i'm already done writing my essay for Sir Salandanan, the one where we have to narrate our OJT experience... don't ask, it was 5-pages long and i still have lots to tell but since he said that we limit our essay to five pages, i decided to cut my essay short... and here it goes:
Life in the Real World:
My OJT Experience
I had my first taste of work when I started my internship at Regal Entertainment, Inc. last May 09.
How did I get to Regal? This is how it goes…
I thought of having my internship at ABSCBN when I learned that my uncle’s friend is in there. But, well, that friend thought that it would better if I take my internship at Regal because he thought that he could more easily tell it to people there than in ABSCBN where he is to work as location manager. So, on one of his shooting days in Immaculate Concepcion Church in Cubao, he asked me to come so he could introduce me to “Regal people”, and then they said that I do not belong to field work since I am into writing/Journalism and so they want to put me to office work. So, I said yes, because, you see, it is already May and everybody in my class had started their internship at different newspapers, wire-agencies, etc. Then she said that I report to their office, which is at, 7th Floor Hanston Bldg. Emerald Ave. Ortigas Center Pasig City.
I must say that I didn’t get jealous or anything to people who made it to Inquirer, or Manila Bulletin or anywhere else. Why? Because I think I had the most enjoying OJT experience than anybody else in class.
Let me start by telling that my immediate supervisor is none other than the son of Julie Yap-Daza herself, Paul Daza. And he really is nice and the people were accommodating, we even share “yosi” moments every lunch break, or anytime that we can. They would just tap me on the shoulder and I already know what it means.
My first day of work was fine. I sat at the cubicle and Sir Paul gave me my first assignment--- to write a press release about Bearwin Meily and Tuesday Vargas for the movie, “Say That You Love Me”. I did that the whole day, since I don’t know them well; I had to search through the internet for information about them which will be the basis of my article. I submitted my article, four o’clock that day, and I was surprised when Sir Paul said that I can write well. He even joked that if I could write all of the four press releases that we would need for the press conference the following day. It was the first time that I heard somebody compliment my work, and it was such an unexplainable feeling.
So, the following day, while they were away for the press conference, I did what I was assigned to do, which was to do a research about the stars of Regal Film’s next movie, “Happily Ever After”. I did a research on Rainier Castillo, Yasmien Kurdi, Nadine Samonte, Tyron Perez, Dion Ignacio, Ahron Villena, Jade Lopez, Maxene Magalona, John Prats and Nash Aguas. And it was not easy doing all those researches, for I literally scanned the whole of the internet in the hope of coming up with what I think should be written on the press releases.
And then, just when I thought that I will be staying in the office for the whole of my internship, one of my supervisors, Ms. Gelay, asked me over lunch, if I wanted to do field work, and I said yes. So, on my second week of OJT, I had my first field work. I covered Jennylyn Mercado’s birthday celebration with the orphans at Dreamscape, Robinson’s Galleria. I was there along with our marketing manager, and MAQ Production’s, Roselle Monteverde-Teo, the daughter of Mother Lily, and I had lunch with them at Pancake House, Ms. Roselle’s treat. Then we proceeded to Alimall for Jen’s fan’s day. I would not be exaggerating if I say that the support of the fans was more than overwhelming.
Anyway, that following Monday, I did my first story. I said first story, because for the past two weeks of my OJT, all I did were press releases.
And that was just the start of my going into field work as I was also tasked to join them in mall shows, which is very enjoyable and so much fun. My first stop was SM Manila, where the activity area was situated at the 5th floor so we had a little of difficulty getting crowd that we had to “parade” our artists just so as people will know that they will be having a show there. Honestly, when i first got to journalism, all i thought was the gruesome world of covering police beats,etc... I never thought that my being a journalism student will bring me in front of these “artistas”, because I thought that it is not my line of work. But since I was tasked to do it, I did it nonetheless. So, last Saturday, after i was assigned to take care of the mall show in sm manila I had my taste of “real” work.
There I was... waiting for the stars to come... well, the dancers came early for the event and so, as the host... and then,Jake Cuenca arrived along Ms. Gelay (one of my practicum supervisors). I wasn't able to talk to him the whole time we were there, though my superiors kept telling me to talk to him so he won't get bored. But there I was... doing nothing but I’m constantly checking him backstage. After the SM Manila show, I got myself familiar with the dancers, not because of personal intentions but more because I need to since I will be left to take care of them in SM Centerpoint for the next tour. At Centerpoint, i got the chance to interview some of them until Jake arrived from his guesting in Startalk. And it was surprising that I had the guts to actually talk to him and Benj Pacia of StarStruck 2. What was so good about it was, that they're pretty nice to me because they know that I’m from the office. We did lots of picture-taking and lots of talk. That by the time they need to go after the show, Benj stopped to give all of us, staffs, a peck on the cheek (showbiz!)
Then, it was Sunday but I still have to be at work since we still have another show at SM Fairview. It was fun because this time we had Tuesday Vargas on the show, and I really must say that she is such a smart-looking person(talk about her being from UP). Anyway, the same show for SM Fairview except that we don't have Benj around. Then the following week we brought the show to SM Pampanga where the crowd was overwhelming. And last stop was Glorietta, the most organized of all our shows.
I did proofreading of articles before they were printed, wrote letters to sponsors, and review press releases before they were given out. And I even partly wrote an article exclusively for Ricky Lo for his column in Philippine Star. I went to press conferences where I met press people. I also get the chance to review the scripts of the movie yet to be shown as they are still shooting it. And make character sketches, and synopsis for those things. And I enjoyed reading and reviewing them. And at the same time surprised to see that an eighty-one page double-spaced script can be turned into a two and a half hour, full-length movie.
But the best experience was the premiere night, I was there, standing side by side with the hosts since I partly did the script. Though I wasn’t supposed to be doing it, I had no choice because it was my supervisors who literally, “pushed” me up to the stage because they thought that I could handle the show more efficiently if I, myself, would go up the stage. ( I can be an events organizer, if I don’t get the luck in journslism.) So, I was there face to face with the stars from GMA. And I can’t believe it my eyes that they were actually taking orders from me, all of them was waiting for my cue, it is me who tells them when they are needed onstage--- GMA Executives, Direk Mac Alejandre, Mother Lily, Ms. Roselle, and the artists as well.
And since I can’t get enough, even if I already finished my 120-hour internship, I still showed up at the office to go with them to events concerning the promo of the movie. I was there at their theater tour, where all, Nadine, Tyron and Megan was in the car with us, with no PA’s whatever. And they were nice to talk to. Now I can say that not all “artistas” talk non-sense.
So, there it was. And I must say that I enjoyed my stay at Regal Entertainment... I got to meet different people, go to different places and make lots of acquaitances. My only regret was that I could not get myself to “web design” work, and I really admire our web designer there. Never in my whole life did it occur to me that I’ll be working with "artistas", but, here I am still, working with them as I am working part-time for Regal Films, I just can’t get enough of my OJT experience that even if I will have to do it a hundred times, I will never get tired of it.
And who says that I didn’t get to write at Regal? Please visit www.regalfilms.com/saythatyouloveme, to see the press release article I did for Tuesday and Bearwin, and www.regalfilms.com/happilyeverafter, to read the character sketch that I did for the cast of the movie.
I learned so much from them, not only concerning writing but also with regards to dealing with people. Proof that I had the best OJT experience ever.
***
so, anyway, after that i did my assignment for literature. although i wasn't sure if i made the right thing. and i printed it out since my pc is already connected to the printer. thanks to whoever did it! ( by the way, yesterday, my pc wasn't connected to the printer so i had to email what i wanted to be printed to ate con, then she'll print it from her pc.) so, there.
then, i went to ultimate-guitar.com to check out the tabs that macmac was asking for... it was stay, i think from cueshe( i dunno how it spells!) anyway, i found it but i thought of printing it out some other time since i had already printed lots for my assignments today... so, there... people here at the office is now busy playing network games, all of them, well except for the accounting department and of course, ate con and me who is also busy blogging... so, i think i'll have to cut this short since my essay had already used much space... till next time!
Currently listening to: for all of my life-mymp
Currently feeling: sleepy
