3rd Quarter ARTS

Media-based Arts and Design in the Philippines

PHOTOGRAPHY
- during the late 19th century, photography was viewed as a purely technical process,
that of recording visible images by light action on light-sensitive materials. In fact, its
very name—from the Greek “photos” (meaning light) and “graphos” (meaning
writing)—states this process literally.
The Photographer as Artist
Focusing a camera at a subject and clicking the shutter is photography as process. Discerning
a significant moment or a unique expression, framing it in the camera viewfinder with an eye
for composition, and then clicking the shutter is photography as art. That discernment and
that eye for composition are the factors that elevate a photographer from a mere recorder of
images to an artist.
Photography as Communication
Being a modern art form means that photography is now viewed as being more than just
beautiful. It is also considered one of the most powerful means of communication.
This power comes from two distinctive characteristics of photography: immediacy and detail.
An image recorded by a camera has a sense of authenticity. Because the lens captures the
image objectively, the resulting photograph is regarded as ‘true to life’ and ‘of the moment.’
At the same time, the camera takes in every detail of an image. Thus the photograph has a
sense of completeness.
For these reasons, photographs are vital tools in communication fields such as journalism,
advertising, education, and even in courts of law. They have also been used to eloquently
speak out against social and political issues.
Noteworthy Philippine Photographers
George Tapan is an award-winning travel photographer who has won two Pacific Asia Tourism
Association (PATA) Gold awards, an ASEAN Tourism Association award, and first place in the
2011 National Geographic Photo Contest. His highlyacclaimed work has been published in five
travel photography books.
John K. Chua is best known as an advertising and commercial photographer, with over 40
years of experience in this field and numerous local and international awards for his work. At
the same time, he has applied his photo artistry to showcasing the beauty of the Philippines.
FILM
As its early name “motion pictures” declared, film brought yet another dimension into play—
that of moving images. The possibilities of this medium created a new art form that was to
become a powerful social and economic force, and a legacy of the 20th century to the world.
Cinema, just as all modern arts, has been greatly influenced by technology. In the case of
cinema, however, it is an art form that came into being because of technological advances.
The transition from still photography came in the late 1800s with “series photography” and
the invention of celluloid strip film. This allowed successive still photos of a moving subject to
be captured on a strip of film advancing through a single camera. This was the seed of the
highly-advanced film medium we enjoy today.
The need to view these moving images led to the rise of the Kinetoscope, a peepshow cabinet
with an eyehole through which these earliest “movies” could be viewed one person at a time.
A motor inside the cabinet moved the film strip along in a loop, with an electric bulb providing
illumination from beneath.
In the meantime, European and American inventors were providing one technological
advancement after another. The French developed the “cinematographe,” a handcranked
camera, printer, and projector all in one that was lightweight enough to bring outside the
studio. By 1901, the earliest motion pictures were rapidly progressing from one-scene, studio
films to multiple-scene narratives filmed outdoors. Driven by these and many more advances,
the art aspect of filmmaking was born.
The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking
Film directing - It is the director, like the painter and sculptor in traditional art, who envisions
the final effect of the film on its viewers, visually, mentally, and emotionally. While the painter
and sculptor work with physical materials, the film director works with ideas, images, sounds,
and other effects to create this unique piece of art. He or she conceptualizes the scenes,
directs the acting, supervises the cinematography and finally the editing and sound dubbing
in much the same way as a visual artist composes an artwork. Clearly, however, the director
does not do all these alone.
Acting - First and foremost, there was the art of acting for film. With live theater as the only
form of acting at that time, film actors had to learn to express themselves without the
exaggerated facial expressions and gestures used on stage. With the addition of sound in the
1930s, they then had to learn to deliver their lines naturally and believably.
Cinematography - Behind the scenes, there was cinematography or the art of film camera
work. This captured the director’s vision of each scene through camera placement and
movement, lighting, and other special techniques.
Editing - This was joined by film editing, the art of selecting the precise sections of film, then
sequencing and joining them to achieve the director’s desired visual and emotional effect.
Sound editing was also developed, as films began to include more ambitious effects beyond
the dialogue and background music.
Production/Set design - Underlying all these was the art of production and set design. This
recreated in physical terms—through location, scenery, sets, lighting, costumes, and props—
the mental image that the director had of how each scene should look, what period it should
depict, and what atmosphere it should convey. This included creating worlds that did not exist
as well as worlds that were long gone, designing each production component down to the
very last detail. . Again, all these allied arts were made possible through the advances of
modern technology. From cumbersome machines that could barely be moved, today’s
highlysophisticated cameras and accessories can handle even the most demanding camera
work. From the era of silent films, today’s films incorporate a vast range of voice, music, and
sound effects to suit an ever-widening array of film genres. From manual rendering, today’s
animated films use the awesome capabilities of computers to amaze moviegoers of all ages.
Film Genres

First there were the silent films starring Charlie Chaplin, and the “slapstick comedy” films of Buster
Keaton and later Laurel and Hardy. With sound still unavailable, these films relied on purely visual
comedy that audiences found hilarious. Then, there emerged the gangster movie genre as well as
horror and fantasy films that took advantage of the sound technology that was newly available at that
time.

Sound plus color then allowed for further development of animated feature films, as well as what
became the major American genre of the 1930s—the movie musical. Here, the spectacle of theater
productions was brought to the movie screen, incorporating singing, dancing, and elaborate
production numbers enhanced by emerging film techniques.

Further developments in cinematic and sound technology led to even more genres: war and disaster
films, westerns or “cowboy movies,” thrillers or suspense films, historical or biographical films, film
epics, and film adaptations of literary classics. In a similar way, the tremendous advances in computer
technology in recent decades have fueled the rise of futuristic or science fiction films, as well as special
effects movies featuring live actors, animated characters, or live actors and animated characters
together.

Documentary films, a non-fiction genre, were made using real-life footage as well as file materials, in
many cases to present an issue. Finally, a special genre known as art films (“indie” or independent
films) caters to a small group of viewers and critics, consciously concerned with the artistic merits of
a motion picture.

Philippine Filmmakers

Among them were Lino Brocka (Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, 1974; Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag,
1975), Mike de Leon (Itim, 1976; Sister Stella L, 1984; Bayaning 3rd World, 1999), Ishmael Bernal
(Himala, 1982), and Peque Gallaga (Oro, Plata, Mata, 1983).

Laurice Guillen’s Salome (1981) earned international acclaim at the Toronto International Film
Festival. Her more recent films, such as Tanging Yaman, (2001) which won Best Picture in the Metro
Manila Film Festival, American Adobo (2002), Santa Santita (2004), and Sa ‘Yo Lamang (2010), all
gained her recognition among the current generation of Filipino moviegoers

Marilou Diaz Abaya captured the attention and respect of the viewing public with powerful films such
as Jose Rizal (1998), perfectly timed for the centennial celebration of Philippine independence; Muro-
ami (1999), which bravely exposed the deadly practice of using child-divers to pound for fish in the
Philippines’ coral reefs; and Bagong Buwan (2001), which dealt with the human cost of the Muslim-
Christian conflict in Mindanao.

Maryo J. delos Reyes. The heartwarming drama film Magnifico won for him the Best Director
distinction at the 2003 FAMAS Awards and garnered other local and international film awards as well.
Delos Reyes continues to be active in both film and television media, having become known for well-
loved teleseryes (television drama series).

Another Filipino film director who has brought the country to the cinema world’s attention is Brillante
Mendoza. Mendoza was originally a production designer for films, commercials, and music videos,
and started directing films in 2005. But in just four years, his film Kinatay (The Execution of P) won for
him the Best Director award at the highly prestigious Cannes Film Festival of 2009

Animation

Animation Council of the Philippines

The Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI) is a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims
to create an identity for the Philippines within the animation industry, making it one of the preferred
sources for animation services worldwide. The organization works hand in hand with participating
colleges and universities, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other
government agencies, and local government units to develop animation as a promising career option
for Filipinos. In 2013, TESDA and ACPI began offering 2D and 3D Animation Scholarships to interested
high school graduates, between the ages of 18 and 45.

The showpiece of the ACPI is Animahensayon, an annual festival and competition featuring the works
of Filipino animators. Apart from this major project, the ACPI grants the annual “Outstanding Emerging
Artist in Animation Award” for outstanding young and fast-rising cartoonists and animators in the
country. It also confers the Animahenasyon's “Lifetime Achievement Award” on notable animators
and other contributors to the Philippine animation industry.

Philippine Animation Studio, Inc.

The Philippine Animation Studio, Inc. (PASI) was established in 1991 and has since collaborated on
numerous animation projects and series with foreign partners. Among these have been Captain
Flamingo, Producing Parker, Groove High, and Space Heroes Universe. For this last cartoon, PASI was
tapped by a children’s entertainment company based in Sydney, Australia and went on to win the Best
Animation Category in the 2012 Pixel Awards.

Among the other exciting milestones in the fast-emerging Philippine animation industry was the
creation in 2008 of Urduja, an animated film adaptation of the legend of the warrior princess of
Pangasinan. Produced by APT Entertainment, Seventoon, and Imaginary Friends, Urduja is recognized
as the first fully-animated Filipino film, created by an all-Filipino group of animators using the
traditional (hand-drawn) animation process with some 3D effects. The characters were voiced by an
all-star cast of actors from Philippine cinema and television, with the screenplay written in Filipino.

Also released in 2008 was Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia, said to be the country’s first all-digital full-
length animated feature film. Produced by Cutting Edge Productions, the film presents Philippine
mythical creatures as heartwarming characters in a young boy's adventure. The production involved
over 500 local animators and featured a “tra-digital animation” technique. Its characters were
rendered in 2D animation, while the backdrops were created using 3D animation. Dayo was also the
firstever animated movie to be screened during the Metro Manila Film Festival, as it was entered in
the 34th MMFF in December 2008.

Print Media

Included here are large-scale publications such as newspapers, magazines, journals, books of all kinds,
as well as smaller-scale posters, brochures, flyers, menus, and the like.
Advertising

One major field that still relies heavily on print media is advertising. Despite the soaring popularity
and seemingly limitless possibilities of online advertising and social media, Philippine artists are still
called upon to create advertisements that will be physically printed. These appear in newspapers,
magazines, posters, brochures, and flyers—each with their specific target readerships and markets,
and highly-specialized approaches for reaching these target groups. Along with the advertising
copywriters who provide the text for titles, taglines, and body copy, an entire team of modern-day art
professionals creates the look of each ad. These range from art directors to photographers to graphic
designers to illustrators. If the ad subject requires it, the team may further include food and product
stylists, fashion stylists, hair and makeup artists, set and lighting designers. All for the purpose of
creating an advertisement that will appear on a printed page or in a format that will be handed out to
potential customers.

Comic Books

Another field of print media that highlights the artistic gifts of Filipinos is that of comic books, or
komiks as they are referred to locally. The popularity of Philippine comics began in the 1920s when
Liwayway magazine started featuring comic strips, such as Mga Kabalbalan ni Kenkoy (The
Misadventures of Kenkoy) created by Tony Velasquez. Velasquez went on to be recognized as the
“Father of Filipino Comics.”

A more recent development in the Philippine comics scene has been the rise of comics series reflecting
or commenting on current political and social issues or on the Filipino character in a humorous way.
One such series is the longrunning Pugad Baboy, created by Pol Medina, Jr.

Digital Media

ll the artistic skills and techniques that go into producing books like those just presented, of course
have their counterpart in the ever-growing world of digital media. This means that books that were
originally available only in print are being gradually converted to digital format, while new books are
now conceptualized, written, designed, and illustrated precisely for these online media.

This also means that the manner by which today’s readers can find, access, and enjoy these electronic
books (or ‘ebooks’) is via digital media tablets, ebook readers, and other handheld reading devices.
One such device that is available locally is the ebook reader called Kobo, which features international
as well as Philippine titles.

Likewise gaining in popularity are social media-based publishing sites, like Wattpad, that serve as
communities for millions of budding writers to share their original stories online. This phenomenon,
along with the rise of electronic distribution platforms, such as Flipreads, which provide access to the
works of Filipino authors and publishers, is also opening up exciting new opportunities for young
artists to do the digital design and illustrations for all these upcoming titles.

Innovation in Product and Industrial Design

Kenneth Cobonpue

- a multiawarded designer and the creative director of Hive, a design and manufacturing facility
for designers of interior accessories and lighting. Cobonpue’s fresh and exciting concepts and
excellent craftsmanship have earned him the acclaim and the patronage of discerning
clientele the world over—including prominent Hollywood celebrities.
Monique Lhuillier

- first rose to prominence for her exquisite wedding gowns.

- studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, and now has her
own retail boutiques in that city and in New York. Her collections include bridal and
bridesmaids dresses, ready-to-wear, evening gowns, linens, tableware, stationery, and home
fragrances.

Josie Natori

- Another name that has a prestigious place in the New York fashion industry
- this FilipinoAmerican fashion designer began her career as an investment banker, before she
made the dramatic shift to creating her own lines of lingerie, resort and lounge wear, as well
as semi-formal and casual attire.
- She went on to establish The Natori Company that has built up a lifestyle brand that today
includes four lingerie lines, the Josie Natori ready-to-wear collection, home accessories,
fragrance, and eyewear.

Rajo Laurel

- Laurel is also a savvy entrepreneur, establishing House of Laurel and Rajo Laurel Enterprise.
His creations maintain a Filipino sensibility, incorporating embroidery, beadwork, and hand-
painted prints, while also offering the prestige of limited edition pieces. Thus, he has gained a
loyal local following and the attention of the international market.
- Laurel also co-pioneered the social enterprise known as Rags2Riches. This organization
enables women from poor communities across the country to earn through creating fashion
and home accessories out of up-cycled scrap cloth, organic materials, and indigenous fabrics.
Today, Rags2Riches has evolved into an ecoethical lifestyle brand.

Lulu Tan Gan

- “The queen of knitwear” Indigenous Couture

- The designer’s vision is to encourage the use of stylized indigenous and traditional wear, as
she draws inspiration from the rich textile and embroidery traditions of the Philippines and
interprets these in modern styles and silhouettes. Further, each Tan-Gan creation is 95% hand-
made—hand-loomed (knitted and woven) by Philippine artisans.

Dita Sandico-Ong

- Known as the “Wrap Artiste” of the Philippines for her famous bold-colored wraps, Sandico-
Ong first experimented with the local weave of Ilocos Sur, known as inabel, as well as with
pineapple fibers blended with Irish linen, dubbed piñalino.
- From there, she tried other local fibers, particularly abaca which she was introduced to by
weaver and entrepreneur Virgilio Apanti. Sandico-Ong has since been working with a
multipurpose cooperative in Catanduanes, training them in natural dye extraction and
advanced weaving techniques for abaca.
- Today, her collection includes wraps or panuelos, as well as boleros, jackets, and long tunics
of banana fiber and abaca. Her designs are presented in fashion shows around the world and
are sold in high-end shops in major international cities.