Because Jaig undauntedly brushed aside these myths, he breezed through college life to earn him the niche he occupies now, making visual language come to life through film.
John Craig “Jaig” R. de Guzman of Batch 2013 was the booming voice blaring his report over the sound system for a 3-minute radio broadcast live on air back in high school. He was just the ordinary classmate one can have, sitting at the sidelines while trying to be at pace with everyone else in the pilot class. After graduating from STEFTI, he took his Bachelor’s degree in Digital Filmmaking at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde in 2018 and a Master’s degree in Film Production at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida in January 2021.
Having a particular goal and the perseverance to see it through despite the snide comments thrown by people around him melded to form grit and passion in Jaig, now an in-house director at one of the best advertising production companies in the Philippines, Arcade Film Factory.
Emerge got the chance to virtually come face-to-face with this budding film director and this is what he wants to share to the High Schoolers in STEFTI.
Emerge :
Tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to since graduating.
Jaig :
I’ve been enjoying my time making films, studying the art of filmmaking, and trying to disprove the idea that topping in high school, choosing a course that makes one wealthy after landing a job and chilling one’s way through secondary level — all give one the assurance to succeed in his chosen career. I want to be a great example of what one can do if he pursues his dreams head on despite the stumbling blocks.
It’s been a long journey but I know I’m just getting started. Hopefully in the next few years I’ll be able to represent STEFTI and Tacloban City even more with the feature films I plan to create.
Emerge;
How did your time in STEFTI prepare you for what you do now?
Jaig:
One thing that STEFTI excels in is the arts, and that definitely rubbed off on me in a lot of ways. Being surrounded by a lot of influences when it comes to the arts from choir and dance performances to installation of art pieces to theatre plays as well! STEFTI was filled with a ton of influences towards creating and ideating art pieces that really inspired me to start something that is in line with arts—one that is involved with filmmaking.
As you think back to your STEFTI experience, what stands out as the most compelling aspect?
Jaig:
STEFTI taught me to respect and love others as members of one big family. I remember always being that person in high school anyone can talk to and that has still persisted to this day. STEFTI helped me in that aspect of being caring enough to give people hope that they might not be feeling good in the present, but their future will definitely be better.
Emerge:
What is a piece of advice you’d give to future STEFTI grads who might want to follow in your footstep?
Jaig:
To start with, I want to tell everyone that there are three popular myths in high school that they should better stop believing in:
- One should be among the top students in the class during their final year to get to a good school. I was just an ordinary student during high school, I was not even in the pilot class for most of those years except in my Senior year when I got to be in a class of weird nerdy but friendly bunch of guys I call my classmates. If you want to tread the path I took after graduating, being on the honor roll isn’t really a requirement. The basic concepts you had mastered within those four years in STEFTI plus the positive outlook are enough to make you pass the admission exams of the university of your choice.
- Choose a course that can make you land a stable job in the future. At first, not everyone was behind my decision, I heard disparaging remarks like: “How are you supposed to pay the bills?”, or “Can that just be a pastime activity?”, or the classic “You got into engineering… why not pursue it and then take film after?” but I stuck to my guns and here I am in this prestigious company.
- You can master your craft during college, so just chill you way, through high school. Make the most of what you are taught in STEFTI. Learn much in high school. Gain ideas and create short films as much as possible with the help of your teachers and fellow students. Creating and honing your craft this early into your filmmaking career will do wonders as this will help you discover your strengths and weaknesses in creating pieces of art, a jumpstart into becoming a well-rounded filmmaker in the process. In this industry, determining your strengths and knowing what you’re most effective at will help you in the long run. As you gain more experience, more and more people will notice and eventually know you for your great works in a specific field. Cultivate your passion as early as in high school.
Emerge:
If you could describe the STEFTI brand of education in one sentence, what would it be?
Jaig:
Educating individuals that want to help the community and make it better one little step and one little achievement at a time, STEFTI helps hone the mind, heart, and soul of those who want to make the world a better place to live in.
