Film educator leads cinema literacy, visual narrative workshops at The MET

The Metropolitan Theater recently turned its Audio-Visual Room into a creative hub for film buffs, students, and young filmmakers for two sessions on the fundamentals of film literacy and visual storytelling.

Led by film educator and advocacy filmmaker Seymour Sanchez, the event at The MET AVR provided participants with practical frameworks for analyzing and making cinematic works.

The morning session, “Read Between the Frames,” introduced techniques for decoding visual language, dissecting shot composition, and analyzing camera and lighting choices.

Sanchez encouraged participants to move beyond passive viewing and understand how directors convey subtext. He also discussed methods for identifying core motifs and narrative threads embedded within cinematic works and examining how cultural, historical, and social backgrounds shape both the creation and reception of film.

The afternoon session focused on “The Art of Visual Storytelling,” as Sanchez highlighted how technical decisions directly influence audience perception and emotional resonance by breaking down individual frames. The workshop aligns with ongoing efforts to broaden film education.

“The MET’s new program, ‘HaLina (Hanay ng Linang) sa MET,’ aims to reach people across different generations by introducing new learning opportunities in culture and the arts through a variety of workshops,” Chief Administrative Officer Christian John S. Serrano explained.

Drawing from over two decades of experience across academia, journalism, and independent film production, including previous roles as Bacolod Film Festival director in 2024 and filmfest director of the One La Salle Film Festival in 2018, Sanchez offered attendees key insights into both the technical and conceptual demands of the medium.

Sanchez has continuously dedicated time to nurturing the next generation of filmmakers. He serves as a speaker, juror, and selection committee member for various competitions. He also acts as Secretary of the National Committee on Cinema under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and a member of the Academic Film Society Advisory Committee for the Film Development Council of the Philippines, after working as its Technical Consultant for Academic Linkages from 2022 to 2025.

As a filmmaker, Sanchez’s short film “Caretaker” earned second prize at the 6th CAM International Festival for Short Films in Egypt. His other works include “Lababo” (Kitchen Sink), which bagged the grand prize at the 2007 Viva-Pinoy Box Office Digitales and competed in Spain and Greece, and “Hiwaga” (Mystery), a full-length screenplay co-written with Christian Lacuesta that won the grand prize at the 59th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.

Sanchez also brought his broadcast media experience, aside from his work in film education, to the sessions. He helped pioneer weekend programs for the now-defunct CNN Philippines as its very first producer. His media career also includes producing the morning news and feature stories for Solar News Channel and shooting segments for TV5’s investigative program “USI: Under Special Investigation” and the news satire “The WeakEnd News.” He also served as competition officer for “Dokyu: Ang Bagong Mata ng Pinoy Documentaries.”