I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Graphika Manila International Multimedia Design Conference. My friend told me that it is one of the most influential and exciting arts events in the country. What made her Graphika Manila experience so exciting? Well, artists and designers from well-known agencies in different parts of the world gather to inspire professionals and aspirants in pursuing their dreams. Cool!
After hearing her experience in the event, I am looking forward to be part of it next year. I have learned a lot about the arts from that typical conversation. She told me that we are all artists in our own way. I was not convinced. For me, artists are born and not made. But then she told me that I need not to be as good as Michelangelo to appreciate arts. The fact that I can’t imagine life without colors is already considered art appreciation. Whether she just needs someone to have that same memorable Graphika Manila experience, that conversation made me realize that “arts’’ allows us to express our ideas in the most creative ways.
Who’s who?
Although I wasn’t able to attend the event last August, my friend’s story is good enough to convince me that Graphika Manila is overwhelmingly successful. I can imagine how excited she was to have a photo taken together with some of the industry’s well-known personalities. She mentioned excellent Filipino talents such JP Cuison, Christian San Jose, and Rob Cham. And how can I forget Joshua Smith, Gerald Ding, Bradley Munkowitz, and Sudeep Gohil? These award-winning and multi-talented geniuses are continuously making waves in the multimedia industry. If you are not familiar with them, let me give you a glimpse on why the event attracted more than 3,000 participants.
Psyop, a multi awarded company established in 2000 was represented by Gerald Ding, who believes that unique techniques and tailored approaches to every project make it successful. He is the mastermind behind the successful designs of Fanta, Wrigley’s, Converse, Bethany Consentino and Rostam Batmanglij, and Powerade for the Copa America.
The Graphika Manila experience was not complete without Bradley Munkowitz, the design director of Gmunk, who passionately conducts lectures and conferences in different parts of the globe. He visited Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Germany, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and the Philippines to share his knowledge and experiences in creating exemplary designs. At present, he works as the design director of international brands such as Buck, Transistor studios, Engine Design, and Prologue Films.
Further, Droga5 CEO, Sudeep Gohil also participated in the recently concluded event. Mr. Gohil’s passion, honesty, and genuine view on creativity are the secret of Prudential, Puma, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, Coca Cola, and Hennessy’s equally compelling designs.
Hydro74, otherwise known as Joshua Smith, believes that pushing boundaries is the key to creative excellence. His unique designs for international brands, such as Nike, Adidas, Lucas Films, Levis, and Harley Davidson are the results of his diversity and style tones.
The digital creative director of Deutsch LA, Jerome Austria has an amazing career transition as he was once a security guard, truck driver, cart collector, and finally advertising executive. He was recognized for his designs for Nike commercial featuring Rihanna and Volkswagen’s teaser, “The Bark Side.”
A highly recognized young talent, JP Cuison was also in the event. A graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication from the University of the Philippines, he represented the country in the prestigious Cannes Young Lions International Advertising Festival. His first solo exhibit, Gigzilla, proves his passion for non-advertising commitment.
Christian San Jose and Rob Cham are among the other Filipino prides who share their passion for the arts. They are part of the Create.PH team that crafts superior projects for the web. The studio also develops and maintains official websites and social media of high profile athletes, such as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins, and Usain Bolt.
My passion for the arts was revived in that conversation. I then asked her where to find the perfect place to hone my potentials so that I could pursue my dreams of becoming an “artist”. She told me that one of the country’s premier multimedia schools is CIIT, which offers courses in Graphic Design, Multimedia Arts, Software Engineering, Network Design, and the latest upcoming courses: 3D Animation and Game Development. I checked on their website and was amazed that we have a state-of-the-art school in the country that is affiliated with Anino Games, Wacom, and KLMU (Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College). I am really excited and looking forward to be part of this globally-recognized school. It’s really amazing how a simple talk about a Graphika Manila experience turned my dreams into reality.