University of Luzon Communicators Guild Engages with Industry Leaders at Galila Arts Festival 2024

The University of Luzon (UL) recently marked its significant participation in the Galila Arts Festival 2024, an event that provided Luzonians with enriching opportunities for professional development and meaningful dialogue within the creative industries. The festival proved to be an invaluable platform, allowing emerging storytellers and filmmakers from the University community to connect with leading industry practitioners and gain direct exposure to the realities and complexities of regional and national creative production.

A highlight of the festival was the thought-provoking event, “Let’s Play! Conversations with Filmmakers,” hosted at Meshroom Café. Directors Avid Liongoren and Prime Cruz shared profound insights with attendees, focusing specifically on the intricacies of producing original animation within the Philippines. Their discussion underscored the unique challenges encountered by regional filmmakers while passionately emphasizing the critical importance of cultivating and sustaining local storytelling. For the students and emerging creatives present, this intimate setting encouraged a meaningful exchange of ideas, cementing the event’s success and ensuring a lasting impact on their approach to perseverance and excellence in the evolving film industry.

In parallel with the conversations, the UL Communicators’ Guild extended its engagement by attending the Galila Arts Festival Storytellers Camp. Meicel Zen Sadim, representing the Guild, participated in the immersive experience designed to enhance the skills of youthcasters. The camp featured expert-led sessions aimed at refining the essential crafts of both written and visual communication. Edrea-Ann Fernandez, LPT, the Youthcaster’s Senior Writer, provided invaluable guidance on creative feature writing, focusing on techniques necessary to elevate participants’ storytelling and written content to a professional standard. Complementing this focus on narrative structure, Engr. Ronzbell Lawan, RMP, Youthcaster’s Director of Photography, shared insightful perspectives on visual storytelling through the nuanced use of photography and alternative video techniques, offering attendees a new and comprehensive outlook on communicating through media.

These collaborative activities demonstrate the University of Luzon’s commitment to providing experiential learning that extends beyond the classroom. By facilitating direct interaction with established professionals, UL ensures that Luzonians are equipped with the practical knowledge and advanced skills necessary to thrive in a competitive and dynamic global landscape. The participation in the Galila Arts Festival 2024 underscores the University’s dedication to fostering a culture of creative excellence and intellectual curiosity among its student body.

The scope and nature of the University of Luzon’s activities at the Galila Arts Festival strongly align with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By hosting expert-led discussions and skills camps, the University directly contributes to SDG 4: Quality Education, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities through non-traditional, hands-on masterclasses in film and communication. Furthermore, by nurturing the skills of youthcasters and creatives in emerging fields like animation and regional filmmaking, UL actively supports SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The cultivation of technical and creative talent is fundamental to building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation, which are key pillars of SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. Finally, by promoting local storytelling and supporting the regional arts community, the University supports SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, specifically target 11.4, which aims to strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.