Animator Bryan Velayo wants to share more Cebuano stories with the world

Last year’s Animahenasyon: The Philippine Animation Festival was a discovery of the wealth of animation talent that can be found not just in the country capital but all over the Philippines. One of them actually nabbed two of the festival’s highest distinctions. The Cebu-based animator Bryan Velayo was lauded for his original work, The Dark Harvest - Graveyard Shift, which received the John Martin Award in recognition of its 2-D animation quality, and the Grand Prize - Professional Division for its narrative and technical excellence. 

Organized by the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. and co-presented by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions’ (CITEM) CREATEPhilippines, Animahenasyon is an annual celebration of Filipino animators’ technical skills and creativity that have made the country a go-to destination for animation servicing. For its 19th edition, held last November, the festival also signaled the ripe opportunity for the country to strengthen its production of original local content and position itself as the next global animation hub. 

According to Velayo, his winning entry, which is the second episode of an original series, took 6 years to finish. “I was working on it on and off, only when I had free time,” he says. At that time, he was working for an animation studio in Cebu that would also submit entries to Animahenasyon. “The studio also encouraged its animators to send their original work to the competition, so when I finally had something I felt I could present, I took the chance.” 

The Dark Harvest - Graveyard Shift follows the life of a girl named Haley who is being mentored by her grandfather, a professional Grim Reaper. Its second episode has the duo heading to the local cemetery to deal with a harmless spirit. However, they soon realize that they are dealing with something else.

CREATEPhilippines chats with Velayo as he enjoys the rewards of his Animahenasyon wins while also planning what’s next in his burgeoning career as a Cebuano animator.

Congratulations on your awards! How does it feel to be recognized by Animahenasyon?

It feels really great to win an award, let alone two. It’s very validating to see my hard work finally paying off. I have already received a bunch of compliments from viewers online because I had uploaded The Dark Harvest on YouTube months before Animahenasyon, but it’s way different when you hear compliments being said to you—when you’re not just reading them on a screen, coming from strangers from all over the world. It feels extra special when they’re from people who are right in front of you—especially if they’re fellow Filipinos who also aspire to be animators in the future. 

What do you plan to do with the prizes that come with the recognition? 

Well, I’m going to upgrade my equipment so I can produce better stuff and be more efficient with my work. But even before winning, I was already planning to make more animated work. Animation was always something I knew I wanted to do, even before entering Animahenasyon. I’ll keep working on The Dark Harvest because it’s something I have poured a lot of heart and soul into since I was in college. I also have a bunch of other ideas that I’ve never even shown to anyone that I would like to develop independently, too. 

So many Animahenasyon winners come from different parts of the Philippines. What does representing Cebu in the country’s growing animation industry mean to you?

It really means a lot. Cebu is where I'm from, and I want to create animation that will resonate with the people I grew up with. I want to showcase the place that I was born in, not just to the rest of the Philippines but also to the world. Part of my goals is to make something that is not just uniquely Filipino but is specifically Cebuano. 

That is why I also want to encourage people to write about stories that are uniquely theirs. The Philippines is such a diverse country that has so many languages and cultures. We have a bunch of different ways to celebrate and live, so I’d like more animators from all over the country to have a go at telling a story through their lens. 

Any words of encouragement to your fellow animators who also dream of getting their work recognized on a bigger platform?

I’ll tell them not to be afraid to create. I know that for those who are just starting out, it’s easy to feel very insecure about their work, but creatives shouldn’t focus much on what others would think. If you’re proud of what you’ve done, then surely there are others who will be equally—if not more—proud of your work, too. 

Part of that is not being afraid to show your work to as many people as you want, even if you think it’s not yet the best you can do—and even if you don’t think you’re going to win anything. Share your work, and encourage others to do the same. 

Community-building has proven to be crucial to driving the growth of different creative industries in the country. How can young artists find their tribe, so to speak, especially if they’re new in their chosen field?

If you have a bunch of artist friends, it’s as easy as talking to them about the creative things you’re doing. Geek out to each other about the characters you’re creating, the world you’re building. Don’t be afraid to build a community with your friends. Maybe you could even ask them to collaborate with you. People are out there, waiting to use their talents in something awesome, because we artists are always driven to create. The Philippines has such an underrated talent base, and it’s time we show that to the rest of the world. 

***

To learn more about Bryan Velayo and his work, follow him on Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel. Be updated on The Dark Harvest series, too, on Instagram. 

Photos by Camille Dellosa. Banner image by Morrissey Lapuz.

Get in touch with CREATEPhilippines’ roster of Filipino creatives by filling out the Connect with a Creative form. Want to be part of our creative community and have the chance to be featured on CREATEPhilippines? Sign up and register for our Directory of Creatives here. Join our Viber community, too, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn to be updated on the creative events that we’re promoting.