ARTS 10

Quarter 3 – Lesson 1: MEDIA-BASED ART: PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM AND

ANIMATION
Photography

In its early stages during the late 19th century, photography was viewed as a
purely technical process of recording visible images by light action on light-sensitive
materials. In fact, it’s very name—from the Greek “photos” (meaning light) and
“graphos” (meaning writing)—states this process literally.

In comparison to the highly-regarded arts of painting and sculpture, then,

photography was not immediately considered art. But it was not long before the
artistry of 20th century photographers elevated this “light writing” to an aesthetic
form in its own right.

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.

In a pictorial shoot, the photographer may position lighting,

modify the lens setting, or use filters to create an effect he or she has
conceptualized beforehand. The tools and techniques may not be those of the
traditional artist, but the aesthetic principles are the same.

For today’s photographers, the process goes even further. They may take the
exposed film into a dark room or subject the digital images to their photo editing
software—and there, manipulate the images with the myriad of photo enhancement
techniques and tools currently available.

Whether left untouched from the instant the image was captured or was digitally or
manually altered, the resulting photographs can be startlingly impactful. It becomes
clear how the photographer has captured the elements of form, color, light and
shadow, texture, and composition to create a true work of art.
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.

Next to the printed word, the photographic image is

today’s
most important means of conveying information and
ideas, expressing emotions, even championing causes.

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

The Philippines has joined the rest of the world in applying the wonders of modern
photography to every aspect of life—from personal to professional to national to
global. And with our country’s natural beauty, a number of local photographers
have taken on the Philippines and our people as a major focus of their lenses.

Among these are:

• George Tapan
• John K. Chua
• Manny Librodo
• Members of the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF)

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 highly acclaimed 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

Another art form which has risen to tremendous heights

within the last century is film or cinema. 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.
A Technology-driven Art

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 late1800s 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 rise of the Kinescope, 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

Filmmaking, because of its technical complexity, involves entire teams of artists,

writers, and production experts, supported by technicians taking charge of the
cameras, lighting equipment, sets, props, costumes, and the like—all under the
supervision of a film director.

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, and 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.

Through the years, the complexity of filmmaking gave rise to numerous allied arts
that did not previously exist.
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
highly sophisticated 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

The public response to motion pictures was immediate and enthusiastic. From
makeshift nickelodeons (movie theaters charging a nickel for entrance) in 1904 to
luxurious “dream palaces” for middle class moviegoers by 1914, public showings of
movies were a big hit. With World War I was over and the establishment of
Hollywood as the center of American filmmaking in 1915, the movie industry was
on its way to becoming one of the biggest and most influential of the century. With
financial success came the rush to release more and more films, in an ever-wider
variety—leading to the many film genres we know today.
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.
Charlie Chaplin in
A Dog’s Life, 1918

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 (sci-fi) 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

In the Philippine film scene, the American influence was evident in the pre-World
War II and Liberation years with song-and-dance musicals, romantic dramas, and
comedy films. Beginning with the turbulent 1970s, however, progressive Filipino
directors emerged to make movies dealing with current social issues and examining
the Filipino character.

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).
Outstanding female directors have likewise made their mark in Philippine cinema.
Among them are Laurice Guillen and Marilou Diaz Abaya.

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.
Crossing over easily between projects for television and for the big screen is
veteran film director 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

In recent decades, a whole new career opportunity has emerged for creative
Filipinos via the field of animation. In fact, Filipino animators have been involved in
the creation of some of the best-loved—and technically challenging—animated
feature films produced in the last few years. Among these are Toy Story, Up, The
Incredibles, Monsters University, Cars, Finding Nemo, Planes, Brave, Shrek, Kung
Fu Panda, and more. Such recognition of Philippine talent abroad has, in fact,
spurred the development of the local animation industry as well.

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 Incorporation

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 first ever
animated movie to be screened during the Metro Manila Film Festival, as
it was entered in the 34th MMFF in December 2008.

ACTIVITY:

Search in the internet for more outstanding Filipinos other than

those mentioned in the module who made names in the field of photography, films
and animation both here and abroad. Make a short profile of themselves. Present it
thru a slideshow and submit it in Schoology. (20 pts)

ASSESSMENT:

Identification: Answer the following questions (10 pts)

1. What two Greek words are the origins of the term “photography”?
2. Name the two well-known Filipino photographers presented in these sessions.
3. Known for its early name “motion pictures”?
4. Who envisions the final effect of the film on its viewer’s visually, mentally, and
emotionally?
5. It was established in 1991 and has since collaborated on numerous animation
projects and series with foreign partners.