Letran Manila's Institute of Communication conducts its last day of Spectrum with the theme, "The In-Betweens, Beyond & Behind The Screens of COMMtents"

Leanne Maxinne Ceria

PUBMAT | Aeneid Pasia

PHOTOS | Leanne Maxinne Ceria

April 25, 2023 (Tuesday) - The Letran Manila Institute of Communication held the second session of their seminar titled "SPECTRUM: The In-Betweens, Beyond & Behind the Screens of COMMtents" on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The event mainly focused on content creation and finding inspiration through content creators from the Philippines.

Four creative individuals responsible for the fantastic content production seen online today were featured throughout the conference. The event's host, Mr. Chino Liu, also known as Tita Krissy Achino, introduced the first speaker, Director Titus Cee, who shared his experience and background in stepping into the music video production industry. Before the pandemic, Mr. Cee said he started modestly by shooting wedding videos. As the quarantine occurred, he expanded his abilities to make and edit music videos. By building his networks, Direk Titus strived to improve his craft by producing and directing music videos of local artists, namely Skusta Clee, Ex Battalion, and many more. He marked the words, “Huwag kang matakot na talunin ‘yung isang bagay na hindi mo alam kung kaya mo ba.” He believes everyone should take a leap of faith to succeed in their fields.

The second speaker, Matthaios, who is most known for his songs Catriona, Vibe with Me, and I Want You Back, talked about his sources of inspiration for writing songs and producing music. He revealed that he started as a DJ before making his music as he admired artists like The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, and Avicii. At a young age, he told himself, “Gusto ko maging kagaya nila.” With the desire to be like his idols, he puts his personal experiences or the experiences of people close to his heart into the songs he creates. He also shared that time could be a barrier in this industry, making it hard to keep up with the world’s pace. With that, he learned to create his music at his own pace, unlike when he released new singles every month. In addition, he studies game development at De La Salle College of St. Benilde to pursue an interest other than music. 

On the other hand, the third speaker Steve Wijayawickrama, mostly seen on YouTube with Cong TV and the rest of Team Payaman, shared key points from his Creator Playbook as he became a video editor of Cong himself. He said aspiring content creators should consider the following: (1) What should my channel be about? (2) How do I present myself to the camera? (3) How do I edit the video? (4) How do I get the algorithm to share my video? Aside from the tips he has stated, he shared the importance of doing what we wanted to do, the things we are passionate about because to shine your brightest light is to be who you are. He also advised that we should take breaks so that the burning fire of passion does not burn us out.

Anthony Andrada, the final speaker, better known as Yow from Team Payaman and for playing the role of "Waldo" in his friends' vlogs, shared his motivation for becoming a content creator. He mentioned that when he was younger, he would watch horse races with his father and imitate the commentators. He also made up his own stories when he played with his action figures. On the other hand, he developed a strong interest in music during high school, a passion he has maintained as the guitarist for the band Yno. After earning an IT degree and working in the modern world, he found it tedious for a while. He began creating videos under the guidance of Cong and his other peers. Like his young self, he wanted his content to tell a story that would inspire someone to be themselves. The bottom line is that we should do what our hearts tell us and make friends as we do so. If it serves something, then do it.

Furthermore, the event had its question and answer portion, which tackled more about the media industry today. In summary, the discussion contents will always have a market as different people have different interests. Additionally, content creation nowadays becomes difficult as there is pressure and expectations towards influencers already known in the field. But, the key to a successful career in the media industry is to be comfortable with yourself and work with discipline.