Miko Livelo: The Boy Behind Blue Bustamante

A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown

Parallel Planets presents Miko Livelo

in The Boy Behind Blue Bustamante

Story and Interview by Erin Emocling

Mentioned: Kabayo Kids, sentai and not hentai, and being a ninja-like insect

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Just a few days ago, I found this lo-fi-looking Super Sentai-inspired film trailer reappearing on my timeline. Its title is so catchy that it intrigued me into investigating its hilarious roots and radicals. Blue Bustamante. At first, I thought it was just a parody of some generic Japanese "task force in suits" sitcom from some decades ago, but it was definitely more than that because a few minutes later, I found myself having this chat interview with its director.

Apparently, Miko Livelo and I are kind of living in the same spot of the planet: we live in the same region of Manila and we have a lot of mutual friends, including two of the artists who I recently featured here on Parallel Planets: Bahag de Guzman and Lelio Starr. This isn't a conspiracy, though.

on the set of Blue Bustamante

Miko took Advertising Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas and ended up as a junior motion graphic artist at Madbanana for a couple of years. In 2009, he joined a short film contest, where he won and bagged himself a scholarship at the Asia Pacific Film Institute.

“Film school changed me,” he said.

“I didn’t have any idea about the ins and outs of our local film industry. But I slowly shifted into being in the ‘filmmaker’ vibe through my newfound friends and mentors at school,” Miko added.

Asked about his strongest influences on filmmaking, his response was very apt: Filipino comedy films circa late ‘80s and early ‘90s that starred the “then-terrific” trio Tito Vic and Joey, Andrew E., Janno Gibbs, and the late Rene Requiestas. He also emphasized how he particularly likes “Kabayo Kids,” which he said is one of the reasons why he was fueled to make Blue Bustamante.

“To me, he’s [Joey de Leon], like, the Bill Murray of the Philippines,” Miko chimed. I seconded his remark and even found some semblance to the two actors’ facial contours and “excavations.”




Somewhere in along our chat conversation, we talked about one of the greatest things created on local television: Strangebrew, which inspired him to shoot videos of his own. “Some people would be, Iike, Ishmael Bernal, Peque Gallaga, Chito Roño. But to me, it’s always been RA Rivera, Ramon Bautista, Tado, and Angel Rivero,” Miko spilled.

Blue Bustamante is a spinoff from Miko’s Epic 5 short film, which originally included other characters, namely Red Rubio, Yellow Yabut, Green Guingona, and Pink Panganiban—all of which uses typical surnames in the Philippines.

“I wrote the script with Jun Sabayton in mind so when CinemaOne Originals got it, I contacted Jun right away,” he shared.

On a slightly more serious note, Blue Bustamante is Miko’s first dive in the “legit” world of film industry. And just like all sweet dreams that come true, his first baby blue is made up of all his ultimate fancies: the land of sentai (Wait, are you sure it's not hentai, Miko? Kidding!), his idol Jun Sabayton, and his long-term goal of becoming a film director.

on the set of Blue Bustamante

on the set of Blue Bustamante

Because this interview is particularly more special than our previous interviews, in the sense that Miko is super candid to talk with, I found it a bit challenging to ask Miko some serious questions but I did anyway. I asked him what his life mantra is and he answered, "Don't take life seriously. Magtanim ay 'di biro. [Literally means 'Planting is not a joke.'] I'm not a serious person. I find humor in everything. I make up stories that come from nowhere. I also like writing about people around me. I'm a frustrated standup comedian. It's not related to filmmaking but maybe because I'm an advocate of comedy."

Video games, toys, and weed are his favorite things. His power animal? "Cockroaches because they are, like, the ninjas of the insect world," he witfully replied. His alternate ego? "Mati from Captain Planet. He's the only member who's got heart. But he's still useless." His name in another universe? "Cedric Von Hausen because it's fancy. And that's my Noir name." His occupation in another world? "A toy store owner. An owner of a Yakult and mini donuts shop. Or an owner of a Kalborger stall."

Blue Bustamante

Miko is also a part of Punch Kick, a production team that does audio-video presentations, television commercials, short films, and full length productions. Their most recent project was "Hello World," a film he co-wrote with Joel Ferrer. "We wrote the scripts for Blue Bustamante and Hello World at the same time. QCinema got his script. CinemaOne Originals got mine," he shared.

Miko Livelo's team is currently in Japan, filming more scenes for Blue Bustamante. Meanwhile, fans and film enthusiasts alike may support their crew by submitting his or her own rendition of a "blue ranger" drawing on their Facebook page or by pledging some love on their Artiste Connect page.

CAST

Joem Bascon as George Bustamante

Jun Sabayton as Roger Grace

Dimples Romana as Juniper Bustamante

Jhiz Deocareza as Kiko Bustamante

More about Blue Bustamante

facebook.com/BlueBustamante

twitter.com/BlueBustamante