First week: April 27-30
It's been a week since I've been informed through text and e-mail that I was accepted to the first ATIP, and it was during the time that I was on the verge of breaking down due to other problems. Wrong timing I know, but as they say "When a door shuts, another one opens". I applied mainly because this is something I really wanted to do and more. I definitely didn't pass this up, despite my parents' insisting that I should finish my (only) pending school requirement first.
After spending three days taking in lectures at the UPFI, we spent a day at Mowelfund prior to actual work: touring the museum and the entire place, and absorbing additional information and reminders. We also visited the "storage area" a few floors up where we saw not only piles upon piles of books and publications and a rusty machine, but more importantly the overwhelming number of film reels already on a depressing state. Alexis Tioseco once wrote that the Filipinos should take care of our film heritage and eventually put up an archive; seeing those film reels in rusty cans lying on the dusty floor, "aww", "shocks", and "sayang" were the only words that came from me. Where is my fellow countrymen's concern for the arts and culture? The vinegar scent (a.k.a vinegar syndrome, a sign of deterioration/decomposition) those films were already giving off will forever haunt me and I knew instantly that the track I chose to specialize was the right one.
The first "work" week was already spent at our home institution, Mowelfund, specifically at their Audiovisual Archive. We familiarized ourselves with the entire place, visited again the disappointing storage area (which by the way serves great location for a photo shoot, says one of my co-interns―just kidding), and also did preliminary planning on our projects. Sir Ricky Orellana, the head of the Mowelfund Audiovisual Archive, gave us a brief overview on the state of film archiving in the country (which again sounds depressing, but I don't want to depress you further).
Like any other firsts, the first week was the getting-to-know stage: learning the basics of film archiving and preservation; he gave us some reading materials; and orienting us with the forms, equipment, and his small office-slash-archive part one--the second part was at the upper floor. By the way, both areas smelled of that haunting vinegar syndrome I caught at the "storage area" that I wanted to just spray Lysol to each film and feel fine. ;) It felt like I was getting to know and discovering something everyday that I will eventually fall in love with, and that enthuses me more.
Oh, did I mention the "crickets"? You know when you have that really awkward silent moment, you just imagine cricket sounds playing in your head? Since it's the first week it is inevitable to feel awkward but I assure you, fellowmen, that "crickets" will not be entertained [anymore] in the next couple of days. ;)
Three more things that excite me with this kind of work: (1) In one of my major subjects, we were taught principles and special consideration in taking care of visual art works (paintings and sculptures) and in that one week we have learned from Sir Ricky and the four-day orientation that taking care of film prints and related media is not different from those done for the preservation of visual arts, except that film demands a more technical know-how; (2) that rare chance of working with and meeting the best people in the industry (*ehem*where's my treat*ehem*); and more importantly (3) our direct contribution to the country's film heritage that at a young age, we are already able to take part in cultural promotion and preservation matters and carry out one of Alexis' wishes.
And yes, we're gonna do it for Alexis and our love for Philippine cinema and cinematic heritage.
After spending three days taking in lectures at the UPFI, we spent a day at Mowelfund prior to actual work: touring the museum and the entire place, and absorbing additional information and reminders. We also visited the "storage area" a few floors up where we saw not only piles upon piles of books and publications and a rusty machine, but more importantly the overwhelming number of film reels already on a depressing state. Alexis Tioseco once wrote that the Filipinos should take care of our film heritage and eventually put up an archive; seeing those film reels in rusty cans lying on the dusty floor, "aww", "shocks", and "sayang" were the only words that came from me. Where is my fellow countrymen's concern for the arts and culture? The vinegar scent (a.k.a vinegar syndrome, a sign of deterioration/decomposition) those films were already giving off will forever haunt me and I knew instantly that the track I chose to specialize was the right one.
The first "work" week was already spent at our home institution, Mowelfund, specifically at their Audiovisual Archive. We familiarized ourselves with the entire place, visited again the disappointing storage area (which by the way serves great location for a photo shoot, says one of my co-interns―just kidding), and also did preliminary planning on our projects. Sir Ricky Orellana, the head of the Mowelfund Audiovisual Archive, gave us a brief overview on the state of film archiving in the country (which again sounds depressing, but I don't want to depress you further).
Like any other firsts, the first week was the getting-to-know stage: learning the basics of film archiving and preservation; he gave us some reading materials; and orienting us with the forms, equipment, and his small office-slash-archive part one--the second part was at the upper floor. By the way, both areas smelled of that haunting vinegar syndrome I caught at the "storage area" that I wanted to just spray Lysol to each film and feel fine. ;) It felt like I was getting to know and discovering something everyday that I will eventually fall in love with, and that enthuses me more.
Oh, did I mention the "crickets"? You know when you have that really awkward silent moment, you just imagine cricket sounds playing in your head? Since it's the first week it is inevitable to feel awkward but I assure you, fellowmen, that "crickets" will not be entertained [anymore] in the next couple of days. ;)
Three more things that excite me with this kind of work: (1) In one of my major subjects, we were taught principles and special consideration in taking care of visual art works (paintings and sculptures) and in that one week we have learned from Sir Ricky and the four-day orientation that taking care of film prints and related media is not different from those done for the preservation of visual arts, except that film demands a more technical know-how; (2) that rare chance of working with and meeting the best people in the industry (*ehem*where's my treat*ehem*); and more importantly (3) our direct contribution to the country's film heritage that at a young age, we are already able to take part in cultural promotion and preservation matters and carry out one of Alexis' wishes.
And yes, we're gonna do it for Alexis and our love for Philippine cinema and cinematic heritage.