsascanuhycrieeoesvu. eAtoifnas Nothing is more certain than our ability to persist and resist. 59","TOP EDITORS 60","SECTION EDITORS 61","WRITERS 62","CREATIVES 63","ENTERTAINMENT Pumped-up Clicks: Speedrunning Subculture Exploring a niche way to blitz through demons, Words by SHAINA MARRIE DAYON save princesses, and become an epic gamer. Art by JAZIEL ANN V. SEBALLOS I may not spend three straight hours playing Minecraft As DOOM enthusiasts continued to flock to the anymore, but back in elementary school, I tried my best. website, the community was able to identify two I remember playing with the person sitting in front of me speedrunning styles: Any% and 100%. The former as they fished out their phone during vacant hours and highlights speed\u2014how much of the game you we began chopping down trees, or oh\u2014hiss! complete is not the most important. Conversely, 100% obligates players to complete all levels\u2014defeating Running away from Creepers. When I said I tried my monsters or winning all minigames\u2014in the shortest best, I meant I enjoyed building houses in creative mode time possible. Disclaimer, though: playing at a much and giving up after five minutes. Unlike me, though, quicker pace than normal can affect the software others do the real thing\u2014from crafting wooden swords, system, or in gaming terms, the game can glitch. Either making portals, and finally, facing the ender dragon. way, it\u2019s part of the challenge. Consequently, it will take an average player hours\u2014even days\u2014to finish a sandbox game like Minecraft. There are, In Minecraft, Any% could involve slaying the however, gamers who defy gaming standards and finish ender dragon with lightning speed while 100% could an entire playthrough in a matter of minutes. mean bagging all achievements in one playthrough\u2014 depending on the seed or mod used by the player. STARTING LINE THE (GAME) ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS This competitive gameplay is called \u201cspeedrunning\u201d. At its simplest form, it involves accomplishing the game\u2019s Gaming is a brain workout laced with fun, and it has goals in the shortest time possible. While the term its own arena: digital devices. From mobile devices may sound somewhat modern, the first documented such as smartphones to gaming consoles, and if your speedrunning activity actually dates back to 1993, when computer or laptop can handle it, those can be utilized id Software released a first-person shooter (FPS) game too. called DOOM. This FPS allowed in-game recordings coined as \u201cdemos\u201d. Through capturing these gameplays, Whichever device gamers use, what makes it FPS fanatics were able to brag about their skills and most especially how fast they were to finish the game\u2014leading doubly interesting is how this type of gameplay has them to collate playthrough demos in an online hub, where a community of speedrunners began to thrive. revitalized the communities of games we now call \u201cthe classics\u201d like Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog. With new updates and 64","\u201cThere\u2019s just a different kind of buzz and satisfaction that a person can get from digging deeper into a game\u2019s crevices as one develops new strategies to beat it in faster times.\u201d features to the games, it gives a new thrill to going through the internet. In recent years, Minecraft through loop-de-loops and escaping from Dr. speedrunning has paved the way for the rise of Eggman or saving the Mushroom Kingdom with Mario popular YouTube gaming channels such as Dream. and Luigi. Other than that, remember Among Us? Not only has this Minecraft Youtuber inspired his Speedrunning this party game would mean completing fanbase to create online communities with the same tasks before the Impostor\u2019s betrayal beats the crew\u2014 interests, he has also paved a path for aspiring content who knows, maybe you\u2019ll be able to beat the top creators. Charity events have also been made possible Among Us speedrun record time of 3m 55s 583ms. with the profits off of speedrunning streams, as demonstrated by a group called Games Done Quick. THE ART OF RACING IN-GAME I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever spend hours playing a If one may ask, why speedrun? One word: game\u2014my attention span could never\u2014but I do watch validation. speedrunning videos, only proving the point that speedrunning has enthralled gaming enthusiasts Similar to actual race tracks, speedrunners feel to and non-gaming audiences. There\u2019s just a different be at their best when they have the shortest gameplay kind of buzz and satisfaction that a person can get to be recorded. Also, it actually has a good implication from digging deeper into a game\u2019s crevices as one to one\u2019s brain activity. According to the American develops new strategies to beat it in faster times. Psychological Association (APA) in 2014, video games generally increase an individual\u2019s resilience, critical Speedrunning gives a good knock to our rusty thinking skills, and creativity\u2014attributes useful in facing real life toils. brain gears; plus its community allows us to gain On top of that, speedrunning allows players to friends. If you\u2019re on the lookout for refreshing ways to unravel a game\u2019s intricacy through uncovering every nook and cranny, giving an entirely new perspective play your favorite games, all the while gaining skills of the game. \u201cThere are other people like you doing speedruns for the same game\u2014thus, you can research and friends, then maybe speedrunning for routes or ways of completing that speedrun through understanding and researching the progress and is for you. It can be intimidating walkthrough of your other peers,\u201d University of St. La Salle freshman Rolando Dela Cerna said. when it gets too Other than skills, the subculture competitive, but has also bridged communities with proper moderation, it can serve as a great pastime and learning experience for everyone. S 65","ENTERTAINMENT Of X-splits and Aspect Ratios Words by KRIZZIA RICCI T. NEPOMUCENO Photos by MA. MICAH DEARIELLE V. TRAJERA Beneath the confines of a 1080p on a ruse to pursue an adventure rectangle on the internet is a human down an unfamiliar path. With the trying to build a legacy. A biography overwhelming support of his parents unraveling in each second of a video, and friends, he decided to turn on his ticking along a journey through camera and dabble in the scene under keyboard clicks. Headphones strapped the moniker \u201cTh4nny\u201d. in, a chair just comfortable enough, and lights dimmed down to a strobing Like most local streamers, his early set of LEDs\u2014a cursor hovers over a set days started with a computer running of letters in red: the latest game as he broadcasted on Facebook Gaming. Whether it GO LIVE was because of his luck, his skills, or his endearing personality, he was Twenty years back, no one would able to build a name for himself. As have ever imagined making videos on opportunities came by, he chose to the internet could make them a living. switch down a purple road to Twitch, Not when the shift to the digital age the biggest social video platform continued to give such prominence for gaming worldwide. But with to college, graduating with a degree, the international concentration of and getting a job. But today, with the the website and a wider range of prominence of streaming bolstered audience, trying to succeed became into a booming industry, stability and an entirely new experience. earnings are just a mouse click away. With a global pandemic putting a \t deadlock on physical workplaces, \u201cKnowing there are thousands of streaming has become a whole new eyes on you, possibly watching from option set in a neon font. As thousands different parts of the world, is quite of creators venture out to websites overwhelming,\u201d he said. like YouTube, Twitch, or Mixer, it isn\u2019t anything new to see a friend live For Sanny, streaming does not streaming their gameplay for fun. only come as mere entertainment; it is building connections with different Streams, however, are not just people through a screen. To a certain bound to games. Anything under point, his viewers see him as their the sun such as art, chatting, friend who they can confide in during woodworking, cooking, scambaiting, rough times. They trust him with a lot and even bounty-hunting is possible. of things, even stuff as simple as how But more than the actual content, what their days went. draws people in are the streamers themselves. Through building a concrete connection with the viewer, streamers In the country, more and more rise to the top because of audience people have started to tune in to retention. What guarantees this is streams, with names such as Alodia, the personality and character of the GLOCO, and ChoOxTV ringing in streamer, like in Sanny\u2019s case. Even the scene. But back in 2019, before if the technical quality isn\u2019t the most streaming became popular locally, high-end, it\u2019s the comfort and kinship 19-year-old Sanny Rey Jover was that the audience feels that keeps them staying. 66","On that note, streaming isn\u2019t as easy as simply talking to a camera. While many people treat streaming as an easy shot at fame and fortune, Sanny digresses, saying that those reasons prohibit longevity and happiness in the industry. \u201cIf you get into streaming just because you want money, every time you don't get it means spending more time feeling horrible about yourself.\u201d Really, to him, extraneous factors such as money and fame are just bonuses. However, stress always arises when the numbers don\u2019t look too good. Add to this the spotlight brought by the platform, and it can take a huge toll on one\u2019s mental health. While Sanny is no stranger to the ups and downs in the industry, this became a hurdle for him. 67","As the numbers blurred, it started to affect his daily life\u2014barely being able to sleep made him too tired to do anything at all. After taking a well- needed break, Sanny backpedaled in realization: \u201cI know that I should not let the numbers define me.\u201d Nevertheless, throughout his journey down the road of streaming, his achievements still outweigh the troubles he faced. At 21, one of the triumphs he holds close to his heart was getting his mom to understand and accept what he was doing. This is an especially important success for him, knowing the difficulty of overcoming the Asian parent mentality of textbooks and classes. With that, Sanny became assured of his choice to become a streamer. Recently, he even managed to accomplish his biggest milestones yet\u2014gaining a thousand followers and celebrating his one- year anniversary on Twitch. One of the things he did to give back to his supportive community was organize a 12-hour charity stream where he was able to raise $350 for the Stop Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Hate organization, a feat that he is grateful and proud of. \u201cEver since I was a kid, I've always wanted to at least do something that can make an echo towards the world. And that is one of the small steps that I'm going to take to make that impact happen,\u201d he remarked, hoping to raise awareness in a greater way in the future. Today, even though the concept of streaming still runs peculiar, the number of home-grown streamers has expanded in a network of buzzing clicks and keyboard noises. For most streamers, there is no actual prediction as to how far they\u2019ll go or how taxing their roads will be. Some may get famous in an instant, some may have to climb over mountains, others may give up before they\u2019d even started. A streamer is not defined by the amount invested in quality cameras and computers to produce HD content, but more so the mark of one\u2019s character behind the camera. Like Sanny, it is the personality that drives one\u2019s legacy bigger than a computer screen. S 68","ENTERTAINMENT The Joys of Copium A look into one of the most addicting game models that currently exist. Words by GABRIEL M. LEZAMA Art by PERLYN JOY L. SUGANOB & GERICO T. GUANCO 69","Gambling can be quite the rush\u2014daydreaming the win of means a lifetime and rewards of grandeur. For a gambler, nothing to roll can beat the feeling of following your gut, leading you to a again, big score, massive returns, and a huge dopamine rush. On forcing the the flip side, nothing can beat the despair of following that player to keep same gut, only to see all your savings melt away in one go. buying and pulling until they get what Now, what happens when this feeling of near-victory is they want. exploited by something as innocent as a game? This spirals players into A well-practiced and time-tested activity, gacha games the sunk cost fallacy. Upon have existed for a while now, originally from toy vending investing time, effort, and\u2014God- machines found in arcades. The player would pull from forbid\u2014money into the system, their the \u201cgacha machine\u201d which functions like a traditional slot mind tells them to follow through and machine and would get a random reward. If the player is to stick with it. This ends up going into a eyeing a certain reward there, they would be inclined to cycle of pulling from the gacha in hopes of keep pulling until they get it. That\u2019s where the addiction finally getting something of value, and the gacha starts. scene exploits this to profit from their dopamine-addicted player base. This system has recently bled into the world of video games, where people now spend real world money to pull That\u2019s not to say that this system is entirely bad. In the for virtual items or characters with better stats and rarity. hands of a good company, gacha only serves to further As of now, the leading examples are Genshin Impact, that fun experience by giving the player incentives to Arknights, and Girls\u2019 Frontline, which lure players with the continue playing (or spending) if they really enjoy the initial no-cent-spent experience, then tempting them to game. Sometimes, one may genuinely want to get a certain spend via new content or the promise of increased chances character that is lower-tiered than most just because of to get a certain character. how well-designed and well-crafted they are. If the player is willing to pool their own money to get better rewards, then An early human concept that has existed for a long that\u2019s a completely justifiable way to enjoy the game. period of time is the reward-punishment system, where being rewarded means the individual performed a good Of course, there are also options for those that opt not to act, while being punished means the opposite. This spend anything. In most gacha games, a free-to-play option concept is directly tied with most gacha games, as players exists so players can potentially compete at the same level are rewarded when they invest more time or money into the as those who spend money on it, as long as they invest time game and are punished or left behind if they don\u2019t spend. in exchange. For the casual consumer, this may be an issue This keeps the players hooked because of the dopamine- if they don\u2019t have much free time, but for those that do, then triggering chance of getting something of extreme they can reap the benefits of the gacha system and enjoy rarity, similar to winning a jackpot in a casino after losing the game\u2019s content without spending a single cent. numerous times, essentially simulating the thrills and chills of gambling. Realistically speaking, it\u2019s entirely up to the person on how they choose to enjoy gacha games. One can\u2019t A prime example of this is Genshin Impact\u2019s \u201cpity deny that some games are already great on their own, system\u201d, where a player is guaranteed to get a high-tier which is why some players opt to choose the free-to-play character if they accumulate enough \u201cpity\u201d via rolling lower- experience. If they resolve to spend money on it and derive tiered items. However, this guarantee is only effective if the enjoyment from the game, then it\u2019s a completely valid player has invested enough time or money into the game experience for them. But like with any gambling addiction, or if they get really lucky. There are even mild examples of be careful not to spiral into the pitfall of hopeless spending, this system in other non-gacha games, such as League of because as the saying goes: \u201cThe house always wins.\u201d S Legends and Overwatch\u2019s \u201clootbox\u201d system where opening a box grants you cosmetics or currency. For gacha systems, however, they usually lack the ability to give players the 70","comics by PSALM JULES D. SABANDAL 71","CLASH comics by PERLYN JOY L. SUGANOB 72","Invincible (Series Review) Words by LANCE CHRISTIAN M. JUAREZ | 4.5\/5 We all associate some part of our focal point for the season\u2019s themes\u2014 childhood to superheroes\u2014whether does the end justify the means? Does it\u2019s Toby Maguire\u2019s Spiderman single- our life matter 500 years from now? handedly stopping a train or that glorious team shot of the Avengers way Though the show may have hit its back 2012. It\u2019s this association with our mark with Omniman and his son in the childhood innocence that makes us heated final episode, it seemed to have forget that our bones are more fragile bitten off more than it could chew with than the countless buildings destroyed the character arcs it tried to juggle. An in these stories. argument can be made that it built a foundation for future seasons, but the But how dangerous would it actually viewer can be left overwhelmed with its be to live in a world with superheroes? varied storylines. Released on Amazon Prime Video That aside, Invincible proves that last March, Invincible is an animated its top selling point is not its gore series based on its comic book\u2014both of factor alone. The series boasts quite which were created by esteemed comic the voice acting cast with JK Simmons book writer Robert Kirkman. The eight as Omniman, Steven Yeun as Mark 45-minute or so episodes of the first Grayson, and Sandra Oh as Mark season revolve around typical teenager Grayson\u2019s mom, Debbie Grayson\u2014all of Mark Grayson and his not-so-typical whom are remembered for their iconic superhero father, Nolan (or Omniman). lines which even became memes online. It\u2019s only after Mark accidentally hurls Needless to say, the animation a garbage bag to the sky that he trains maintains its quality throughout the with his father to master his newfound whole show with absolutely no holding superhuman abilities and to learn back on the aforementioned gore. The the sacrifices that the superhero life fight scenes aren\u2019t just blurry jump-cuts demands. and sloppy editing but jaw-dropping entertainment. The hype, coupled with The first episode paints the picture the precise sound design, talented of the usual superhero narrative and voice acting, and the killer soundtrack baits the viewers to dismiss the show as championed by John Paesano, creates a \u201cjust another superhero series\u201d\u2014right up viewing experience that leaves its mark until Omniman pops a superhero\u2019s eye on the audience. out of his socket and brain matter gets pulverized in slow motion. Silence follows Invincible represents the superhero after a slaughter, and the audience genre's potential in its storytelling\u2014 realizes the true nature of Invincible. and though it isn\u2019t the first of its kind, it certainly won\u2019t be the last. Having the viewer be the only witness to the unexpected bloodbath invites As the kids who grew up on the old a looming sense of dread whenever \u201cgood guy vs. bad guy\u201d narrative, we Omniman interacts with anyone else in now seek more compelling stories the show, effectively establishing him that are capable of pushing existing as an excellent twist villain throughout boundaries and propelling the season. Mark Grayson\u2019s denial of underrepresented variants of his father\u2019s true intentions serves as the its genre. 73","Doom Eternal (Game Review) Words by GABRIEL M. LEZAMA | 4\/5 \u201cRip and tear.\u201d The player is also able to upgrade their suit or increase their passive stats like At first glance, those words seem health and armor by exploring the map, inherently absurd, maybe violent, as finding collectibles and easter eggs. it can mean a multitude of things\u2014a piece of paper being torn apart, a pair Another sublime aspect that of pants ripping, or maybe even the complements its already violent nature mindset of a person crumbling. Putting is the game\u2019s heavy-metal soundtrack. it in the most extreme context, however, Composer Mick Gordon returns from it can mean bathing in the blood of the 2016 game to once again spice your enemies as you relentlessly chain things up with his tension-inducing kill after kill to heavy metal-infused style of music as it matches the intensity adrenaline coursing through your veins. of bloodsoaked combat. With all the That is Doom Eternal. gore and viscera present in the game\u2019s hellish landscapes\u2014with areas like the A sequel to 2016\u2019s Doom by id super gore nest, which is exactly what its Software, Doom Eternal\u2014released in name suggests\u2014the soundtrack serves 2020\u2014once again places players in as a good way to further immerse the control of Doomguy, a rather angry players into the gore-filled environment space marine with a talent in killing they find themselves in. demons and the unquenchable bloodthirst to back it up. The game is Perhaps its weakest point\u2014aside from more enhanced in terms of gameplay a rather stitched multiplayer function\u2014is compared to its 2016 predecessor that the story of Doom Eternal doesn\u2019t and even from its start in the 2000s. quite catch the attention of players. It\u2019s a Serving a nostalgic trip to its old fans, simple scenario of demons successfully it is a reminder to the gaming industry overtaking the Earth, which is rather tame why video games have age ratings for when compared to the game\u2019s regular excessive violence in the first place. absurdity. Keeping in mind, however, that since Doom Eternal is firstly a run- To reiterate, the game induces and and-gun shooter, the developers were builds on the idea of raw, unhinged aware of this and decided to focus on adrenaline. Movement is rapid as the game\u2019s testosterone-filled gameplay the player jumps, dashes, and hooks instead. towards enemies, and the glory kill In bite-sized terms, the game is system\u2014a mechanic where health a wonderful experience in the art of and ammo are gained through savagery, demonic entities, and said melee executions\u2014is nothing entities being washed away in a red short of satisfying. These effects tide of blood as the player relishes in are achieved through the many the fervor of brutal momentum. So modifiable weapons at the while most people probably see it as player\u2019s disposal, from plasma a vicious over-exaggeration, it is damn nukes like the BFG 9000\u2014 good at being the embodiment of what canonically meaning \u201cBig F*****g its creators wanted it to be\u2014violence in Gun\u201d\u2014to a sword called The video game format. Crucible that feeds off hell energy. 74","Bo Burnham: Inside (Movie Review) Words by ELIZABETH D. FERNANDEZ | 5\/5 Trainwrecks, car crashes, and one- not its comedy, but rather, its honest man musical comedy productions. The desolation. latter may seem misplaced and yet Bo Burnham\u2019s Netflix comedy special, At its core, Inside is a meta- Inside, is perfectly sequestered into the commentary about Burnham\u2019s hall of beautiful tragedies you cannot depression, anxiety, and fears after look away from. years of prodigious performance and subsequent expectations. Throughout Written, produced, directed, and the special, songs and comedic starred by Bo Burnham after a half- performances are jarringly cut to images decade hiatus, Inside is a self-portrait of Burnham alone in his messy guest of the manic wonderland of a tortured house where the entire production was artist. The title itself reveals that the shot. The space itself is small, and while special is no simple comedy, but rather it is beautified with lighting and camera an invitation to the absurd genius of angles during song performances, Burnham\u2019s thoughts and emotions reality crashes down when the cameras about the current state of the world shift to Robert Burnham, the person, at the height of internet culture and and not Bo Burnham, the performer, pandemic isolation. isolated and surrounded by his artistic passion and frustrations. Viewers are made to feel astonishment, shock, and morbid These sentiments are echoed in enjoyment as the special cuts from meticulous details like changing aspect snarky commentary about Bezos\u2019 ratios, whereby performances filmed finances to existentialist sock-puppet with smaller frames are aesthetically shows criticizing white supremacy, pleasing yet suffocating for Burnham, baring Burnham\u2019s views to the world. highlighting themes of claustrophobia. All of this, of course, is sandwiched by When documenting the creation arguably the most memorable thing process, the frames are larger and about the show\u2014its soundtrack. provide a clearer view of Burnham\u2019s physical and, by extension, emotional \u201cUnpaid Intern\u201d, a jazzy upbeat distress throughout the filming process\u2014 number about corporate exploitation, begging the question of whether his and \u201cAll Eyes On Me\u201d, an electronic performance is for enjoyment or a cry ballad showcasing Burnham\u2019s painful for help. performance anxiety, are two out of the vast selection of songs that Overall, Inside is an intimate glimpse somehow summarize depressingly into a young man\u2019s mind trying to defeat comical realities, with catchy lyrics and and process the world through the even catchier tunes. Burnham, who is power of comedy and music. Viewers already a great comedian, somehow are naught but voyeurs of Burnham\u2019s transforms into a one-man spectacle intimate nakedness as the of musical ingenuity for the joy of his special jumps from one errant viewers. thought to another, making Inside not only one of the These bits across the show are best comedies out there hilarious and already beat most but also one of the best comedy specials available on Netflix; presentations of a pained however, the best part of the show is psyche. 75","Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Album Review) Words by CHRISTIAN DOMINIC L. LEDESMA | 5\/5 Amidst the appeal of catchy beats Eminem, Nas, and Slick Rick, to name a definitely add to the experience and do and technical skill found in rap\u2014a highly few. Yet one story genre rarely depicted a great job fitting into Clipping's style. popular genre of music\u2014one often in rap is horror. overlooked component is its storytelling Sonically, the album wouldn't have its elements. As the genre exploded While there are tracks that do dark tone without composers Jonathan onto the music scene, story-focused fit the horror genre, not many rap Snipes and William Hutson. Sounds rap eventually reached mainstream albums have been released with great that encapsulate fright and terror to the audiences through iconic artists like success. Not until experimental hip-hop listener are achieved by the production, group Clipping dropped their recent which range from catchy beats and horrorcore industrial album last October distorted noise to avant-garde tones\u2014 2020, switching up the traditional rap exploring unique and creative sound formula through experimental sampling designs. and noise. The beats and ambience enhance With 16 tracks in total, Visions of the immersion for the story each song Bodies Being Burned is Clipping\u2019s narrates, as the production samples fourth album and is also a follow-up to the sound of banging, ambient cricket their previous work, There Existed an noises, and even a car revving to the Addiction to Blood. Both albums share music in the background. An early the same horrorcore theme and are example of this is evident in \u201c\u201896 Neve supposed to be a \u201cdiptych\u201d; however, Campbell\u201d where you\u2019ll hear sounds of the former is thematically tamer than the banging in the background integrated latter. Even so, Clipping improves their into the beat, which also relates to the style in the current record. story narrated. Visions could best be described as Additionally, tracks like \\\"Make Them a grim horror story-turned-rap album. Dead\\\" give the feeling of dread and Much like its counterpart, it gives homage suffocation through the bombardment to classic horror films; an example being of noise-heavy sound. It must be the track \u201c\u201896 Neve Campbell'' which is said that the unconventional and a reimagining of the Scream films. The experimental nature of the album truly album emulates the feeling of horror shines on the track \u201cPain Everyday\u201d as and dread through its music enhanced it combines noise and harsh tones with by excellent storytelling. a beautiful string sample that, when paired with a unique flow, manages to Although both albums share the blend exceptionally with each other. same vibe and theme, Visions builds up on that foundation sonically and lyrically. Looking at its core, Visions executes what it intends to do outstandingly; As usual, rapper Daveed Diggs it expresses feelings of unease to manages to impress with his the listener while being sonically performance on the album\u2014skillfully experimental and lyrically rich through rapping while maintaining cohesiveness its stories. This is definitely an album you in his storytelling throughout the tracks. could just vibe with in the background He succeeds in clearly narrating these if you're into experimental and noise chilling stories through experimental music, and it serves as a great gateway beats, smooth flows, and creative switch- into the subgenre. Of course, to get the ups which are present throughout full experience, it\u2019s highly recommended the album. Artists Cam & China and that you pay attention to the stories Ho99o9\u2019s features on the record being told. 76","Trese (Series Review) Words by ADRIANNE H. SAPLAGIO | 3.5\/5 While people now thrive in the and true to its culture. Appreciation solace of knowledge that science must also be shown not just towards the and technology bring, it remains near animations but also to their depiction of impossible to rid us Filipinos of our Manila, which successfully captured its beliefs and superstitions. Ingrained grit, showing its flourishing commerce in our culture are stories of deities and exciting nightlife as well as the slums and beings whose mere existence and malfunctioning transit systems. falls out of this realm\u2014monsters of unfathomable forms and unimaginable Though the original Filipino comic abilities. These stories have been used series by Budjette Tan and Kajo to scare children for generations, Baldisimo only left more to be desired, but that fear might just be fended the same cannot be said for the Netflix away when they see the Netflix series series, unfortunately. Crammed into but Trese featuring a strong, independent six episodes of about 30 minutes each, woman who protects both humans and the pace is not ideal for those who are those that go bump in the dark. not familiar with Filipino mythology. The characters all have their charm, but the Trese, released last June 11, audience could have formed a stronger caught the eyes of people from all attachment to them if they were given over the world. The protagonist more screen time or in-depth backstories. of the series, Alexandra Trese, is a The screen time was hogged by either detective who works towards solving flashbacks or fight scenes, which were crimes of supernatural origins. amazing animation-wise but did leave the Coupled with the Kambal\u2014Crispin people wishing for more. It didn\u2019t help and Basilio\u2014Alexandra makes both that the villain reminisced through most allies and enemies as she walks down of the final episode to explain what was a path of adventures littered with really happening. To add, Trese\u2019s Filipino questions from the present and her voice actor Liza Soberano has received dark past. The young Trese stands a lot of criticism as people regarded her in the center of a scheme created performance as flat and monotonous. without her knowledge, and with her circumstances come betrayal Trese could have been better and danger. As the heroine slowly progresses towards the answers she executed if there were more episodes thinks she wants, she soon discovers that things are rarely as they seem, to grasp the complexities of Filipino especially in the world of the occult. folklore, but all in all, seeing our culture The pros of Trese aren\u2019t limited to the actual series alone. The advertising represented in an international for the show was ingenious, putting up billboards only to have them destroyed series was a great experience. by \u201ccreatures of the night\u201d soon after. It is also to be noted that the voice actors If you want to start getting for the series were mostly of Filipino descent, though it would have been in touch with the better if the characters\u2019 lips were synced to the Filipino dub rather than English to supernatural parts make the movie increasingly immersive of Filipino culture or if you just feel like dabbling with tales and myths of the unknown, then Trese just might hit the spot. 77","78","YOU ARE IN MORE CONTROL THAN YOU THINK.",""]