Celestino’s ‘Building Foundations’ returns for Batch 2, introduces SINE METU Film Lab
Celestino’s ‘Building Foundations’ returns for Batch 2, introduces SINE METU Film Lab
Participants pose together at the end of Day 1 of the ‘Building Foundations: Introduction to Screenwriting’ Batch 2. Photo by Saund Axl Rose Mendez
Direct quotes in this article have been paraphrased for clarity and conciseness.
As access to formal film education remains limited for many aspiring writers, nine-time Palanca awardee Dustin Celestino brought his college-level screenwriting program to the public through “Building Foundations: Introduction to Screenwriting,” held February 14 to 15 at Sine Pop in Quezon City.
Now on its second iteration, the two-day workshop offered a beginner-friendly crash course on the “architecture” of a screenplay, breaking down story structure, cinematic writing, and the historical foundations of film form into a step-by-step framework accessible to newcomers.
The sessions combined lectures with short film screenings, collaborative writing exercises and the production of micro films, allowing participants to immediately apply structural concepts in practice.
A participant listens during a lecture session. Photo by Saund Axl Rose Mendez
Celestino, known for works such as Utopia, Ang Duyan ng Magiting, and Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan, said the goal was to ensure that participants leave with enough grounding to begin writing on their own.
“I wanted to empower people who would attend my workshop na after this workshop, they had the foundations to write a screenplay,” he said. “Beyond this, wala na silang kailangang matutunan, makakasulat na sila ng sarili nilang screenplay. Although, of course, it’s not going to be extraordinary [right away]... kasi one of our mantras, ‘yung emphasis nga natin, is great screenwriting comes from repetition, not ambition.”
Mounted under SINE METU, a production company founded by Celestino and his wife Janel, the workshop reflects a broader effort to expand access to structured film education.
The company was initially formed to receive a grant from the Film Development Council of the Philippines for their first Cinemalaya film, as funding contracts required a registered company rather than a private entity.
Since then, SINE METU has expanded into film production and filmmaking workshops.
Celestino said part of the motivation behind opening the program to the public was addressing the high barrier to entry in film education.
“I used to teach a longer version of this in college,” he said. “But tuition is expensive. Before you can attend film school, you have to enroll in a degree program. I wanted to make the same skills available to the general public at a lower barrier to entry.”
Celestino leads an intimate collaborative writing exercise with the participants. Photo by Saund Axl Rose Mendez
While the workshop does not grant a degree, Celestino said it condenses the core principles he teaches in formal institutions, simplifying what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming field of study.
“If you want a step-by-step way of understanding cinema, what makes it cinematic, how films were made before, this course simplifies that whole endeavor,” he said. “So when you enter more advanced workshops, you already understand the basics.”
The February 14 to 15 session marks Batch 2 of “Building Foundations” and serves as the first module of a larger initiative that has yet to be formally announced.
Celestino confirmed that the workshop is the opening phase of the SINE METU Film Lab, a three-part program designed to guide participants from script development to production. The second phase will focus on developing screenplays in a dedicated working space, while the third will introduce directing, covering pitching, staging and production. The goal, he said, is for participants to complete a short film by the end of the lab.
What began as a fundraising effort to support Janel’s cancer treatment has since evolved into a structured platform for independent film education.
“Professor naman talaga ako ng screenwriting, and the material I teach, it comes from me,” Celestino said. “I make my own syllabus. So I thought – why not make it available to people outside the school?”
As independent filmmakers continue seeking alternatives to traditional film programs, initiatives like the SINE METU Film Lab reflect a growing shift in how film education is delivered, making structured, practice-driven training more accessible beyond university walls.
The workshop was held at Sine Pop in Quezon City last February 14 to 15. More details are available on SINE METU’s official Facebook page.
