Everyone can be a documentarist, but being a “good documentarist” is another thing, says GMA Network’s veteran journalist Raffy Tima, anchor of “Balitanghali,” and a seasoned documentarist. 

In the open forum of GMA Network’s “Masterclass: Cebu Press Freedom Week Special” on September 16, 2024 that tackled the challenges in producing documentaries in a rapidly changing news media landscape, Tima said that documentaries require depth and creativity. 

“Sa age nyo ngayon nagdodocumentary na kayo, yung nagti-Tiktok, it’s a way of documenting. Palalimin nyo lang yon, isang documentary na yun. So lahat, yes, pwede [maging dokumentarista]. Pero para maging magaling na documentarist is another thing,” Tima told about a thousand students in Communication, Journalism, Multimedia Arts, and related disciplines who showed up at UP Cebu’s Performing Arts Hall despite the suspension of in-person classes due to the inclement water.  

Tima said the challenge nowadays is how to present documentaries that will hook the audience the way they pay attention to clips on social media that gain easily millions of views. 

“Lahat pupwede pero dapat palalimin mo kung gusto mong gawing karera yun.  Siguro yung attention to details mahalaga yun. Pagpre-present ng mga lumang impormasyon in a new life, in a new way. Mahalaga din yun. Alam naman natin ngayon na ang attention span ng tao napakaikli. Ang kalaban natin ngayon is yung Tiktok na ilang seconds lang na nag-te-10 million views versus sa documentary na napakamahalaga, pero lima lang ang nanonood. Nakakalungkot bilang journalist,” Tima said. 

Tima said that documentaries must be more creative in transmitting information that seemingly is difficult for audience to understand.

“Isang challenge is paano i-present yung mga numero. Yung mga tipong mahirap intindihin, yung may manonood. Paggamit ng graphics, animation, bagong teknolohiya, paggamit ng drone to present a new visual,” Tima added. 

As for GMA Network’s veteran investigative journalist Malou Mangahas, founder of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), a documentarist must build a portfolio of stories and build expertise on certain topics. 

She pointed out that production values always have the tendency to tramp editorial values.

“Kasi yung production meron kang solutions sa technology. Pero yung editorial values, ito yung tipong habang buhay nag-aaral ka or medyo kailangang may silip sa mga usapin. Whether it’s long, short, or medium-length, mahalagang may konting dagdag pa na value insight-wise. At yung audience hindi lapat sa ilang audience ang isang porma lang or isang klase ng documentary. Again I will go back to the point that you must create a portfolio of stories and build expertise on certain topics. Know exactly your government, the laws, kasi they come in handy, yung alam mo kung anong sisilipin,” Mangahas added.

She averred that everyone can produce a documentary.

“Everybody can do it, and everybody must do it. Kasi ito yung ating pananggalang na hindi mamayani ang hindi magandang journalism o yung misinformation or disinformation,” Mangahas underscored. 

The GMA Masterclass has opened the series of talks in celebration of the 32nd Cebu Press Freedom Week in September 2024.