This year, the Faculty of Communication kicked off its third HELP Film Festival with a lineup of Malaysian-themed short films produced by its own students. The event was held during HELP University’s Open Day and the Faculty of Communication’s Communication Day, and was led by an organising team of HELP’s Communication students.
Students were given the overall theme of “Being Malaysian” as their inspiration to produce their short films. This was to encourage and to promote social integration in a diverse nation through the art of film-making.
“To keep in mind, students who make these videos do not have much experience in this field, but they are making something genuinely from their heart. Something that has been there with them all the while and that something is being Malaysian and feeling like one’’, explained Kamila Suren, President of the HELP Film Festival 2018.
The HELP Film Festival is a platform created as a tribute to independent arts by the members of the Creative Productions Society (CPS) since 2014. The purpose of the event was to provide students the opportunity to showcase their films to a wide audience and to nurture them in exploring their talents in film-making.
“We stopped [the HELP Film Festival] for a while, but now we’re going to continue doing it. I really appreciate the hard work that was put in by Kamila and the committee members for making this event a success,” said Dr Khairuddin Othman, Dean of the Faculty of Communication at HELP University.
“I want to make this a signature event, an annual event, for our faculty. Our HELP Film Festival will be incorporated into our Communication Day. So every time we have the Communication Day, once a year, we will also organise the HELP Film Festival. As for the committee and lecturers involved, I am pleased that they were able to motivate so many of our students.”
The short films selected for the festival represented the best of the department and were chosen by a panel of judges, which consisted of Hakim Amir, Leroy Choong and Gerard Benedict, who are industry experts in media and film. The judges decided on their top three choices, as well as for categories such as Best Visual Effects, Best Editing, Best Screenplay and Best Director.
It is through events like the HELP Film Festival where Communication students are given an opportunity to display their work and put into practice the skills they attained from their classes. The faculty has also recently invited esteemed guest speakers to deliver some engaging talks to its Communication students.
Professor Peter Thomas, a Mass Communications Programme Leader from Hertfordshire University, UK, delivered a talk on “Digital Transformative Cultures – some influences and affects”. He shared how new media is changing the way we live, and highlighted how social media platforms are impacting the choices we make and how our sense of self is being extended by our reach across various digital entities.
Dr Eric Loo, an Honorary Senior Fellow (Journalism) at the University of Wollongong, Australia, talked about editorial design and news reporting. Students who attended the talk were able to hear from an expert like Dr Eric Loo on journalism skills that would be useful in the future.
The Faculty of Communication at HELP University aims to instill in its students an understanding of the process and practices of mass communication. With the rise of new media, the faculty is at the forefront of equipping its students with the relevant skills and teaching them the functions and digital technologies that evolve in a culture of innovation and communication technology.
The HELP Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Degree programmes in Marketing Communication, Media Studies and Public Relations offer students a three-year honours programme that emphasises the practical applications in contemporary communication settings and an interconnected world.
These programmes will prepare students through specialised course subjects related to their field of study, allowing students to build a balanced portfolio of communication theory, research and practice. Students will also be taught and led by lecturers, who are industry experts themselves, in an environment where they can learn theories and strategies beyond the classroom.
The Faculty of Communication also provides opportunities for students to apply the principles and skills learned through the practical training of an internship. There, students will be able to demonstrate competency under the guidance of a specialist in the field of communication and be groomed for a career in communication.
For more information on HELP University’s Bachelor of Communication programmes, contact 03-2716 2000 to speak to a counselor or visit www.help.edu.my to learn more.
The top three winners of the HELP Film Festival 2018 with the panel of judges and lecturers from the Faculty of Communication.
