Arising Family. Arising MMA!

                         Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts is a new course here in Lyceum of the Philippines University - Laguna, last two years . Only  few know it for only few are enrolled in this course. This course covers web designing, animation, video editing, photo editing, photography, and many more multimedia-related activities. Many said that this course is a stupid program to be engaged to, for anyone who's not enrolled can do the things which those that are enrolled can do, but I say or we say, "NO, OF COURSE NOT!" Because, they might know and do the things we know, but they cannot professionally profit from it 'cause they are not entitled to it or they don't have their degree. They might have a chance but if we compete with them in terms of winning the job, we would definitely be hired because of the degree, experiences and knowledge that we have. We are not to boast about it, but we just want the world to know that we know what we are doing and we're happy with it.

                         Especially now that we are not few anymore, we are growing in numbers and it strengthens us more. Growing in numbers and having more family members only means having more and brighter ideas. These new MMAs would bring lots and lots of new ideas and talents that would be shared to us, and that's a blessing 'cause together, we will use that talent and soar high.

I'll show you how MMA grew. These are the pioneer MMAs, class 2010-2014:

pretty ates & cute bros! :D

And this is when we stepped into the picture. Class 2010-2014 with Class 2011-2015:

hmmm, still few huh? :(

And now, freshmen came into the picture and made our faces appear very small in the camera because of our huge number! :) 1st to 3rd year MMA!!

now, where am I?!! haha

                         Well, we're still few compared to other courses but compared to what we used to be, we're really getting bigger and bigger! We're really blessed to have more members in the family to share our knowledge and talents. To have little brothers and sisters. To be the ones that they can confide in and ask for help about the problems we've already been through and how we're able to solve it. To teach them what we've learned. To let them know our mistakes and help avoid them as they take the same journey we had. This is not an easy race and will get harder, if we'll only stick together and solve problems together, it'll somehow lighten things up. We may still be few now, but as time pass, we'll become bigger and will soar high! :) AJA MMA!! :D

Philippine Multimedia Industry in a Race

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Can you still remember the last time you waited for hours or even more, days just to get a copy of a newspaper? The last time you watched in a black and white T.V.? Used a film to capture moments and print the negatives? Well, negatives might still be handy nowadays, but it is seldom used. Because nowadays, everything is digital and all the advertisements that we see used high technologies.

And there would not be these amazing products, commercials, and advertisements if a multimedia industry wouldn't exist. Back then, Multimedia Industries especially here in the Philippines are in any ways, neglected. Filipinos would still cling to their culture and nature but as time passes, Filipinos were influenced and now are somehow catching up in the rapid progression of multimedia products, in general. 

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I want to focus on Multimedia when it comes to television programs and Multimedia Companies or the so-called networks are the ones in-charge and we can very well see their progress right from the start. Their network even expands to the whole country and some to other countries. For instance, GMA Network, no offense to its rival, but this network is growing bigger and bigger and even one of their programs has its own branch in other country, in other words, Multimedia Industries cannot be stopped. Lots of ideas fall on them that new and improved things come to pass. Multimedia Industries here in the Philippines, in my opinion is not far behind, we are catching up and lining with the others. Opportunities for us, aspiring practitioners, can't be handled with bare hands! 

A Self-Transformation

Transformation. It doesn't automatically mean to transform like the Transformers, or any other monsters, cartoons, animes that transform. It can also substitute the word "change". Over the past school year, I've seen a lot of changes in me, inside and obviously outside! Let me start with the outer side of myself! :D  We are all subject to change, especially physical  change. Who would dare be like unto a little child though he's already a grown-up? We can't perform certain things when we're little, right? That's why most kids want to grow up instantly so they could do things on their own, but that thought was proven to be wrong. Life is far more complicated when we grow up, small problems transform into super big problems! So, adults would rather stay as a little child.

But here in the GIF photos I made above, I didn't include my childhood days, yet you can see the changes that had happened to me physically from fourth year high school up to present. Well, yes I can say things were tough during high school days, but things became tougher now that I'm in college. When I'm in high school, the only major problem I worried about is the possibility of graduating, including final projects and examinations, other than that there's nothing else to worry about. But in college, even a tiny assignment is something to worry about let alone projects and examinations! These are stuffs that a college student wouldn't dare to belittle. Yes, I transformed physically, mentally and emotionally, so as my problems transformed itself.


And problem is already included in my inner side. My inner side that I want to include are those that are in the photos to the right that I compiled. These are assignments and projects I made from first year, first semester in college up to present. I didn't include my high school projects for they're mostly videos and they're nothing to be proud of, ha ha. And that's one big thing that transformed within me. My interests. As I said, during high school days, most of my works are videos 'cause I'm more interested in editing videos rather than editing photos. And when I stepped into college, and met our awesome professors my interest suddenly shifted to photo-editing. Maybe because Photoshop was introduced to me, and I love it! But now that I'm in my second year of college, my interest shifted to photography. Every little thing is indeed transforming, and we can never stop that. Every little thing in me changed or let's say, transformed, and even I can't stop it. And most of the time, I can hardly notice it. But that's life. Nothing is permanent. Change is essential and part of our everyday lives.   What matters most is the way we react about it, the way we treat changes in our lives, and how we can find good things in it. Let's embrace changes and live with it. Oh, and they say change, I say, self-transformation.

A Change for Good to be the Best

Changes. Adjustments. Conversions. Developments. Evolution. Shifting. Transitions. Such words might be bare but bear great definitions. Definitions that one can't easily comprehend but is essential in our lives. We may think that if we're happy and contented to what we are now, everything should just stop and stay as is, but we are all subject to change, which is a very impossible thing to stop. Like for instance, the programs we use, different versions emerge just as immediately, it's even hard to catch up with them. 

One example of those programs/software is this Adobe Bridge. It's a file manager that has different features and options that you can use. It's very useful in organizing and keeping files securely. Of course, when you're used to windows explorer, you'll be alienated here in Adobe Bridge. Everything is different, there are so many options, tools to use and if you won't familiarize yourself from them, well, good luck managing your files. At first, I found this very complicated and just a waste of time. But when our discussion about this grows deeper, my understanding widens and it made me interested and thrilled to use Adobe Bridge. I learned a lot from my classmates about this and it's really cool and fun to use. It's very useful especially to photographers, photo editors, and video editors for its specialist in organizing, labeling and rating of files. It's also easier to preview files using Bridge 'cause it can preview videos and Adobe file formats. It'll be easier to determine your files.

Adjusting is really hard but we badly need it to catch up to the raging modern world. We need changes as much as how hard it may be. Transitions are part of our lives that open doors to new opportunities. Knowing such software gives us the power to manage our files wisely and securely. Aside from its wonderful features, it's a time-saving software, because it's easier to search for files and filtering them using keywords and collections. There are so many advantages in using Bridge and let's maximize its use. It may be a very big change but it's a change for good to be the best! 

References:

Icon Archive

DeviantArt

Turning Dreams into Reality

Being a first year college student in a new course (new course, as in a developing course), catching up is hard. There's not an assurance that this course will progress or thrive in the near future. But on the other hand, you still have an "emergency option" in case you think this course doesn't fit you: SHIFT and engage to another course that will lead you to the pavement of success. As a freshman, it's not so bad to still be confused of your course, but being in a second year of enduring the same course, well, it appears you're pretty sure of the path that you're taking, or else everything will only be a waste.

During my first year in MMA, I'm clinging to this hope that I'm on the right track, that this is what I wanted, that I'll be good in this course. Well, it didn't stop with the hope itself, I did everything I can to meet this course's requirements. Trying hard to convince myself that I can do this and that it'll be okay, not knowing that the only way to survive this course is to be yourself. Take it seriously but at the same time, enjoy it, think of it as a hobby, and you'll never get bored or be really burdened. As long as you love what you're doing and you're enjoying it, you won't have big problems. Eventually, you'll get used to it. 10 months in college life, and I think I'm used to it. With crazy seniors and classmates beside you, I don't think there would be a reason not to enjoy this course!

Good thing I learned from my 10 months of studying as an MMA student lots of ways and principles in editing, I'd used it during my vacation to help my brother in his business. Actually, the day after my final examination last semester, my brother instantly asked me to help him and it took me almost a month helping him. Well, though I didn't really enjoy my vacation for I'm stuck in my brother's house editing day and night, non-stop, unlike the usual that my sisters and I would go places to have fun and rest, I didn't regret helping him, because it caused me to help myself as well. Aside from having additional allowance, I gained experience and at the same time, learned more from him right then and there. He taught me principles that I hadn't learned yet from school, and I used the principles I learned from school to his business. It's a tiring, stressful and yet a wonderful and worthwhile experience. After that experience, it dawned on me that this is it! I'm on the right track and I knew from then on that I'll progress through this.

Now that I'm on my second year of taking up Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts, I'm pretty sure that this is what I want, and that I'll do my best to thrive in this course. There's no turning back and there's no other way to progress in this course but to do your best, study hard, heed to others' counsel and apply whatever it is that you've learned. Before, I thought it'll be hard on me to accomplish whatever our seniors, the third year MMA students now, had already accomplished, but when I looked back on our previous projects as freshmen, I was amazed and surprised like, "can we really have done that?!" Accomplishing something so great by yourselves is merely a dream to me back then, but now little by little, I'm starting to reach and turn that dream into reality. Now, for me, MMA is a new but raging course. Things might get tough but worth the risk. I know that this course will expand to its widest and will influence not just us, the students, but all other people around the world. 

Blog #9: Today's Art

                         Contemporary art as said by Shelley Esaak, "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes" (http://arthistory.about.com/od/current_contemporary_art/f/what_is.htm), in simple words, it is the arts today. It ranges from 1960's, after the world war II, up until today. Contemporary art may occur right after the World War II, but it's not a reason for art to vanish. In fact, it even inspired many artists back then to pursue art and make it even better. Expressions were then, shown through art. Feelings that were not noticed before are now very noticeable and impressive.

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                         New set of styles emerged and art definitely became open to all. What I like most about contemporary art is that, it extends up until now wherein anyone can be his own artist, it has no limitations, as long as you can create a masterpiece, it's an art. However, nowadays, even the unintentional art is really impressive and could really leave impressions to the viewers.

photo-to-painting

                          Contemporary art doesn't only cover still arts. It covers all kinds of arts, even Multimedia arts. It covers, paintings, architectures, sculptures, photos, videos, animations, music, and even performing arts such as, dancing, singing, poetry, plays, and many more. Art is no longer limited. Anyone can already express himself in any ways he may prefer to. And any form of art it may be, no one can ever question it, for art is art, everything depends on the artist and the viewer in different perspectives. The artist may mean this thing but the viewer would think and interpret differently, that's art! It's unpredictable. Flexible. 

                           Even children, with their young age can have their own art. And later on can be developed. Actually, artists start at a very little age and then will be enhanced if it's practiced. Parents might interpret their children's doodles to be annoying and just a burden for them that need to be cleaned, but little did they know that it's their own art. Because of Abstractionism, just a drip of paint or ink-blots are already considered art. Emotions are really hard to express through words, and even through visual arts, but with the help of abstractionism, everything is now possible.

                            Even a student like I, can already be an artist in any way I could, just like the above photo that I transformed into a painting. Well that's art! It's unstoppable and even extending to its widest. Express things through art, it's the easiest way if you prefer to express things without using your mouth. Well, that's contemporary art! That's TODAY'S ART! :)

(you can view my article about my photo-to-painting art here: mlbelen.wordpress)

Blog #8: All is movement, all is sensation. Dynamism.

                        The 8th group's topic is the 20th Century Art. Apart from modern art, 20th Century art put aside the traditions of the past in a spirit of experimentation. They started a world of experiments. They created new ways of seeing things in an artistic way. This is the era where the advent of Abstractionism took place. 

                        20th Century art consists of many styles, and among those styles, Futurism is what I like the most, for it follows a principle called, "Dynamism". According to their report, dynamism, "defined as the theory that force or energy is the basic principle of all phenomena. All is movement all is sensation." From the word itself, dynamic, full of energy. Here's an example of dynamism, The Street Light by Giacomo Balla:

The Street Light

by: Giacomo Balla

                         For Giacomo Balla, dynamism is more important than the subject matter, the movement is more important than the thing itself. In this painting, it shows that the subject is in constant movement, and that leads you to see the movement, not the subject. That's how artists of futurism see things, remarkable. Creating a masterpiece as that is really difficult to achieve, you'll need a richer imagination to see things as that.

                         As an aspiring artist, such a work as that is one of my goals to attain someday. To see things in a different way ordinary people could. To develop a richer imagination, see things in an artistic way, where "all is movement, all is sensation." (8th group)