Student film-makers win video production contest

Student film-makers from the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu) won a video production contest with the theme “Development in metropolitan Cebu” last June 25.

The Amateur Creative Thespians of UP or Act-UP’s minute-long entry that depicted the use of animated Lego blocks for a livable Cebu province reigned in “Interconnectedness and Compact” category of the contest sponsored by Mega Cebu at Cinema One in Ayala Center Cebu.

The team led by Ivo Lawrence Monterde, a senior Computer Science major, received a cash prize of P12,000 and a trophy. Act-UP’s mentor, Gregg Lloren of UP Cebu’s Arts and Humanities Cluster faculty received a P3,000 prize.

Act-UP’s video shows a model of metropolitan Cebu with wide open spaces, clear streets, ample greenery, proper zoning and places where people can play and relax amid modern infrastructure.

“At first, we wanted to show the different landmarks in Cebu, but we were not able to do that given the one-minute time constraint,” said Monterde, Act-UP’s chairman.

He said competitions like this enable Act-UP members to grow as film-makers.

Lloren said he did not have second thoughts about being involved in the project.

“This competition is important for us to be a part of the academic scene in Cebu,” said Lloren, who teaches courses in advertising, media production and the English language.

Act-UP also submitted an entry in the competition’s Green category where the award went to the University of San Jose-Recoletos. The school received the Viewer’s Choice Award after its video garnered the greatest number of likes on Facebook.

Other schools that participated in the contest were Saint Theresa’s College, University of Cebu, Benedicto College and the University of San Carlos.

The latter won the Cultural and Historic; Innovative, Creative and Competitive, and Integrated, Coordinated and Participative categories of the competition.