What is Tuldok?

What is Tuldok?

Tuldok is the Filipino word for dot, speck, or a point. It is the most basic part of a drawing from which all kinds of lines, shapes, patterns are created.Tuldok is a non profit organization whose dream is to make the world realize the artistic and creative talent of the Filipino people. Combining our expertise in storytelling, art, animation, voice acting, and music together with our rich culture, it has become our dream that the Filipino artist is recognized in the international community not just an outsourcing tool but as an untapped resource for creative and unique content as well.

Philippine Animation SceneFilipinos worked on animated hits like Finding Nemo*, The Incredibles*, X-men*, Dexter’s Lab*, Power Puff Girls*, Cow and Chicken*, Johnny Bravo* and Disney’s Tarzan*, to name a few.Filipino’s ability to tell stories visually has also been exemplified by the recognition of several independent films in several international film festivals.However, our country is recognized only as an outsourcing hub: the grunt work behind animated stories from abroad; it is recognition of our skills as artists to copy someone else’s style but not for our creativity in producing our own animated stories.Some attempts have been made before, but they remain few and rare.Financing has been the main reason behind the lack of support from big companies. Animation’s high initial costs due to equipment have scared away mainstream companies who have chosen to stick to safe and formulaic content.
*Properties of their respective studios

Mission & Vision

Tuldok was formed with a vision in mind: To make the world recognize Filipino talent. Not only as a mechanical tool just for outsourcing but the ability to create original and captivating stories.The advent of digital technology has been able to significantly lower the costs of producing an animation to the point that anybody with a good personal computer can produce one. Animation may only be a medium to tell stories, but it is a very powerful one. Combining our exemplary visual skills, the magic of animation, with our rich culture and you have a formula that will surely catch the attention and gain recognition and respect from the rest of the world.In spite of the lack of funds, we are still capable of creating animated stories with the resources we currently have: digital technology and generous writers and artists who are willing to participate for the love of it.

Responsibilities

Interested artists, writers, composers and voice actors who join this project will be granted:

• Technical Assistance/Guidance and Training
• Compilation of the Final Product
• Use of project for their own portfolio

The Final Project:

• Exposure to different Art and Film Festivals locally and internationally
• Marketing of the Final Project, should any profit be made, revenues will be shared as agreed upon

This is a dream, but we are all working in making this dream a reality. If you feel you can contribute in the creative or creation process or other ways, feel free to contact any of the Tuldok members.

Thank you for your support.

Tuldok Project Details

Tuldok Project Details

4 Animated Shorts, approximately 10-15 minutes per story.
Complete and independent stories, they must be able to stand on their own.
No sequels needed to finish the story.

Surface Theme: Filipino Folklore, mythical creatures/beliefs will be the main elements throughout each story, interacting with humans and our world, stories about struggle, existence, purpose, ambitions, etc…

The stories would be original, and not be direct animated versions of existing folktales; the mythical creatures/beliefs of those folktales and added original characters will drive each story.

Underlying Theme: Identity, divided into three aspects of identity and our existence which the animated stories would be about:

Story 1: Past – Loss of Innocence, Loss of identity, Loss of something great.
Where did we come from?
Contrary to history books, Pre Spanish Philippines has been quite advanced and civilized, with a rich culture already present. This culture, this identity, has been lost after hundreds of years of colonization by several superpowers over the years, resulting in a loss and even a dislike of our ancestor’s ways. This was the death of our Identity then.

Story 2: Present – Rediscovering one’s identity
Who am I?
Current trends are more of acceptance and rediscovery of our roots, colonial mentality still exists but what is important is that there is a growing curiosity, appreciation, and respect for where we come from. We are slowly finding who we are again, or if not, slowly defining our own new and unique identity.

Story 3: Future – What to do with our existence: Will or Fate? (tentative theme)
Where are we going? What’s next? No one knows. Do we leave it to fate, or is it up to our will?
This is the closing story to the collection. Our culture will surely continue to grow, in a good way or a bad way, time will decide, or this story may make its own predictions. Other questions would then be where we are all going? Has our future been written already? Or are we in charge of our own existence?

The folklore aspect of these stories are actually symbolical of the Filipino culture, apart from being interesting on its own, their existence in each story would actually be a metaphor on how the Filipino culture has been discovered, lost, rediscovered, and changed over eras in our history.

The purpose of using well known Filipino folklore characters is that these stories are designed to be commentary on the various phases of Filipino Identity throughout its existence. Being mythical creatures, they are already distinct from the human audience’s view, giving them the power to give commentary on our human society, more specifically the Filipino society and its culture’s trends, yet their character would also be human, allowing the audience to relate with them.

Contact: tuldok.animation@gmail.com