REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Department of Education
DIVISION OF TARLAC PROVINCE
VICTORIA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
San Gavino, Victoria, Tarlac

UNIT III: MEDIA-BASED ARTS AND DESIGN IN THE PHILIPPINES

CONTENT STANDARDS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
The learner demonstrates understanding of… The learner…
1. Art elements and processes by synthesizing and applying 1. creates artworks using available media and natural
prior knowledge and skills. resources on local topics, issues, and concerns such as
2. New technologies that allow new expressions in the arts. environmental advocacies, ecotourism, and economic
and livelihood projects.

INTRODUCTION
The previous quarter provided an overview of the phenomenal capabilities and possibilities of the electronic or digital
media available in today’s technology- driven world. These have enabled amazingly innovative art forms to evolve far beyond
traditional painting, sculpture, and architecture. As quickly as technology is able to develop new devices, gadgets, and
techniques, modern artists and designers adapt them to enhance their creative expression.
In this quarter, the modern techniques and trends in photography, film, print media, digital media, and
product and industrial design will be explored. Most notably the talent, creativity, and quality workmanship of Filipino
artists and designers in all these fields will be recognized and celebrated. Not only have these brought Philippine artistry to the
world’s attention, but they have opened up an entire range of opportunities for young Filipinos to develop and apply these
talents—and earn a living while doing so.

A. PHOTOGRAPHY
➢ Came from the Greek word “photos” (meaning light) and “graphos” (meaning writing)—states this process
literally.
➢ In its early stages during the late 19th century, photography was viewed as a purely technical process, that of
recording visible images by light action on light-sensitive materials.
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.
✓ 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.
✓ 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
✓ 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.
Noteworthy Philippine Photographers
a. 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.
b. 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

B. FILM
➢ 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.
Cinema- successive still photos of a moving subject to be captured on a strip of film advancing through a single
camera.
 The French developed the “cinematographe,” a hand- cranked 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.

FILMMAKING
➢ 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.

a. 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.
b. Acting - was the art of acting for film.
c. Cinematography - 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.
d. 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.
e. 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.
Film Genres
a. Silent films with sound still unavailable, these films relied on purely visual comedy that audiences found
hilarious. Silent films starring Charlie Chaplin, and the “slapstick comedy” films of Buster Keaton and later
Laurel and Hardy.
b. Gangster movie genre
c. Horror Films
d. Fantasy Films
e. War and disaster films
f. Westerns or “cowboy movies”
g. Thrillers or suspense films
h. Historical or biographical films
i. Film epics
j. Film adaptations of literary classics
k. Futuristic or science fiction films (SciFi)
l. Special effects movies featuring live actors, animated characters, or live actors and animated characters
together.
m. Documentary films a non-fiction genre, were made using real-life footage as well as file materials, in many
cases to present an issue.
n. Art films (“indie” or independent films) a special genre 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.
a. Lino Brocka (Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, 1974; Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, 1975)
b. Mike de Leon (Itim, 1976; Sister Stella L, 1984; Bayaning 3rd World, 1999)
c. Ishmael Bernal (Himala, 1982), and Peque Gallaga (Oro, Plata, Mata, 1983)
Outstanding female directors
a. Laurice Guillen (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)).
b. Marilou Diaz Abaya (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 directors
a. 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).
b. 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.
 Animations
✓ Form of animated graphics that has replaced “stop-motion” animation of scale-model puppets or drawings.
(Computer generated Images or CGI).
✓ 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.
✓ Animahenasyon annual festival and competition featuring the works of Filipino animators.
✓ Philippine Animation Studio, Inc. (PASI) was established in 1991 and has since collaborated on numerous
animation projects and series with foreign partners.
✓ 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. Also
released in 2008 was Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia, said to be the country’s first all-digital full-length
animated feature film.
✓ the first Filipino full 3D- animated film RPG Metanoia.

C. Print Media
➢ Print media large-scale publications such as newspapers, magazines, journals, books of all kinds, as well as
smaller-scale posters, brochures, flyers, menus, and the like.
➢ And whether printed on paper or viewed on the web.

a. Advertising
These appear in newspapers, magazines, posters, brochures, and flyers each with their specific target
readerships and markets, and highly-specialized approaches for reaching these target groups.
Along with the advertising copywriters who provide the text for titles, taglines, and body copy, an
entire team of modern-day art professionals creates the look of each ad.
These range from art directors to photographers to graphic designers to illustrators. If the ad subject
requires it, the team may further include food and product stylists, fashion stylists, hair and makeup
artists, set and lighting designers. All for the purpose of creating an advertisement that will appear on
a printed page or in a format that will be handed out to potential customers.
b. Comic Books
Another field of print media that highlights the artistic gifts of Filipinos is that of comic books, or
komiks as they are referred to locally. The popularity of Philippine comics began in the 1920s when
Liwayway magazine started featuring comic strips, such as Mga Kabalbalan ni Kenkoy (The
Misadventures of Kenkoy) created by Tony Velasquez
Tony Velasquez the “Father of Filipino Comics.”

Famous Sample of Comic Books

a. Darna b. Captain Barbell c. Pilipino Komiks, Lapu-lapu Cover d. Tagalog Klasiks
e. Pugad Baboy

c. Book Design and Illustration

The field of book design and illustration.

d. Digital Media
This means that books that were originally available only in print are being gradually converted to
digital format, while new books are now conceptualized, written, designed, and illustrated
precisely for these online media.
This also means that the manner by which today’s readers can find, access, and enjoy these electronic
books (or ‘ebooks’) is via digital media tablets, ebook readers, and other handheld reading devices.
One such device that is available locally is the ebook reader called Kobo, which features international
as well as Philippine titles.

D. Innovation in Product and Industrial Design

➢ Product and industrial design as applied to furniture, lighting, and interior accessories.
➢ Fashion from haute couture to bridal ensembles to casual wear.

Filipino designers have risen to superstardom both locally and internationally

1. Kenneth Cobonpue
Cebu-based multi- awarded designer and the creative director of Hive, a design and manufacturing
facility for designers of interior accessories and lighting.
2. Monique Lhuillier
Also hailing from Cebu City, Filipina fashion designer Monique Lhuillier first rose to prominence for
her exquisite wedding gowns. But she has since become one of the darlings of the Hollywood
celebrity set, with several A-list stars having worn her couture creations to gala events and award
shows, as well as to their own weddings.
3. Josie Natori
Another name that has a prestigious place in the New York fashion industry is that of Josie Natori.
Filipino- American fashion designer creating lines of lingerie, resort and lounge wear, as well as semi-
formal and casual attire.
4. Rajo Laurel
Best known to the general public as a judge on the television series Project Runway Philippines, Rajo
Laurel is a much-admired Filipino fashion designer with a number of national and international
awards to his name. He trained at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and at Central Saint
Martin’s in London.
His creations maintain a Filipino sensibility, incorporating embroidery, beadwork, and hand-painted
prints, while also offering the prestige of limited edition pieces. Thus, he has gained a loyal local
following and the attention of the international market.
5. Lulu Tan Gan
Known for her fashionable knitwear lines since 1985, Lulu Tan-Gan had been dubbed “The Queen
of Knitwear” in the country.
That specialty has since evolved into a new hand-woven line, called Indigenous Couture, that blends
Philippine artisan crafts, fabrics, fibers, and other local materials with Tan- Gan’s signature
contemporary lifestyle dressing.
The designer’s vision is to encourage the use of stylized indigenous and traditional wear, as she draws
inspiration from the rich textile and embroidery traditions of the Philippines and interprets these in
modern styles and silhouettes. Further, each Tan-Gan creation is 95% hand-made hand-loomed
(knitted and woven) by Philippine artisans.
6. Dita Sandico-Ong
Another Philippine designer who has been advocating the use of local weaving techniques and natural
fibers is Dita Sandico-Ong. Known as the “Wrap Artiste” of the Philippines for her famous bold-
colored wraps, Sandico-Ong first experimented with the local weave of Ilocos Sur, known as inabel,
as well as with pineapple fibers blended with Irish linen, dubbed piñalino.
From there, she tried other local fibers, particularly abaca which she was introduced to by weaver and
entrepreneur Virgilio Apanti. Sandico-Ong has since been working with a multipurpose cooperative in
Catanduanes, training them in natural dye extraction and advanced weaving techniques for abaca.
Today, her collection includes wraps or panuelos, as well as boleros, jackets, and long tunics of
banana fiber and abaca. Her designs are presented in fashion shows around the world and are sold in
high-end shops in major international cities.

Prepared: Noted:

JIM BOY A. GAMIS JANE L. LUZON

MAPEH Teacher SSHT VI-MAPEH