By Vanessa Therese Ledesma, BACOMM, The Centralian Link Intern

Centralian filmmakers gather at the American Corner, 3rd Floor of the Henry Luce Library at the conclusion of the SIGRAB Film Festival Day 2 workshops on March 7, 2026.

The SIGRAB Film Festival continued its series of activities with Day 2 workshops held on March 7, 2026, offering Centralian filmmakers training in acting, editing, and directing through simultaneous sessions across the campus. Three workshops were conducted in the morning: the Acting Workshop led by Director Nathan Sotto at Senior High School Room 109, the Editing Workshop facilitated by Director Raymund Salao at Senior High School Room 110, and the Production Design and Directing Workshop conducted by Director Daniel Dela Cruz at the Henry Luce Library 3rd Floor American Corner.

In the Acting Workshop, Sotto guided student actors preparing for the upcoming festival. He emphasized the importance of imagination in acting, stating that actors must be able to use their creativity to bring scenes to life. Participants were introduced to the Meisner technique, where they practiced mirroring and repetition exercises to improve their responsiveness and authenticity in performance.

Meanwhile, in the Editing Workshop, Salao focused on developing the analytical skills of participants. He highlighted that editing involves more than technical work, explaining that it requires understanding and interpreting scenes to effectively convey meaning in a film.

At the Production Design and Directing Workshop, Dela Cruz delivered a lecture on production design and conducted a directing masterclass. He emphasized collaboration in filmmaking, sharing that “filmmaking is community-building,” and encouraged students to value teamwork in creating visual stories.

The Editing Workshop concluded at midday, while the Acting Workshop continued into the afternoon, allowing participants to further engage in acting exercises and activities.

In the afternoon session, Dela Cruz led a film pitching, critique, and feedback session, where participants from 11 colleges presented their film concepts. He coached students on how to clearly communicate their ideas, present their storylines, and gain support for their projects.

The event was also attended by representatives from the FDCP-Academic Film Society, Mr. Nico Yulo and Ms. Lemor Sobrevega, who joined in support of the student filmmakers.

Through these series of workshops, the participants gained knowledge and skills in different aspects of filmmaking, helping them prepare for the upcoming SIGRAB Film Festival this April 2026. The 2-day Workshop empowered Centralian filmmakers to tell stories with an impact and bring their visions to life.