Kokey @ Ako!

Day 21 - September 15, 2010

Week 8

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MY LAST WEEK AT CCD!

Today marks the very first press conference that I am able attend because finally my schedule permitted me to do so. KOKEY @ Ako is latest prime time offering of ABS-CBN. Its press conference lasted from 12:00 noon until around 3:00 in the afternoon. It was fun and exciting because of the freebies that we had to organize just before the press con starts. I also enjoyed the company of my co-interns and bosses as we all work together to accommodate the press. I was also able to have my picture taken with Melason whom I really adore. All in all, the press con was a blast! However, I regret the fact that it’s going to serve as my first and last press con as a Corp Comm intern. :

But on a lighter note, here are some pictures that were taken from the said press con (courtesy of Faye and Clara):

At the end of the day, I have learned the nature of press conference, the tasks it require and its purpose.

Dos Litratistas: A Camera Club

Day 19 - September 08, 2010

Week 7

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I never thought that in a diverse environment like that of work, I would finf people who are united with their common hobbies and goals in life; to an extent of organizing a club that would satisfy their interests. For the week, I was busy with interviewing the core members of Dos Litratistas - a group of photography enthusiasts. I was told to write an article about the said group and their latest activities. I had fun writing the article though because I remember vividly the laughters that my interviewees shared with each other. I really felt their happiness as they recount their experiences on their “Travelography” or Travel Photography which I actually wrote about.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE FULL ARTICLE.

P.S. After realizing that I was stuck with the view of my desk's wall, here I am roaming around the ABS-CBN corridors and talking with people I just met for an interview. :D

The Infamous Wall :D

DAY 16 – August 18, 2010

Week 6
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Just the usual week at the PR Department...until I realized something.

Notice the posters on the wall :)

Introducing the "infamous wall" that has been my companion at the PR Dept. while I'm working on my computer for various press releases, activity reports, issues of the day, and articles. This is where I stare blankly when I am starting to feel hungry, or if I can't seem to think properly. Just so you know, this wall "design" was made by my immediate boss who has an ardent love for his Alma Mater (UST) and celebrities. I can still remember myself looking at Angel Locsin's poster on a lazy afternoon, thinking of ways that can help me achieve her sexy figure. Or perhaps imagining myself beside Sam Milby and even recounting where I saw Charlie Green perform live in the middle of an article deadline. :

Apparently, this wall did save me from sleeping at my desk. This wall did entertain me in one way or another. And yes, this wall is worth posting for the highlight of my week. Imagine that! :D

Kwentuhang Pets at Iba.

For my radio internship, I was assigned to work under the supervision of Prof. Mel Estonilo. On the first day of our meeting, she discussed to me how my internship will go. I was surprised to find out that all I need to do was to complete the necessary materials for the program and I'm done. It sounded pretty easy. But when I was actually doing the tasks it entail, I realized it is not.

I familiarized myself first with the nature of the program. This required me to set a meeting with Prof. Khrysta Rara who was the one behind the inception of the then "Pets program". Apparently, Ma'am Rara is an advocate for animal rights and is in fact a writer for a magazine advocating the same cause. After our initial conversation, I was inspired to start the work. I immediately wrote the script and downloaded some audio materials.

I thought it was a bit easy with the flow and progress of my work, but there came the criticisms I have to meet. Ma'am Mel suggested some alternative female voices to do the dubbing. I responded to it immediately but it was quite demanding as we also need to meet the deadline for the airing of the show. In this experience, I was able to make use of my organizational skills with the cooperation of some BC friends who aggreed to be my voice talents.

At the end of the day, despite the numerous reservations for the recording booth here and there, the final screening ended up positively. Then just when I am about to complain, my radio internship is done! :D What can I say, hard work really does pay-off. :D

The Fleeting Realm of Sound

Week 1 and 2

With TV gone it's Radio's turn. At my first week at DZUP my fellow interns and I met with Sir Edgie Uyanguren to have an orientation. So we got to know the rules and regulations as well as have our assignments. Unfortunately 3 of us weren't given assignments yet on that day but after a few days they informed me that I was to be under Sir Edgie himself for the pre-production of NCTS' upcoming show.

After a few days the three interns under Sir Edgie met with him as he discussed the goals of each of our assigned programs. I was to attend a meeting with Dr. Regidor, the director for NCTS to discuss their proposal for their show. Unfortunately Sir Edgie, who was supposed to be at the meeting as well,couldn't come. During the meeting Dr. Montalbo, one of the three hosts, was aslo present. The three of us discussed their concepts for their show and I explained to them the production side of things. They decided to name their show "Wang-wang ng Bayan". My assignment is to coordinate with them when it comes to all the pre-production aspects such as the contract signing, their rehearsal and the creation of their OBB/CBB and audio plug. After informing Sir Edgie about the minutes of the meeting, he told me to start producing the OBB/CBB and audio plug. He also asked me to coordinate with NCTS to settle a date for the contract signing and the rehearsal of their hosts.

Grand Kapamilya Negosyo Fair, Saturday, August 14, 2010

I was really excited to go to the fair cause I knew that there were going to be a lot of freebies and stuff. We had the Rated K kantahan which was really benta sa masa. As in sobrang daming gustong kumanta kasi namimigay ng payong na may Rated K logo, also slippers, tshirts and VDCs. Charm and I were tasked to operate the videoke machine and list down the names of the people who wanted to sing for the free price and since there was no fee in singing, a lot of people wanted to sing. Most of them wanted to get the umbrella and the tshirt. So for you to have an idea kung gaano kadami ang tao sa booth namin(proud!), here are our pictures. :) Bonnie and Kevin hosted the events and they were really good at it. It was a totally fun experience for the people. This is meant to promote our show and of course to also be able to help others in giving. We ended at 7 in the evening.

This is how our booth looked like. There were really a lot of people who wanted to sing so that they could get prizes. Also one of the games was asking the people the title of the past episodes of Rated K. :))

These are our pictures together with the hosts Kevin and Bonnie and with ate April, one of the researchers of the program. Of course, we are wearing our free Rated K tshirt! :)) yay! Our meals were also free and we also got a chance to go around and look for really cool items. I got a camera necklace for myself.:)

Sagip Kapamilya or Grand Kapamilya Negosyo Fair? Friday, August 13, 2010

Today is Friday the 13th but I did not allow the "badluck date" to hinder me from helping in the packing of the giveaways for the fair. I have already set in my mind that this Friday, I will be staying until morning in ABS because I wanted to be able to visit other places. Fridays are shoot days so I knew that if I stayed there, I might be able to visit the studio, control rooms, etc. just like Charm did with ate April during our first week, and aside from that, I also wanted to spend time with the staff because most of them are really nice and they are already starting to reach out to us. :)

So today, Charm and I arrived at 1pm, after our class then we started cutting the labels, as what was told to us by ate Cecile. While we were doing the cutting, Ate Arma arrived and she said that she needed one of the OJT's to transcribe the interview of Korina and Mega, so I volunteered. Kulet accompanied me to the editing room where I was taught to operate something like a console or switcher but only that it was for editing. There was this knob that controls the reviews and forwards so it makes it easier to do the editing. However, I did not bring my laptop so I had to write the transcription, which to me was quite loser. Haha! I am actually planning to sell my laptop because it is really big and I cannot bring it to my workplace because my back aches when I carry something heavy. So it is quite inconvenient for me to have a heavy laptop. It defeats its purpose of being portable, due to my condition of scoliosis. So anyway, I am planning to sell it without my parents permission! :O I will try to start looking for buyers already. This is a decision that I am going to make by myself.

I had to go back to UP by 3pm because I had to attend my PI class. I got back there at around 8pm already because there were errands that I had to do. So when I got there, Jen was still there doing the cutting of the labels of kornik and I left my bag and asked Kuya Otep what I can do. He said that they were packing at the other room, so I went there to help.

It was like the time when we went to the Cubao expo and volunteered to pack for the victims of typhoon Ondoy, only that we were tying ribbons on slippers this time and not scotch tapes on carton beds. It felt good knowing that many people will be helped by the free and good-looking slippers. :)

After  a lot of tying and packing, we had a break. We ate yellow cab pizza and it was very yummy! Then Ewa asked me to go with him to the set. And I was really happy! Here is my picture at the set with Daddy Willard, also one of the staff or Rated K.

Korina was not yet there, she was only on her way but the staff told us that she didn't like new people on the set during the shoot so I wasn't really expecting that I will be able to watch the shoot. But I really want to experience it so maybe we can just hide somewhere so that Korina does not see us. Haha!

Then Ewa and I went to the control room where the director sits. The switcher in the control room was really complicated with a lot of buttons and colors, there were also about 10 monitors in the room. The place was carpeted and it was really comfortable there, of course, it is the director's workplace. Kuya Don, the VTR man let me operate the switcher after he taught me of its functions, then I pressed a couple of buttons and did some transitions. It must take a lot of training to be a technical director, having to operate such a big, colorful and complicated console.  Just to give you an idea of how it looks like, here are some of the pictures that I took with my handy dandy camera phone.

                   

                        

After going to the control room, Ewa and I went back to the office and finally, they were done with the packing. Some of them were staying to wait for the t-shirts and tie ribbons on them. It actually looked like Christmas gifts because the ribbons were red. I had to go home because it was close to 1am. I actually had no idea how to go home and I was not planning to stay there until morning. Ate Hannah suggested that I take the taxi, and so thank God I was safely home so I could rest and be early for the fair the next day. :)

No. Of hours:7 hrs

Time in: 1:00, 8:00pm

Time out: 3:00, 1:00pm

Last Week TV Internship

This is my last week and I am really going to miss the office and the people in it. I can say that I am very lucky to be part of a team of such nice and creative people. In this last week I was tasked by my Executive Producer to find a study or a thesis that would tell how Filipino women gives importance to their hair. I wasn't able to find a study in particular for Filipinos but I was able to find a good book that discusses how women in general gives so much importance to their hair. In this task I learned that a current affairs program like 'The Correspondents' could really not survive without sponsors. And it is sad that these sponsors affects the content of the episodes that they are producing. This is a reality that is a bit hard to face being confined in a mostly ideal world of media as taught in school.

Aside from that I was also tasked to contact Ms. Assunta de Rossi to set a schedule for an interview and a shoot for her sitners. In fairness to her she responds quickly but she admits that she don't have anymore work as an artist and she said that she could not have an interview in her house because it was 'makalat' haha! She admits that she is a couch potato and does nothing at home haha!

I was also tasked to transcribe and timecode for the Bingot and Family Planning episode. Although I was really lazy at doing transcriptions. I tried finishing the tapes since it was my last week haha! Well not really my last week at the office because they are asking me to go back to be a model for the next episode but yes this is my lastweek that I would record my internship hours! hehe

After my Executive Producer

evaluated me I had a photo session

with my Executive Producer and the

researchers and Segment Producer of

'The Correspondents'.

I'm happy that I was able to finish my internship both in TV and radio but I am also sad because I would really miss my bosses and the people I met in ABS. Before going home I accidentally bumped into Bea Alonzo who was taping for Magkaribal near our office haha! So I took a picture with her before I left. :)

First week in Rated K :)

First week: August 2- August 6, 2010

I was only given simple tasks for this week like delivering and labelling tapes, assisting PAs/Researchers in doing their assignments, attending meetings and taking note of significant topic points, and organizing production materials and files. I won't elaborate on the tasks anymore because I believe that what's more important to share are the values and realizations I've had.

I’ve accomplished 31 hours already but honestly, half of it were spent in the office observing. There was one time that I got so bored I took out a novel and read it. The writer asked me about the book blahblahblah, to make the long story short, after it I felt kinda shy that I was like enjoying my time reading while they are so effin' busy haha. So I just decided to take the initiative and do something, help myself learn something. I looked out for some scripts, opened file cabinets, read concept papers etc. Doing nothing seems boring really, but generally I cannot say that my first week experience was dull. It was the contrary, because I’ve learned to make use of the hours spent in the office in observing how people work, the values they have, how they manage getting things done under pressure etc. I’ve realized so many things by just observing them, to the point that I even questioned myself, do I really want to work in this place where people are almost always carrying that don’t-talk-to-me-i’m-so-stressed-out look?

Everyone is so dead serious about work especially during 3pm onwards. After my third day, I’ve realized that it’s better to just enter the office and not greet anyone, than greet and be a total distraction haha

Though I was only given simple tasks, which anyone could probably master in hours, I’ve had significant learnings from my first-week-experience.

1. It's very hard to work when you know that a strict boss like Korina can fire you anytime she wants if you do something that would really upset her. Passion is the key to survive. (BTW, it's thrilling to watch producers talk about strategies on how to maintain the no. 1 spot in the ratings. Every detail is scrutinized, from the music, the shots, to the cutting to the impact. Very competitive, i love it! )

2. Weaklings will not survive in this industry.

3. Give your BEST all the time.

4. No matter what tasks I’m given, no matter how little or insignificant the tasks may seem, I can learn from it if I choose to. Learning is a choice and when you choose to learn rather than rant, everything will fall smoothly in its rightful places, everything will make perfect sense. :D

ABS-CBN Corp Comm (Week 9)

Today was my pseudo-last day of OJT—pseudo because I still have to return next week to present a PR plan for Studio 23. The PR plan thefinal requirement for the ojt program of ABS-CBN’s PR Department.

After I did today’s “Issues of the Day,” Ms. Christelle made me write the press release for the Sept. 19 episode of Us Girls and the press release to be included in the media kit for Alyna’s press launch. Alyna is one of the newest afternoon dramas of ABS-CBN.

At 12 noon, Ms. Christelle, Sir Jan and Sir Kane, together with us, the three interns that day (Rea, Allen, me) all went up to the restaurant at the 14th floor of ELJ Tower. This restaurant is where the press conferences of ABS-CBN usually take place. The press conference of Kokey was scheduled today.
We assisted in the registration booth and prepared the media kits for the press people. The press kits of the show were huge—a.k.a. contained a lot of freebies from sponsors. Members of the press are really lucky. Though their salaries are fairly low, at least they get a lot of freebies and money from the networks.

The press kits.

At the Kokey photo wall.

-- Clara Roxas

Why TV internship can be bitterly/overly SWEET: FIFTH WEEK

September 6 – September 12, 2010

SEPTEMBER 6 - ELEVENTH DAY

After 2 looooong weeks of not going to my internship coz of a lot of acad-related stuff that are acting as hindrances to my real happiness [especially THESIS (HAHAHA! Alam naaaaaa! =)))], FINALLY I WAS BACKKK!!! Today was the day I have been waiting for. Srsly, I really missed going to my internship. I really missed the atmosphere in GMA 7.

So at around 2pm, instead of going to the taping of Bubble Gang, I was sent to the taping of the first two episodes of Asar Talo. This is the newest game show of GMA 7 to be hosted by Mr. Edu Manzano. The mechanics of the game is simply to answer the questions correctly without getting mad or “pikon” and/or at least not get distracted by the harsh bantering of the audience. If the contestant is lucky, he/she would win the price money. Having said that, I don’t think I can handle being a contestant there. HAHAHA.

The Production Room

The audience after the taping of Asar Talo

Inside the studio, I just watched and observed the crew during the production proper. And every once in a while, I was asked to help out with a few light errand works and also to help out on the script and ID. And since there was nothing much to do, I was left awed by how the studio set was constructed. It was really something.

Well after being away for 2 weeks, it almost slipped my mind, of course one of the many perks of being in production is that you’ll be able to come across with different stars/celebrities in a very very close encounter. And for today, they were Joey Marquez and Ellen Adarna (the new star from Bubble Gang and also the “ANGEL” for this show). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see Edu Manzano at close. He was at his dressing room the whole time during breaks and the moment I was at the backstage of the set, he would already be on stage. Still, it was a GV day! Plus, 7 hours down! :D

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LAU QUIRIMIT

ABS-CBN Corp Comm (Week 8)

This week, aside from doing my usual routine of writing press releases and monitoring press clippings, I interviewed the owners of two of the food stalls within the ABS-CBN compound as Sir Kane assigned me to write an article featuring their best sellers. I also assisted in Sharon Cuneta's press conference. The press conference was for the launch of her two new shows, Sharon @ Home on the Lifestyle Channel and Pinoy Biggest Loser on ABS-CBN.

--Clara Roxas

ABS-CBN Corp Comm (Week 7)

As I mentioned in my previous posts, each PR writer prepares monthly PR Activity Reports for each show he or she handles, makes several copies of the reports and gives them to the shows' producers and unit heads. Last week, I was busy doing the compiling, double checking and photocopying of reports. This week, I personally delivered the PR Activity Reports of all the different shows that Ms. Christelle handles to their respective unit heads and/or producers.

It was an adventure! haha. I was able to go around the enitre ABS-CBN compound. I delivered the press releases to the ABS-CB Foundation office fronting Mother Ignacia st, to the busines unit heads in the upper floors of the ELJ Tower, to the programs acquisition team in the studio building, and to the news team in ABS-CBN's main bulding.

As I was routing the press releases, I couldn't help but notice the stark difference between the offices of the entertainment and news teams. The office of the entertainment or production teams is located at the 12th floor of the ELJ Tower. Their office is brand spanking new and high tech. With posh furnitures, LCD televisions everywhere, a large pantry that almost looks like a school canteen, their own lockers and board rooms, the production office seemed like heaven.

On the other hand, the news team's office, located at ABS-CBN's main building was so cramped. Their office was so small, considering that there are a lot of news and curent affairs shows on ABS-CBN. Their unit head had a cubicle, not a room. His cubicle was even smaller than Ms. Christelle's cubicle in the PR Depratment for pete's sake! I can't imagine how the current affairs people are able to work in that kind of office.

-- Clara Roxas

ABS-CBN Corp Comm (Week 6)

At the end of every month, all newspaper and online articles about the ABS-CBN programs are compiled by the PR Department. Each PR writer handles his own accounts (shows). The PR writers compile all the articles written about their accounts, summarizes a report about them (total media values, total PR values, etc), makes several copies of the PR Acticity Report and distributes them to the shows producers or business unit heads.

On an average, each PR writer should handle just 3 accounts. Here at ABS-CBN, their PR writers are overworked. Ms. Christelle alone handles 14 shows/channels-- PBB, Marthe Cecilia's Kristine, The Correspondents, I Survived, Kulilits, Us Girls, ABS-CBN Foundation, Twist & Shout, Panahon Ko 'To, Showtime, Pilipinas Got Talent, DZMM and ANC.

This week, Ms. Christelle asked to photocopy the PR activity reports since three PR Activity Reports per show are needed--one for the show's producer, one for the head of the unit where that show belongs to, and one for Corp Comm. As I was photocopying the reports, I noticed that some of the press releases I wrote during my first few weeks of OJT already got published. YAY! I felt all giddy as I photocopied my own copy of the press releases I wrote haha. Here are some of them:

Aside from writing press releases for The Correspondents, Us Girls and Kristine, and preparing the press kit for Kristine's launch press conference, my OJT hours this week was spent mostly finishing the PR Activity Reports.

--Clara Roxas

The Real Folk Blues

(Week 8)

My last week at GMA. Everyone was aware of this fact and so let slip some words of advice every now and then. My supervisors even asked when I'd be graduating and to make sure I check out if there are any vacancies in the department by then. Sir Jeff whipped out his camera and had the whole department together for a group picture which made me feel very touched. My last task for this week was to compile all the Title Cards that Sir Jeff uses/used in one tape and then write down the time codes of each title card afterwards so that whoever may need to use the T-cards wouldn't have a hard time finding each one. I did enjoy my stay at GMA although I know I could have learned so much more, nevertheless it was enriching I guess to have been able to learn the predecessor of today's editing softwares.

What Does the Future Hold

(Week 7)

Pretty much the same routine this week. I segmented I Love You and My Sassy Girl for Sir Rolly and certified some other shows. I also got to preview Deathrow for SNBO. Ma'am Rosyl is the one who likes to have me tag along with her sometimes when she has to go out the Department. She usually takes me to the Ingest room and the Library. The ingest room is where they have the edited tapes digitized and fit to transmit through the airwaves. The library is where all the tapes are stored so we borrow and return the master or edited tapes there. Jenina is my co-intern but she is under the administrative section of the Program Management Department while I am under the Editing section. Sometimes I help her out with her work, which primarily is paper work. There was this one time where I helped her sort out the rejected program proposals. She was with Ma'am Chari at that time, a UP Broad Comm. graduate so we got to chat and ask her questions. She told us her stories of when she worked as a researcher for I-Witness under Sandra Aguilnaldo. There are other UP graduates in the Department as well and while I talk to them I just have to wonder where I will be after I graduate. It's a nerve wracking thought but definitely something to look forward to as well.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

10TH WEEK

SATURDAY IS INTERNSHIP DAY
August 28, 2010.


Agenda: BLACK BOOK SHOOT AT MANILA HOTEL

But wait… there’s more, as I arrived at Lifestyle Network which is located at 8th floor of ELJ Bldg., I was asked to bring down thick styrofoams at the Dressing Room located at the 2nd floor of the bldg. And then I was asked to eat my lunch first… And then after that I was asked to buy 3 bottles of 2-liter COKE and a big sachet of coffee creamer. Imagine? I was holding a heavy plastic bag under the heat of the blazing sun rays and had to go back to the second floor to give it to the Personal Assistant of the shoot. Then after that, I was asked to go to Baluarte to get the receipt of the breakfast of the hosts and the crew of the morning shoot at the studio and tasked to do the accounting of all the expenses for the production.
I WAS AN ERRAND GIRL THAT DAY.


Around 3 PM, we left for Manila Hotel, went to Astoria Plaza to pick up the gown for the model and arrived at Manila Hotel around 5 PM. As we arrived there, I was told by the segment producer of the production to take pictures of the shoot for my internship’s documentation (ang bait nya, kei?).

I was really overwhelmed while we were there. So I took lotsa pictures before, during, and after the shoot. HAHAHA.














Around 6 PM, I was asked to pick up the food for dinner. (feel na feel ko naman daw dahil ako lang ang nasa van. :D)

The shoot ended at around 8 PM. I had fun on the shoot. I even had conversations with the segment producer, the personal assistant, and the cameramen. They’ve talked about their work, their experiences and life stories.  So I really really had fun that day! :D


P.S
BALIK SA REALIDAD. As we were on our way to Astoria Plaza to return the gown of the model, I was asked by the PM to accompany the segment producer to return the gown. AND THIS IS THE THING. I couldn’t open the door of the van and the PM said “KAYA MO NA YAN” while looking at me without offering ANY HELP to open the door.HMMM.. MEAN.


Good thing that the SP helped me open the door. And as we arrived at ELJ building, I was holding three paperbags with perfumes, make-ups, external hardrive for around 30-45 minutes while waiting for the PM to end the call she’s made. And walaaahh! I had to go back to 8th floor to return those stuff in the cubicle.  WHOO! WHAT A DAY!





SEPTEMBER 4, 2010

8:55 AM. I was there at LN waiting for the coordinator because she's set our meet at 9 AM. And guess what? NOBODY WAS THERE IN THE OFFICE. I just got text messages from the coordinator on what I was supposed to do--- find the laptop, find the EHD, connect it to the laptop, segment video clips of shoots, and convert them to MP3. Whoooohhh! Good thing that Kim and Icee arrived as well.

WE WERE CONVERTING AND SEGMENTING FILES FOR ALMOST A DAY.

And I was the last person from our department who went home because I was waiting for the files to be converted.
I WAS THERE FOR ALMOST 12 HOURS.

I’m really having fun on the production per se but what I find abusive is the fact that they give us work loads with DEADLINES (okay lang sana kung credited eh) to be transcribed and make shot lists of these video clips without crediting the hours spent doing that.

I find it UNFAIR on our part as interns because as much as we want to finish our internship as soon as possible, we can’t.

We’re not just interns spending this semester for internship.

We’re also students enrolled in other classes which have requirements to be submitted on time.


And the thing is I’ve learned that they get paid for these EXTRA WORK LOADS that they pass on to the interns..
GRRRR. :|


OH WELL, THAT’S LIFE. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.