Far Eastern University (FEU) Communication students in partnership with FEU Studios launched Tamaraw Cine-Summit ‘In the Making: Portrayal Through the Lens,’ a cinematography and filmmaking conference held at the Nicanor Reyes Hall last March 31. 

Professional filmmakers, award-winning directors, and film enthusiasts gathered together through common interest in films.

JC Gellidon, a 2021 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival finalist and music video director,  shared his humble beginning as a filmmaker with no camera equipment.

“2014 nag-start ako mag-shoot, wala akong camera ang gamit ko lang iPhone, tapos nanghihiram lang ako ng mga camera sa friends ko,” he said. 

The event was divided into three breakout sessions for narrative, documentary, and experimental filmmaking sessions.

Best Documentary Film for Gawad Urian Awards and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awardee in 2018 Victor Tagaro, discussed how the vision of documentarians is an important aspect of making documentaries.  

“Kung may gusto ka talagang tingin mo importante, at mahalaga na i-convey sa ibang tao o i-relate sa ibang tao, tingin ko ‘yun ‘yung pinakamahalaga,” Tagaro said.  

Venice Atienza, the co-founder of Svermiko Film and Audiovisual Art Productions, also spoke about visual storytelling techniques and how to narrate real-life experiences of people through documentaries.

“In documentary, the film that we are able to make happens in the distance between the person who is filming and what is being filmed,” Atienza emphasized.

FEU alumnus Furan Guillermo and visual artist Timmy Harn delved into experimental film and the non-conventional methods of storytelling in making films. 

“Challenging traditional filmmaking, that is basically the main goal of experimental filmmaking, so whenever you guys do your films later…the ultimate goal is to create something unique,” Guillermo said during his lecture.  

Harn also emphasized how filmmakers should know first the direction of their story before considering it to be experimental. 

“Kung gusto mo gumawa ng narrative, ‘wag mo muna isipin ‘yung experimental, isipin mo muna ‘yung story. You have to serve your story, you have to serve your purpose, why are you making this film? ‘Yun muna,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Best Production Design recipient at Cinema One Originals Film Festival in 2013 Philippe Quintos shared how cinematography in narrative filmmaking is subjective. 

“Honestly speaking, it’s a very subjective craft, kahit sabihin natin co-practitioner ko si Sir JC [Gellidon] may mga times siguro na hindi kami agree ng opinyon, but that doesn’t mean hindi valid ‘yung cinematography niya,” he explained. 

Students from the University Santo Tomas Senior High School, Centro Escolar Integrated School, Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Manuel A. Roxas High School, Ateneo de Manila Senior High School, and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines also joined the event.

The conference was organized by 4th-year Bachelor of Arts in Communication students as part of their Special Projects Class under Nikko Visperas. 

- Randy Espares Jr.