Not only considered as a geographical hub of trade and tourism, Cebu is fortunate to have become a haven for creative productions. And this is true especially that various activities support for creative outputs. In a number of occasions, I involve myself in artistic undertakings in what I consider as Cebu's pride in film and television productions.
Several instances that I brought my students for educational field trips, attended and participated in acting workshops and watched live theater-all these happened in this place which is also the start of my acting projects in film. Founded in 2004, the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) Cebu is a film school that delivers an educational experience that reflects Hollywood tradition and orientation.
It offers Certificate and Diploma programs that include significant amounts of hands-on practical experience under the care and guidance of recognized industry mentors. Voted as one of the best film schools in the world by the respected Hollywood Reporter, it has a specialized curriculum that combines theory with practical application under the mentorship of leading industry professionals. In addition to its finely tuned Certificate and Diploma programs in filmmaking, 3D animation, and the performing arts, IAFT often conducts various short-term workshops on topics such as film-making and acting.
Last February 28, 2015 was a convergence of creative minds when IAFT conducted "The Mystery and Design of the Art Department - a Production Design Workshop." This was facilitated by no less than an Emmy award winner Michael David Crenshaw.
Mr. Crenshaw has been pursuing his love of creative story telling for over 20 years. A production designer, fabricator, and artist, he is a long-standing member of United Scenic Artists 829 and the IBEW 98. He brings his unique style and love of teaching at IAFT Cebu. He teaches film producing, career development, film production management, art department integration and production design.
Most of the time Crenshaw can be found living and working outside Philadelphia and New York City, where his career has spanned most departments of film and television productions, as well as equity theater, concerts, sporting events, corporate theater and remote learning. Most recently, he stared in a Danish reality TV show. His career has also included multimedia startups, patented game designs, art installations, and interior design. In early 2010, he co-created the multi-city Sharp Mountain Film Festival.
Crenshaw's film credits include Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, Bad Summer with Adam Pally and Sarah Burns, McCanick starring David Morris, and both in front of and behind the camera of Yash Raj Film's New York. In 2010, he won Relativity Media's Big Break film contest for his designs in Sean Kirkpatrick's Cost of a Soul.
For years, Mr. Crenshaw has fallen in love with the Philippines and its people. In the workshop, the participants dissected the inner workings of a feature film art department and de-mystify the names and positions of a credit list. The workshop covered sub departments, work flow and how it all comes together. The participants observed examples of art direction from many different media sources and talked about framing and composition. Attendees then worked together in small groups to create and analyze one product object out of lego pieces based from a simple sketch. Representatives from each group explained the object from a visual perspective and its functionality.