Film Professor and Practitioner Jaig De Guzman Is Ready to Give Brands Their Newest A+ Film Campaigns

In 2021, Arcade Film Factory introduced their inaugural apprenticeship program which received over 200 reels and applications. After the founding directors combed through hundreds of applications, they only accepted four final apprentices or less than 3% of applications.

Jaig De Guzman, fresh from his master’s in Film from the USA, got word that an up-and-coming production company had just opened their first apprenticeship programme. He put together the work he’s done, and took a shot for the position. Little did he know that his doubts about his work didn’t matter, because the co-founders of Arcade already saw potential in his polished visuals and clean cinematography.

Since joining Arcade, he has directed a project for Globe, one of the biggest telcos in the country, Jaig helped them launch their #OwnTheFuture TikTok Challenge. And in the 2022 Philippine Elections, he led the second unit for filming a Leni-Kiko campaign film to round up young voters.

What’s the story of how you ended up joining Arcade?

I actually learned about the apprenticeship programme of Arcade from Direk Nick Santiago. In my opinion it was perfect timing because I was already graduating after taking my master's in Film, and it was exactly during that time that I heard about the opportunity.

I remember applying and learning that we were competing against other 180-200 applications. Then, the founding directors shortlisted 30 applicants for panel interviews. I also recall that night when I volunteered to be the first to be interviewed just to get my nervousness out of the way. Thankfully, I passed the interview but I was surprised it was just 4 of us who made it to the final cut!

The work you did that caught Arcade’s attention?

When I submitted my reel, I recall Jeorge and Nick told me that my work had excellent visuals and were polished, and that I had clean cinematography. They trusted from there that I could do narrative work and cinematography.

Jaig De Guzman’s Arcade Film Factory Apprenticeship Application

Your latest works with Arcade?

In the past year, I was able to do my directorial debut through the omnibus campaign of Globe Telecom’s #OwnTheFuture TikTok Challenge. I also helped out as a second unit director for the ‘Ito Ang Gusto Ko’ film we did for the Leni Kiko 2022 presidential campaign.

Globe ‘#OwnTheFuture’

Leni-Kiko 2022 Campaign ‘Ito Ang Gusto Ko’

‘Vintage’ 20s (Spec)

The work you want to see in your reels in the next 5 years?

A Kwentong Jollibee directorial stint is definitely on my list. Aside from that, I’d love to explore more into directing narrative, food, lifestyle, and beauty films, too.

READY FOR BATTLE

“Arcade started with a numerous established names in the production industry,” says Jeorge Agcaoili, president of Arcade Film Factory, “and even cultivated one of our homegrown talents, Marius Talampas, into one of the top directors in the country. Now we want to bring out the next generation of directors with Jason Max, Gab Gucci, Jaig DeGuzman and Andrei Julitan.”