17 minute read

The Filmmaker’s Journey from Silver Screen to Digital Streams

from (2022) SISID: A Special Issue

by Heights Ateneo

from (2022) SISID: A Special Issue, page 32

Article from: (2022) SISID: A Special Issue

Out of Tune: The Loss of Spaces

Aline Salillas and Gayle Dy Loyola Film Circle

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INT. LEONG HALL – MORNING

It is Day 1 of Ateneo Orsem Silay. You are walking back into Leong Hall with your blockmates that you’ve only met a couple of hours ago. As you enter, you watch as an entire swarm of Sec Mobs and TnTs, an amalgamation of buoyant bodies, dancing to the beat of “Now That I Found You” by Carly Rae Jepsen. Eventually, your TnTs reel you in and so, you begin to dance with your blockmates, too.

After all the fun and dancing, the hosts announce that you’re going to watch a short film created by an organization called Loyola Film Circle or LFC.

The lights go out. The projector displays the logo of LFC, followed by a title card saying, “THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT.” On the screen, you watch as students sit down, already beginning to take their exam when suddenly, the lights go out. And then the test papers glow in the dark, their shaded answers outlined in green. You smile in the dark as the title card reads: “ATENEAN VANDAL.”

As you watch the film, you can’t help but feel completely immersed in it. You find yourself laughing and smiling all throughout. As a cinephile, you’ve always marveled at the ability of films to transport you into a whole new reality. At that moment, you decide that you

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want to join LFC and make your own films, too. At the end of the day, you have this feeling deep inside: you are glad that you have enrolled in Ateneo.

In the months after, you'll come to know the unparalleled joys of film production--from conceptualizing and writing the script to creating the shot list and opsched to carrying camera equipment and props all over campus, moving from one location to another as your team hurries to film as many scenes as they can before the sun sets.

You'll come to know the exhaustion of packing up immediately after each scene and rushing towards the next, of having to do retake after retake because the shot angle was off or the audio intercepted by someone talking on set, of waking up extra early for call time and crawling into bed late at night.

At the same time, you'll also come to know the thrill and satisfaction of watching your film come to life, from the sheer joy of seeing your characters lifted off the page to shooting and eventually, post-processing, where the cinematographer, scorer, and editor work their magic. You'll come to cherish the joys of working together with your film crew--the short lunch breaks interspersed with laughter, the onset of panic when the camera dies and

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there's no charger, the trust built along with the foundation that art brings people together. Most of all, you'll come to know the great love of storytelling, and how nothing comes close to those quiet seconds right before the camera rolls and the director cues to the set: “Actors ready, sound...speed...camera...rolling. And ACTION!”

Then, you hear the clap of the clapper board as the scene begins. At this moment, you know that nothing compares to the freedom of being able to make films.

A Diverse Filmy Community Open to All

the art of filmmaking has often been compared to steering a ship in which the director is captain and the crew is composed of the production team. Needless to say, the medium is inherently a team effort; thus, to take away this essential component would mean that the film cannot work just as each organ and component of the body serves to help it function in some way or another. This interdependent structure is present all throughout the systems of Loyola Film Circle (LFC), which at its heart, serves as avenues for three core competencies, namely: film appreciation, film critique, and film production. screens foreign movies to the Ateneo community, and Film Literacy Classes, a series of seminars which aim at honing members’ critical lenses in consuming and appreciating film.

While LFC is mainly known for the latter, the two former competencies are distinguishable through notable events and

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outputs such as its annual magazine, titled, Wideshot, which publishes film reviews and essays, as well as events like Fete du Film, a project that screens foreign movies to the Ateneo community, and Film Literacy Classes, a series of seminars which aim at honing members’ critical lenses in consuming and appreciating film. Furthermore, LFC also hosts a number of workshops with distinguished speakers and filmmakers to enlighten the members on different aspects of film production and leadership with the hopes of creating industry professionals. However, this isn’t to say that film appreciation is the only asset offered by LFC to the Ateneo community.

Jack de Dios, head of the Doc&Pub committee in LFC, notes how the org is able to showcase the culture of the school through events such as O-Film, which gives the freshmen their first glimpse of what university is like. Likewise, Ian Bundoc, an aspiring filmmaker and Photography Deputy of LFC, also shares how “LFC is able to provide an outlet that otherwise would not be there for people who are interested and passionate about film. It becomes this safe space for like-minded people to share their passion and love for the art.”

Despite being known as a niche organization, there is much diversity to be found in LFC. A combination of both communication and performance arts, the org offers plenty of opportunities outside of film production—from writing film reviews and creating content in Doc&Pub to planning and executing projects in the Events committee and creating the official look and brand of LFC through the Creatives committee.

When asked how the organization was able to strike this balance between all these different mediums, Riki Angeles, the Vice President of Internal Affairs for LFC, says:

It’s all about placing people in the baskets they were meant to be in. Some people like doing administrative or logistical work,

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while others prefer the artistic and creative side, which is making films. There’s also some who just prefer to watch and analyze movies, so it’s really letting everyone have their hand at what they want to do. In the end, LFC has a place for everybody.

The Struggles of Shifting Towards The Online Setup

While the online setup does have its advantages of making film viewing more democratized, there’s no denying it has placed a strain and even altered the art of filmmaking. For how does one translate a medium that is inherently collaborative and turn it into something remote? How can one express their artistic vision when all the resources needed to create a decent film are now seemingly out of reach? How does storytelling adapt, and must it even?

Vanessa Leonardo, Production Core Director of LFC, notes the shift in focus when it came to making films in this setup, adding how storytelling has changed vastly in the sense that the narrative is no longer the central occupation, but rather, its feasibility of whether it can be shot remotely. In addition, she chimes that “knowing what our actors are capable of doing is incredibly important. At times, it’s even more crucial to consider the internet stability or technical skills of the actors rather than their acting skills.” This shift towards pragmatic concerns is but only one of the major changes of filmmaking online.

Many actors such as Valerie dela Rosa note the added intense pressures of acting online and juggling multiple roles at once— from doing your own makeup to setting up your own location and lighting and even learning how to ocular the camera properly. As shooting remotely is the only viable and safe option, patience and determination then become the key driving force behind all online productions. This is especially true as actors are made to take over the roles of all these other competencies, and therefore, have to

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And yet, it’s not just the structure of filmmaking itself that has changed. For many of the members who have worked on online productions, so much of the camaraderie that was built on set during the face-to-face setup is close to impossible to achieve online. To this, LFC director and writer Jake Consing notes of the stark contrast between filming onsite and remotely, adding that: “The main difference is being able to feel the energy of the people around you a lot more, and how that energy translates into morale. Shoots are long and tiring, especially when you’re waiting inbetween setups, and this is made more so online. When you’re all in the same place on-site, however, you get to laugh at the situation and make jokes and hang out with each other. You also get to ocular properly, and see the texture and depth of where you get to shoot. You get to experience the location far more than you would by looking at pictures.”

Indeed, perhaps the most crucial aspect that makes film distinct from other artistic forms is that it marries visual aesthetics and performance to express an emotion, and more so, conveys a message to the viewer. Film, through its innate ocular nature, is expected to deliver higher quality in terms of its audiovisual aspects compared to theater productions. LFC 24 President Fran Enriquez expresses similar sentiments, adding that “theater orgs don’t have the privilege of using colors and cinematography in the same way as film—they have it but to a lesser extent. Generally, they’re more focused on the performance aspect while LFC takes equal pride in all aspects of filmmaking from the cinematography and editing to the sound design, score, and more.” Furthermore, she notes that all these different facets of filmmaking help in conveying different emotions and bringing the vision to life. “All these aspects from the lighting to the music, they all tell a story,” she says. Migoy Arroyo, an aspiring filmmaker and member of LFC, also notes that “theater is more focused on the classical Aristotelian tradition of having one major setting, time, and action, whereas film allows you more

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freedom through switching to as many scenes as you like and adding abstract metaphors.”

Nevertheless, if there is a shared affinity to be found between the art of film and theater, it must be in their sufferance amid the pandemic—both for creators and viewers alike. As cinemas and theaters closed down, as well as festivals and releases canceled, even microcinemas showcasing independent indie films such as Cinema Centenario and Cinema ‘76 have been forced to shut down and migrate to online streaming platforms. What was once quiet, sequestered havens for cinephiles to unwind have now been transformed into these alternative platforms, accessible by all. Yet, moviegoers argue that this experience remains incomparable to being able to sit inside a theater and bask in the presence of others.

Isolation, a continuous presence, seems to carry over to online productions as well, as camaraderie proves to be difficult to foster across zoom screens. Bianca Baltazar, an editor for several theater and LFC productions, has also expressed similar sentiments, saying, “Editing in itself is often a solitary job, but this is made more so online when you can’t really talk to the rest of the crew. Having it online made everything all business, with no time to joke around and connect with one another.”

To stress this further, Vanessa also posited that another major challenge of online film productions is keeping members engaged and ensuring that they’re doing okay both mentally and physically. A common thread that she noticed with all the LFC productions created during the pandemic is that the crew tends to lose motivation even to the point of withdrawing halfway through the production. “It’s hard to keep morale high, especially as the production stretches out,” she says. “In the beginning, everyone is always so excited, but sooner or later, burnout occurs, which is really inevitable.”

Nevertheless, despite all the challenges, LFC has continued to create and showcase commendable films during the online setup.

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“Lingkis,” an experimental short film documentary exploring the corruption and injustice of the Philippines through a mythological lens won “Best Documentary” last year in the 13th Sinepiyu Film Festival (see Lingkis). Meanwhile, “Matching,” a passion project created last 2021 also won several awards in this year’s Gawad Sining Festival, including Best Production Design, Sound, and Editing.

Diving Deeper Into The Tangled Web of Art and the Political

Ever popular as a rhetoric, “the personal is political” is often used to bite back on those who divorce themselves from politics. And while it is true that the self is inextricable from the social realm, there remains a certain struggle once one enters the chaotic sphere of politics. Like any other organization, LFC has the responsibility to speak up and address certain political issues; however, the extent of the organization’s priorities regarding politics still leaves room for consideration according to the executive committee. As an organization, LFC must prioritize the well-being and safety of its members when making political statements. This is true, especially in light of the oppressive systems set in place.

“We try to be careful about these [political] topics because member safety is our number one priority. We wouldn’t want them to do something that they aren’t equipped to do. Even though it is our responsibility to stand our ground, it is also still very important to keep in mind whether what we’re saying is politically sound,” says Van Leonardo, Production Core Director of LFC. Van recalls her time in LFC where there weren’t a lot of films centered on the country’s political climate, and how this was something she wanted to change moving forward.

Moreover, LFC also gives precedence to what types of films the members are willing to create. Arroyo, also a scriptwriter of LFC,

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points out that, “As much as we can push members towards a certain direction, if members don’t want to make films that tackle these issues, you can’t force them.” Euan Bernal, the Vice President of the Secretariat, echoes this, saying, “We have a platform to amplify our member’s ideas, but it’s hard to make a film if our members have differing opinions. Still, we have to respect them.”

Nonetheless, as a whole, LFC is aware of their responsibility to give their members the tools to make realizations and take action of their own accord when making these types of films. “We don’t force the members to make these political films, but we take it one step at a time in the hopes of encouraging them and putting out those kinds of content,” says Van.

Amid this pandemic, LFC continues to work on being more active in these types of discussions. In fact, the organization was able to be a part of the joint statements initiated by The Sanggunian where different organizations within the Ateneo would speak up about the atrocities experienced by our country. Mar Magdaluyo, Events Deputy of LFC, emphasizes, “It’s not just us, but we’re connected with other organizations when making the statement. We’re not putting ourselves at risk because we’re not going there as individuals but [we’re] going together.” Riki further expounds saying, “There are restraints of our current condition to instill patriotism and duty, but LFC is still working on it. We’re still falling a little short on it, but we’re trying by making discussions happening within the organization.”

When it comes to film appreciation, LFC has also yet to step up their game in creating publications and film reviews that spark political commentary. Ani Andal, Writing Deputy of LFC, points out that “Whenever I read LFC Doc&Pub reviews last year, it was only what the film is about, but not how the film is relevant.” Moreover, Ani also admits how they were hesitant at first in making politically resonant reviews, as LFC is first and foremost a film organization rather than a political one. “No one has the guts to

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actually take a stance right now because it’s really scary out there,” they say. Despite that, they deeply express the need to change how the organization can speak up about the current political climate beyond film production. “We can at least still try to empower our members and other people through our publications and works,” Ani adds.

In terms of film production, it is evident that LFC has a powerful platform that can influence young students and filmmakers to participate in political discussion through the films that they were able to create. Fortunately, the organization is blessed to have members who are willing to make films that instigate political commentaries like directors Yvonne Salazar and Sita Valenzuela who made the film “Lingkis” for last year’s IsaPelikula competition with the theme of revolution. “When we were brainstorming for ideas, we already talked about this issue connecting to the One Big Strike, and from there, we developed a solid relationship as a crew. We realized that this is something that we need to address like the incompetency of the government and everything else that’s happening during that year,” says Sita. The film mixes animation and documentary to tell the stories of Martial Law victims and uses the Filipino mythological serpent, the bakunawa, as an allegory of how our country was plunged into darkness. Sita further expounds, “Talking about politics and really trying to be a voice for people who don’t have the platform to do so has always been like a passion, and Lingkis [allowed us] to do that.”

In truth, the films made by LFC’s members do bring forth the discussion about the pandemic or other issues that spark political discourse, and these are considered opportunities for the organization to carry on with their relentless pursuit of artistic freedom and social discourse through cinema. In times of political upheaval, it is up to the artist and filmmaker to make sense of the world and remind us that there is still good to be done about it. Because much of the world is constantly in chaos, the least we can

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and should hope to do with our art is to offer it up to the world as a means of enacting social change.

As Lino Brocka once said, “They may gag you and blindfold you, silence and imprison you, but they will never be able to destroy what made you an artist in the first place—your brave and continuing dedication to the human race.”

INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING

Dinner time. You and your parents are watching the news. You see the cases of COVID-19 rising in our country, and how the government isn’t doing much to alleviate the situation. There’s so much bad news the media has to offer that you feel like you can’t handle it anymore. You feel that burning anger inside you, urging you to speak up and be part of changing the nation and yet, you also feel helpless about your situation.

Feeling overwhelmed by everything, you go back to your room. There’s so much you want to do, but you don’t know where to begin. You realize that you can only do so much, and this makes you feel useless.

After a while, you turn on your laptop and open up a new document. At the center of the blank page, you type in all caps: MALAYA. Below that, you write, “A film by yours truly.”

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On the next page, you begin typing up a pitch for the logline. The description of the story reads: “a bunch of misfits coming together to fight for justice in a land where everyone is silenced and denied their right to speak up.” The description may still be vague, but you know that your idea is a work in progress.

As you work on your pitch, you get this inkling in your chest like a seed reminding you that the art of making films will carry on no matter what. You smile and you are strong like the tall trees.