Sparked by the #8thSDP

The 8^th Sining del Pilar, an exposition of mass communication related research papers, audio and audio-visual works of the undergraduates, masteral and doctoral scholars of the UP College of Mass Communication held 20-22 March 2018 at the UP Diliman Media Center TV Studio sparked the desire for more learnings.

Now on its 8^th year, the college presents to the academic community pre-selected works of students to a body for further “refereeing” and enhancement. Screened initially by the professors from the current and past semester classes, then further refereed at the college level by a committee, the venue serves as an avenue to further criticize the works to an open body. Criticism as endorsed by Professor Eulalio R. Guieb III, head convenor of the #8thSDP is an interrogation, asking to celebrate and "a challenge to the silences."

35 papers grouped into 11 paper blocks, 13 audio-visual works and 15 audio productions were presented in the 3-day annual conference, staged, managed, hosted and executed by UP CMC students with the guidance of the faculty.

At the end of the paper block presentations, an invited critic who is deemed as an academic authority on the field reacts and provides inputs giving a more solid broader perspective to the study strengthening the researchers’ arguments.

Papers presented mainly from the master and doctoral classes use the structure of a research paper from objectives, theoretical framework, methodology, findings and implications, researches based on the current decades’ socio and political phenomenal gaining traction from the millennial leading to the evolution of new forms and use of media.

Topics like fandom, digital age, war and video games, social media transhuman, morphing, sogies, social boxing, wedding videography, porno currencies, social media as satisfiers, transnational channels, current political milieu among others whetted the appetite triggering a move for further exploration.

Grabbed from the UP CMC Facebook wall

Critics added depth to the studies by providing logical, philosophical, political, historical references setting a pattern that threads the studies together. Starting with a prevailing or emerging sociological observation, an applicable social science theoretical framework, the resulting media development seen in the use of technology or social media, the studies, the faculty and critics’ inputs further showed how the chosen topics satisfy man’s need for social interaction and their implication to man’s journey to perfection. While a number of the studies are partial studies and works in progress, the promise of contributing to a wealth of academic studies on emerging research developments have been jump-started.

The organized staging of the conference provided a set-up to chew the number and diversity of topics into digestible form. Abstract of the papers issued in advance, credible and inquisitive faculty members, expertise of the critics and the availability of various social media touchpoints as Facebook, Twitter, DZUP made the learning experience dynamic, light and productive.

Sining del Pilar is treasure available for free to anyone hungry for knowledge. The ideas the conference sparked could be the game changers for the forthcoming media scholars.

2018 theme of “Ituloy ang Kwento” is the college’s assurance that this institutionalized learning experience will continue to satisfy the sparked mind.

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