(Don Bosco Technological Institute, Port Moresby) – “When the purpose is clear, the script can almost write itself.”- Ms Lucy, facilitator of the Media Seminar
The fourth Media Education Seminar, held on 8 August at the Catholic Bishops Conference, deepened previous skills on film-making in order to prepare the MES participants for the upcoming Short Film Festival slotted to be held on 17 October. Participating Catholic schools, which includes MHCTVFC, St Joseph’s International Catholic College, La Salle Technical School, Don Bosco Technological Institute, De La Salle Secondary School, Jubilee Catholic Secondary School, Caritas Business College, Marianville Secondary School and Don Bosco Technical School, eagerly showed up at the venue, ready to learn and interact with the facilitators and participants.
The sessions began with acknowledging the presence of God. Mrs Sheryll Extra-Isoaimo took the students and teachers through a short explanation of the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV “Magnifica Humanitas.” It is very fitting to discuss the words from Pope Leo that aims to safeguard human dignity in the era of artificial intelligence since the theme of this year’s Media Education Seminar is “Voices and Faces in an AI age.” Participants were asked to reflect on the way that use AI-assisted technology in their own daily life: does it help them remain faithful to truth? Does it help them in their education, in deepening their connections and relationships, in promoting peace and justice?
The next two sessions deepened knowledge and skills in producing their film. Mr Leo Paraha revisited video shots and equipment needed to create their short films. He spoke about the technical aspect of film making. After that, Ms Lucy Napitalai then emphasized the importance of a good story and a good script in order to create a good film. She stressed on the need for a message that resonates with the audience despite the short duration of the film.
The rest of the day was for the different schools to produce a 1-minute film. Each school picked a topic to create a story about, came up with their script and storyboard. Shooting and editing their film came next. Students were purposeful in their use of the limited time, dividing the tasks and working with creativity. By 2 pm, each school was ready to exhibit their film for feedback and comments. Participants critiqued each film and Fr Ambrose Pereira, sdb who spearheaded the seminars, stressed the importance of listening and learning from each other.
Thank you to the school principals, management teams, and everyone who dedicated their time, resources, and energy to make the Media Education Seminar PNG 2026 a resounding success. Your commitment created a transformative space for our youth. Special thanks for the encouragement and support received from SIGNIS, Caritas PNG, Media outlets, Salesians of Don Bosco and the many others who have encouraged the MES project.
The Media Education Seminars has come to a close with MES 4. Everyone is looking forward to the Short Film Festival slotted for 17 October.
By: Sheryll Extra-Isoaimo
Source: Bosco Link