When Gian moved from the Philippines to Norway his initial plan was to work as a nurse. However, soon after he found his footing in the healthcare industry he decided to break tradition and pursue his real passion.
“In the Philippines, you either become an engineer or a nurse, but I have always dreamt of becoming a director and making films. That’s why I chose to switch lanes and study a programme about television at the University of Stavanger. But I want to work with commercial projects as well, so I applied for The Fashion Experience exchange programme in order to develop my skills with commercial filming, branding, and marketing.”
Learn to take risks
One of the things Gian highlights about The Fashion Experience exchange programme is the professors’ backgrounds. Many of them are first and foremost industry professionals who have their fingers on the pulse of the film industry.
“We learn a lot from people that are actually in the field right now. That means you get updated on the things that are trending and in demand in terms of digital marketing. You learn to deal with clients as well as take risks and break the rules for traditional film. That’s really the strength of this programme: Diverse professors who give you creative freedom and encourage you to pursue your ideas”.
Build a network
When asked what he is taking with him from the Fashion Experience Gian has no doubt:
“I leave this programme with a lot of knowledge about commercial work but also a lot of connections. VIA is like a hub for creatives which means you get to build a strong network of people. One person in my study group is doing graphic design, one is doing fashion, one is doing styling, and another one is studying to work in the entertainment industry. Now I know people with all these skills! You don’t need to have a multimedia background to enroll in this programme. That’s what you come here to learn about. We all learn from each other”.
Who would you recommend this programme for?
“I can recommend this programme for everyone with a creative bachelor. The Fashion Experience is not only about fashion. It’s about the creative process. You learn a lot of things that you can use outside of the fashion industry: Collaboration, marketing, branding, and working with clients. Here you get real-world experience from working with brands which means you start to figure out how the commercial film industry actually works”.