Film school is a place where greatness comes alive. I was gracious enough to be invited and be a part of the very first film school express film festival and to be honest, with the abundant amount of movies I’ve seen in the past few months, having to witness such, is a breath of fresh air, read on to know more, and enjoy.
Before anything else, I would just like to point out that I am no specialist in giving comments or being a critic when it comes to films. I’m just a fan of art and loves watching movies and films, especially if it has a deeper meaning rather than the usual CGI built or with a ton of special effects, that being said, let’s get on with the article.
The event took place in Cinematheque Center, in my opinion, is a very far place for me, but for the sake of being part of something momentous such as this, I figured it was really worth the travel. Having to go inside you’ll be greeted with a ton of historical items and memorabilia which after spending 2-3 minutes inside, embraces you and fills your head with so many flashbacks on how films were made back in the day, here’s a quick slide-show for you:
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Minutes later, we were all called in as the open forum was about to start which was in my opinion the interesting part, and mind you, I’m not the type who actually gets to join events like this. Just like any one who gets exposed to something out of the ordinary, these moments are the really interesting and exciting times.
The open kicked off with a small introduction by the ever famous and highly respected Ms. Dail Deri. I encountered Ms. Dail back at the ASUS ZenFone event where she showcased her work using the highly successful ZenFone 5 (2018). If you ask me, a photographer who has mastered her craft and specialty and was easily able to shift back and forth with a smartphone and a DSLR is an amazing skill.
For those of you who don’t know, Ms. Dail is a Communication Arts Major, who’s the daughter of the great Ibarra Deri. What makes her stand out amongst the rest is that she was able to combine all the techniques passed by his father and mixed it with her own techniques making her a very strong and inspirational individual in the field of portrait photography.
As the open forum went along, a few writers, producers and directors were introduced and trust, having to hear their life journeys in their respective fields and expertise is just filled with so much passion and inspiration, I literally just had to stop typing text on my phone and just listened all throughout as it was just that moving.
First among the four was Mr. Emir Khan Bautista. Emir has been in the cinematography industry for quite some time now and having to witness his words in person was just that strong and powerful yet very meaningful. During his segment, he did mention 3 important details which even though you’re not a film enthusiast, or an aspiring director or writer, would make a lot of sense.
“Story, focus on a good script and regardless of the budget that movie will be that impacting“. I personally agree on this note, I’ve seen a ton of films where you’d know a ton of cash was burned and yet the script and storyline is nowhere half as good compared to the amount of time spent on CGI and special effects.
“Network Struggle, without the right people to work with, no productivity would come into play“. In my opinion, this is the most important and yet simplest thought out of everything he stated, it is important to get the right people for every project that comes to mind, there’s no point in getting the top actor or writer if their not really meant to do the role that you want them to be.
“Reason for making the film“. Every film or movie that is produced needs to come with a reason if the reason has not been established, chances are, the movie/film would be that bad as it doesn’t really pose a strong sense or meaning.
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The other producers, writers, and directors who also shared their experiences and journey in the industry include Ms. Honee Alipio, Ella Mage, and the great Emmanuel Dela Cruz who’s the Palanca award-winning screenwriter, director, mentor a creative consultant.
Now, this event isn’t just about them, it’s about the 1st batch of graduates for PCCI’s diploma program in Graphic Design, Photography, Video Production, and Multimedia Arts. Unlike other schools that cater to such, the instructors are that focused with their students to make sure that each and everyone is given the opportunity to be all that they can be in their respective fields.
At the end of each program, students are then required to submit a piece, film or work that they have made which would then be showcased as part of all their hard work in becoming their respective specialties, in other words, the future generations for the cinematic industry.
Later in the day, as a special treat, FSM and PCCI showcased their graduates work to a select group and a few others where we got a taste of what it feels like to come up with short films ranging from well budgeted to more constricted, and still came out with an amazing story-line. Although these aren’t the full-length films, these are just trailers and even though these are just trailers, they are quite impressive. Enjoy! 🙂
After all that, what would be my key takeaway? Well, to be honest, the overall experience of being part of something great such as this was just breathtaking on its own. Being able to witness artworks such as these, it just means that regardless of your age, background so long as you have all the right elements, the passion that drives you, anyone can be great. There will be stumbles along the way, but with patience, dedication and a lot of hard work, you too can be like them, you too can be great, and who knows, you who are reading this right now might be the next director, writer or producer.
If you’re considering getting a headstart in the film industry, cinematography, or anything in that field, fill free to click this link.
Oh and in case you were wondering, the full versions of these films will be released to the public, soon, so stay tuned! 🙂
I hope you guys enjoyed this simple write up, I was so overwhelmed with so much emotion after having to see those short films and I seriously hope, there would be more to come in the upcoming years, I’d love to see more in the future and who knows, they might even hit the big screen. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Film School Express 1st Film School Festival | FSM Film school is a place where greatness comes alive. I was gracious enough to be invited and be a part of the very first film school express film festival and to be honest, with the abundant amount of movies I've seen in the past few months, having to witness such, is a breath of fresh air, read on to know more, and enjoy.