Extraordinary Learning from Uncomparable Training

After almost an hour, I found myself standing nervously inside the huge building with the envelope seizing tightly in my side . The vast lobby was filled with people coming in and out of the building (you can easily notice that some were middle and upper class). It was simply decorated with well-designed decorations and stuffs,  devised with state-of –the-art facilities and engineered by innovative and modern technologies. I almost forgot what really is my busimess there so I remind myself. Yes. Im here to pass my requirements needed to accomplish and complete my 200 hr training.

            Funny, yes, but actually that’s the real scenario when I first set my foot on the colossal building of Eugenio Lopez Junior building or better known as ELJ Communications Center/ABS-CBN. Its not a question for me on how great that company is, so I really felt terrified with the idea that I will spend my time for training there. But I have to go on and perform well my duties and do everything what my supervisor will ask me to do with the best of my effort because there is no turning back.

            I was assigned in the Marketing-Events department of Creative Programs Inc (CPI) which ofcourse deals with the events that the program is holding. Myx, Cinema One, Balls, TVn, Hero, Lifestyle, Velvet, ANC, DZMM and FOX are some of the channels manage by the department.

            My first week seemed to be busy because there was an event for Metro magazine. It was a fashion show event held at Shangri-la hotel. It was fun, exciting and really,  an extravagant experience. Call time was 6 am which I understood after seeing the loot bags and various products given by awesome and generous endorsers. The team needed to atleast pack 700 loot bags with the products inside it to be given to the guests. Its quite a strenuous task given that we were outnumbered in the group. Thanks to my co-intern Venus and helpers Kuya Lenard, Rogelio and  Rian, we made it earlier before the expected time.

            The second event was the Cinema One Originals judging and awards night which took one whole week. During the awards night ,(which was held at Dolphy theater)  we felt terribly awesome yet poignant because different artist and directors surrounded the area but the sad point is…we cant have our photo taken there because we might got punish or scold because we are not supposed to act like that. We were in the time of work and our supervisor was also there so we just kept it in ourselves.

            The next stimulating and time-consumning event was Myx Mo. Actually its tough because we really needed to work well and fast as we can, double our time and needed to extend our time in the office.

But that hardships worth it all after receiving our bonus of free 20 tickets which  I have given to my friends and classmates.

            During the month of December, the whole department got busy for the christmas presentations and decorations. Fortunately, our department had won the first place after the competition for decorating the area.

            My training period easily come to its end. As the expected end-date drew closer, I came to reminisce my remarkable moments I shaped  and formed there. I realized that every effort, time and hard work I exhibited were all valuable. Im happy that I gave my best during the internship period and that’s single idea I think is simple enough to say that my journey became a nice, exciting and great one. Trully, experience really gave you the absolute satisfaction after achieving it knowing you performed well to execute every duty/task succesfully. 

Where my heart belongs

The Logo

"Walang madali rito, lahat pinaghihirapan.”

Among those remarkable phrases I noted during my internship in Front Row, this line is definitely the most unforgettable. It’s simply because those words were proven as I witnessed how the people of GMA News and Public Affairs work. From Production Assistant, Researcher, Segment Producer, Executive Producer and among others, none of them perform their task easily. No doubt, GMA News is keeping its promise to produce programs that will give the public a true service.

Outside the GMA News and Public Affairs' Office.

Since we are not allowed to go outside GMA’s vicinity, our tasks revolve around our program’s cubicle. Basic office works were always on the list, like printing, photocopying and encoding. The hardest task I can consider is to search and propose topic/s for Front Row. Topics might be found everywhere but looking stories for an award-winning documentary program is not as easy as searching in google. It’s not just in one click because before you can come up with an approved topic, countless Hello’s are needed.

With PA's, Sir Adrian Manaois and Ma'am Ellen Lagat

Searching, calling, asking and hoping, these were the stages I encountered every time I’m proposing topic/s. In looking for possible topics, several factors should be considered. Like the basics in news, the 5W’s and 1H can also be used. What are your topics? Which of these topics are likely to be considered? When and where it happened, happens or will happen? Most importantly, Why does your topic should be chose and How your story will go? All of these questions were flashing in my mind every time I’m searching for possible topic/s. After choosing a topic, contact details are needed. The information can be used for possible case study/ies. During phone call, pre-interview was done. I need to raise the questions that possibly will ask during the actual interview in the shooting for the story. After that, if I was able to find possible case study, this will be proposed and all I can do is to hope that the executive producer will approve the topic. During the process of coming up with a topic, I talked and communicated to various kind of people, and through that way, my interpersonal communication was developed and my self-confidence was somehow boost. It’s hard to please everybody and every time I speak, I must bring huge amount of patience. Despite all these concerns and matters, at the end of the day, the best feeling is when the people around you know how to appreciate the efforts that you gave and be able to have an approved topic is just a bonus

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GMA Network

200 hours was not enough to tell that I’m ready to go in the real world, but my experience in GMA is already enough for me to prove that I made the right decision. When we asked to what show we want to be assigned and all my top choices like Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and I-Witness were picked by other interns, Front Row came into my senses. Why? I need to choose what I really love. I love documentaries and Front Row is not just a documentary show but an award-winning program. Also, the way the script of the show was done is quite the same to the way I write. In other words, the goal of Front Row was the same as my reason why I chose Journalism, to be the public’s instrument in letting them to witness the reality. 

-- Jessica B. Ayun

In Service..

“ At first it was a dream, and then I realized that I’m already stepping to its realm. ”

ABS-CBN Corporation. By the name itself, one may immediately think of a Well – RESPECTED Television Network, a company that had gone much productive years in serving Filipinos all over the globe, much more a station that had produced world-class entertainment, news and information programs that had spend years in airwaves and reach audiences not just in Philippines but globally.

Such words are so great that I’ve dreamt of having my Television internship in ABS-CBN. Not only an internship but also as my first working experience. And unexpectedly, I was assigned to its morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda.”

At first, it seems suicidal to rise up so early in the morning (around 3 am to be exact) and perform your duties as intern. But for the sake of school requirement and my passion to do so, I became used to the early routine while at the same time being mentally and physically alert to run errands from the stuff.

It was here when I got a vivid picture of how a live show works. I’ve seen how staffs (being not visible in front of the cameras) are very essential to run the show. When being viewed in the television, hosts look organized and presentable. But behind the camera, staff and crews are cramming up so bad, preparing and organizing every details of their segment before the airing time. Through them, I’ve learned how to give your very best in your assigned work. Because in live shows, once the camera rolled on, what you presented will be as it is. No chances of turning back hence, there must be no room for errors. I’ve seen how each Segment Producers of the UKG show perseveres to produce qualitative and entertaining gaps for the viewers – starting from the conceptualizing, executing through gathering sources and contacts, up to the airing proper of their segment.

Learning does not just squeeze in the four corners of the room, because there’s a lot more outside. Likewise, my internship experience was filled with outdoor activities. I’ve reached various places and cover unique and interesting stories for the show. I’ve met different people and interact with them. Such experience allowed me to extend more my circle and absorb new learning to deal with.

During my first internship at a newspaper publication, works are concentrated in crafting and furnishing information before it was published. In other words, there may be a bit longer preparation to finish your work before the deadline. In television, I got the chance to see on-the-spot activities like editing scripts/spiels and gathering people for your segment.  So cramming as it is, but once you get done with your segment, there can be no other sweeter feeling than of relieve after.

And what constitutes more my internship experience to be so exciting is meeting some celebrities. I was lucky enough to interview the much-sought after teenage couple KathNiel ( Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla ), too bad I get too shy to have a picture with them. Anyway, the experience is so rare and I’m proud of it. Also, I got the chance to see SHOWTIME hosts and many more celebrities especially when they guests in our show.

With Julia Montes

With Vhong Navarro

With Bryan Termulo

With Coco Martin's KALOKA-LIKE

With Angel Locsin

Woahhh.. I can’t pick much word to describe more the experience. It’s so fulfilling and unforgettable that I even exceed in the number of hours required for internship. For now, I’m starting to composed myself – of preparing for application in this station. I must say that I’m still young and new to this world. There are a lot more lessons, more people to deal with, and more complications as I stepped in this realm of my chosen profession. It may have been four years of studying but it is truly different when you venture in the actual world of media and television – especially in news. But what I must be proud for now is my tough hold on the journalistic ethics taught by my professors and instilled by some media practitioners I’ve interact with. I can say that I’m an aspiring journalist void of wrong doings, pure of good intentions and guided with clear conscience in service of humanity. 

DREAMS

It’s nonetheless but a blessing…

These words are always running on my mind as I was seating for almost thirty minutes in the jeepney. Minutes of dust exposure and perhaps maximum decibels is experiencing by my ears during that time.

9’oclock in the morning is never an early time for a man striving for something-- this maybe the reason I used to see gentlemen in their longs sleeve while carrying attaché case looking afar and never been out of focus.  I was happy walking with those people; as if they were giving me lots of reason to move forward.

Only in my dreams to see those television personalities, to smile and make a nod, to exchange thoughts, and ride on an elevator with them, I never expect nor imagine that after a long thread of dreaming and praying, God will give me this wonderful opportunity.

News and Public Affairs Department has been my home for 28 days of training. Television personalities, regular employees, talents, actors and all GMA employees welcome us whole-heartedly. I can say that my entire stay is awesome!

But if there would be something I can call family during my training, of course this would be the Wish ko Lang family. Who definitely treat me so special, taught me different things in the industry, gave me several opportunities to enhance my potential and reach its maximum.

Wish Ko Lang family is nothing but a jolly team in the News and Public Affairs Department, despite of urgency in their job they never forget to throw jokes, greet each other and laugh as if it was a long day of relaxation. This attitude among them was adapted by me as they taught me to “be calm every time”.

Dedication in chosen profession is what they also engraved in me, burning passion to continue the race is the best mechanism on their job. This tends them never to give-up despite of the stress which been part of their job in the media industry.

I will never forget, the driving force of a researcher in continuing his job in Wish ko Lang, he said, “Masaya magtrabaho dito, nakikita mo ‘yung tuwa ng mga tao, marami kang mapapasaya”. I saw a spirit of empathy in him; his reason is not bounded on the matter of earning money but above all is the chance of serving people while in the duty.

From then on, my spirit was boost and search for more reason inside of me. I believed, it’s not only being touch of his statement but of being matured enough to know that the nature of mass media is not on money matters but more on service.

I never thought of this realization, from the beginning I’m just preparing myself on the difficult and stressful activities in the network, but it’s more than I got, it’s not about the knowledge nor learning or experience.

Other learning? Yes I have… I learned to handle different societal difficulty, I learned that all of these are given sympathy by the network but because of its countless numbers, they only tend to give chance to people with the most unfortunate situation.

Paper works, countless ex-change deals and production works has been the food of my core from the beginning of my training.  My skills of conversing with people I never know have been honed. Having an ex-change deal from Dakak beach resort for free resort accommodation for Wish Ko Lang episode made me float above the clouds.

My boss said, that I have done good job! But I believed it’s not about what I did, or what I had accomplished but more on how I improved. Improvements which are not solely based on skills but on the entire me; attitude towards work and to people around me.

Yes! It’s been a long tiring journey…. But all are worth it…. Priceless….

But better to state, it’s more of a blessing!

Ricca Joice D. Adrada