Macintosh, Mac Apps, iPhone, Steve Jobs, Apple

A Little Bit Of Happy… HappySlip That Is!

by Juan on February 16th, 2007

About a few months ago my dad showed me a video on YouTube. It was a Filipina who produced her own video and put it up on YouTube for the whole world to enjoy. Since then, I’ve been hooked on what is now one of the more popular online video performers.

Christine, the girl behind HappySlip is a self confessed Mac user (That made me like her more). She’s been creating her videos on her Mac ever since she got her first one last 2001.

The After Mac is glad to have interviewed a fellow Filipino and Mac user. So now, on with the show.

TAM: First of all, let me just say. I’m a fan. I mean that in a non-patronizing way. I am really a fan. I am biased so I would say that my favorite video is Mac Beautiful but coming in a close, close second is Home.

HS: Hahaha, yeah Home is my only sentimental video. I want to do more of those but want it to come in a natural way, and not force it. Home was a bunch of stuff all rolled into one. It’s a big piece of my heart.

TAM: If I’m not mistaken, you said in your first video blog that you are Filipino but you were born in the United States.

HS: Yes.

TAM: How did your parents raise you? Filipino way? American way or a mix of both?

HS: Both, because although they spoke to us in English, there were still many things that were still very Filipino growing up.

TAM: So you are still very much connected to your Filipino roots?

HS: The whole extended family is pretty much here in the U.S. - so the culture that they have brought to me is still very much alive.

I wish I could say that I’ve been to the Philippines more recently but the only time I was there was when I was one, so someday soon I want to visit again.

TAM: Well. Maybe that will happen sooner than you think.

TAM: Ok, this being a Mac blog. Let’s get straight to the point… When did you start using a Mac? How did you get into using one?

HS: The first Mac I got was in 2001 and I bought it specifically because I wanted to edit my own little productions. I never thought about online stuff - I just wanted to do family skits etc.. for my own creative outlet.

TAM: What was your very first Mac?

HS: iMac the triangle looking ones. Ha ha. G3 Indigo blue. I still have it.

TAM: After that, what was the next one?

HS: My Powerbook G4 1.5 Ghz, which I use now.

TAM: That’s the main machine you use now for all your videos?

HS: Yes!

TAM: Apart from your powerbook, what are the other tools in your arsenal? both hardware and software.

HS: I have to move old videos over to my external hard drive to make room for editing new ones. I use a Sony DCR-TRV30 miniDV camcorder for recording. That’s the basic studio. Sometimes I use my piano the one in the “Mac Beautiful” video.

Oh, I use Garageband and iMovie HD.

TAM: So you just use the basic tools and software that came with the Powerbook?

HS: Yes.

TAM: Apart from that, what other apps can be found in your powerbook? Stuff that you use on a daily basis. Not just for work but for other things as well.

HS: iPhoto, iTunes, - and I suppose everything else I do is on the internet. Ha ha.

TAM: What’s your dream Mac now? Do you plan to upgrade anytime soon?

HS: Ha ha, upgrading would be nice someday. As in Mac Beautiful - I would get the biggest and fastest system.

Of course I got the monitor size wrong. It was a 30″ display. Not a 24″. I accidentally put what the biggest iMac display was.

TAM: That was one mistake I think people will not mind.

HS: Well, at least people will know that Apple didn’t pay me to do that video, or else I would’ve gotten that detail right!

TAM: What made you buy a Mac instead of a PC when you wanted to start editing videos?

HS: I had just always heard from artist friends that Macs were the best for graphics, and video. Plus it looked so simple with iMovie. Plus all their hardware looks so clean and nice. Enough to make me switch! Ha ha! I had an old PC prior to that.

TAM: Well I’m glad you saw the light..

HS: Ha Ha!

TAM: Do you have an iPod? what other mac/apple stuff do you own?

HS: I wish… one day. It would be nice if Apple gave me at least a shuffle for that Mac Beautiful vid I did. Ha ha ha ha.

TAM: Ok, we’ve done much of the geeky stuff.. Let’s move on to the creative stuff. I know that Happyslip isn’t your day job. Are you hoping one day it will be? What’s your vision for Happyslip?

HS: I work mostly for the business of HappySlip now…. just building it up. I haven’t had to do nursing for a while, just do that whenever I need to. My vision for HappySlip is that it can be a way for me to explore the full potential of my creativity and if it can be cultivated into bringing in some income that would be nice!

I’m figuring that $$ will come in either through other offers whether it be through TV or other websites offering work, but I’d still like to maintain HappySlip as much as possible.

TAM: I noticed that HappySlip uses Revver for your videos. They have revenue sharing for that right? Plus you have a Cafepress store as well.

HS: Yeah those are the only things so far that bring in a little bit of $$ not enough to call it a paying job though. Ha Ha Ha. Maybe it’ll help when YouTube starts sharing the revenue.

TAM: Have you always wanted to be an actress or filmmaker of sorts?

HS: I always had an interest in performing, but maybe only realized the dream of acting at about 10-11 years old.

TAM: So why take up nursing then?

HS: That was a backup plan, and something I knew would be flexible and a secure job. I didn’t want to depend solely on acting to bring in a paycheck, cause then I may be facing roles that I don’t really want to play but maybe thinking to do whatever roles just to pay rent. I didn’t want to be in that position.

TAM: When did you start HappySlip? What made you decide to go the online route instead of the traditional one?

HS: I started HappySlip September of last year, so around 5 months ago. I read about Brookers who is a 20 year old girl that was doing her creative little videos and that’s how I found out that you can have your own “channel” on YouTube. I didn’t know you could collect all your videos and host them free like that - so it was all too convenient.

TAM: In the span of 5 months, how has the ride been? You’re getting to be quite the popular girl.

HS: Ha ha ha, that’s weird to think of myself like that, cause I was very much the unpopular girl in school, nerdy girl - still am! Ha Ha Ha. The ride has been wonderful — to be able to essentially have my own show and have the people all around the world as my audience.

TAM: Do people start noticing you now? In the streets I mean.

HS: Ha ha ha, one person recognized me at an audition, and then I think a Filipino couple noticed me on the subway and were taking pics with their camera phone - but they seemed to shy to talk and I didn’t want to assume and say “hey, are you taking my picture” — because what if they weren’t! Ha ha ha.

TAM: So are those the only “celebrity moments” that you’ve had? Are there any more..

HS: I would be surprised if more of those moments come right now, because it seems like the fan base is spread all over the place - and it would be so random to run into someone — at least that’s what I think.

TAM: One more thing.. Is there anything you’d like to say to your Mac using fans?

HS: I would say “use your Mac to it’s fullest potential — it is the tool to bring out the best of your creativity!!”

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POSTED IN: Interviews, Juan's Posts, Videos