The 1st ever Film Academy of Pampanga

AMID the rainy weather last Monday, The Film Academy of Pampanga (TFAP) was successfully launched and attended by prominent Kapampangan personalities. It was spearheaded by its chairman Andy Alviz. During the launching, which was at the same time a seminar, a talk on indie-film production was conducted by none other than Cannes Film Festival Best Director Brillante Mendoza. The major component of the talk was Mendoza's proposal to create a TFAP committee composed of academicians from top universities in Pampanga, including the Holy Angel University and the University of the Assumption. This is to facilitate a selection body for a free scriptwriting workshop. The scriptwriting workshop is Mendoza's idea as TFAP's pioneering project, to look for young Kapampangan talents that are into filmmaking and scriptwriting. "I believe that every good filmmaker is a good story-teller. We need to teach aspiring film-makers how to write right and do things that are relevant to their culture and sensibilities," said Mendoza. The scriptwriting workshop will be a competitive workshop open to all Kapampangans aged 18 and above, students and out-of-school youth, or any Kapampangan who has a knack and passion for storytelling. The scriptwriting workshop will be conducted for free by the highly acclaimed screenplay writer Bing Lao. The workshop's location is actually sponsored by Tam Beltran, owner of The Promenade whom, together with Angie Hizon under OKMuisca, also sponsored the TFAP launching. Beltran's facility will house the revered Lao during his stay in Pampanga. Lao will teach 15 qualified students in Pampanga at the Glasshouse in King's Royal for 10 consecutive days. This is an intensive workshop where the final output will be submitted and one of them will be chosen. The winning story will have a chance to become a full-length film to be done by the man himself -- Mendoza -- a very rare opportunity for any amateur filmmaker. The Monday launching was presented with a film co-produced by TFAP played by Kapampangan theater actress Agnes Romero which was entitled "Manenaya". The film was directed by an internationally acclaimed director Richard Soriano Legaspi and Assistant Director and Carlos Palanca Awardee Seymour Barrios Sanches. The cinematographer was maverick photographer Ruston Banal. "I am very thankful that people who are experts in this are helping us eventhough they know for sure we don't have enough funding for it," stated Banal, co-founder of TFAP. On the other hand, Bor Ocampo, the actor who conceptualized the academy, believes that it is now the time to awaken the Kapampangans about urban stories which are very original and can be compared to stories that are world-class. "I hope that Kapampangans will appreciate this germinal idea. It is for all of us," Ocampo added. Present during the event were Teatru Ima at Arti members, business magnate Tess Laus, socialite Divine David Tulio, CKS chairman Robby Tantingco, City Tourism Officers of San Fernando and music composer Landlee Quiwa. The pioneering project will have its final output this coming November and it is hoped to be a very good head start for the academy.