LeapOut took the opportunity to attend Graphika Manila 2024, the Philippines’ premier gathering of graphic artists and creatives. Held last February 17 to 18 at SMX Convention Center, this event highlights 12 creative professionals leading in their respective fields. They are among the people who run the P1.6-trillion ($25.6 billion) local and $2-trillion global creatives sector.   Our Content Team, composed of graphic design and web content, took part in the two-day affair with high hopes and expectations. After the two-day affair, the team got inspired and refreshed, ready to work on existing and new creative tasks with a fresh perspective and renewed motivation. Courage and Dedication to Create One of the key takeaways of the team is creating inspiring artworks requires courage and risk-taking. Jam Melendrez, LeapOut graphics specialist, expressed this emphatically in LeapOut’s Snack and Learn session about the teams’ learnings about this event. “Don’t be afraid to produce art despite being afraid to make mistakes because you will learn from what you have done.” she said. Besides courage, another virtue that resonated in the minds and hearts of the team is persistence and dedication to the craft.  Greg Solijon, another graphics specialist, told the story of Ryan Serrano, one of the event’s speakers. Greg expressed his admiration to Ryan’s laser-focused drive to become a successful 3D modeler after attending Graphika Manila ten years ago.  “For aspiring designers, they need to be consistent in the process that they do throughout their careers,” Greg recited when asked about the lesson that resonated in his thoughts the most. From Sketches to High-Quality Designs For Jennica Manalang, LeapOut graphics specialist, the speech of Ivan and Pauline Despi, the couple behind Acid House, had the biggest impact on her. She was amazed by the creations that came from mere rough ideas from their previous sketches.  This story gave her the realization that artists should not throw away sketches and rough drafts of previous works as they can be sources of information for future projects.  Jay Alim, LeapOut’s Graphics Lead, was also inspired by the sacrifices made by the Acid House founders that led to their big break in the industry. What left a lasting impression on Jay is their audacious bootstrapping moves at the time they were pitching their name in the field of broadcast design and video post-production. Commitment to Pursue Creative Passion  Commitment in turning imagination into moving artworks is another lesson the team learned from the two-day convention. Jam expressed her admiration for Lauren’s dedication to her craft that despite her introversion and many personal problems, she still managed to produce top-notch works. Aica Guevarra, Program Manager for LeapOut’s Creative Team, also voiced her amazement to the Despi couple’s commitment on integrating minimalism and maximalism in their body of creatives. For Aica, the couple’s perfect balance of incorporating these two opposing art philosophies is a potential fit for the agency’s graphic and video content. Discipline for Sustained Success For Dave Amolong, senior creative specialist, apart from courage and commitment, the speakers showed tremendous discipline in the creative process. He cited Benjamin Su, a Directing Animator at Pixar, as an example. In his talk, Benjamin showed the rigorous process his team at the animation studio takes to complete project after project.   “In creating realistic 3D animations, I could just imagine the focus and discipline the speakers have gone through in completing their creations,” Dave said. Artistic Inspiration for Personal and Professional Growth   Marvin Ortiz, LeapOut Co-Founder and CEO, expressed his appreciation to the team’s attendance in the event and active participation in providing inputs from the event.      “I’m happy that you’re also finding your inspiration and also growing your craft. Despite the limitations we have in our organization, including the varying preferences of our clients, I think it should not stop you from pursuing your passion even outside work,” Marvin said.   He also stressed the importance of art as a hobby that gives purpose to creatives.   “Money is important but the fact that art gives you purpose. Money is the means, art is the purpose, your avenue for expression,” he added. Annual Gathering of Creative Minds For 19 years, Graphika has been an annual gathering of Filipino and International artists specializing in computer-generated graphics. The 2024 batch of speakers is packed with famous and emerging artists, representing various media, including graphic arts, art installation, visual effects, digital calligraphy.  Local artists filled the lineup during the first day of the event, comprising:  Jethro Olba, illustrator and designer Jay Santiago, visual effects artist for Riot Johanna and Mark Deutsch, artists and illustrators for Happy Garahe Anjo Borlada, visual artist and illustrator for Studio Bitto Pauline and Ivan Despi, motion designers and animators for The Acid House Liza Flores, Abi Goy, and Fran Alvarez, illustrators and graphic artists for Studio Dialogo Ryan Serrano, digital modeler for Weta FX   Some famous international artists joined local creative minds during the second day:   Mark Mendoza, animator for Friendly Foes Risa Rodil, freelance illustrator and graphic designer Jackson Tan, art installation expert and designer for Art Zoo Abi Miguel, portrait photographer of I Am Abi Benjamin Su, directing animator for Pixar, Marvel cover artist, and toy designer Lauren Tsai, illustrator, model, and actress Timothy Goodman, graphic artist, art director, and author    LeapOut is active in attending events to level up the knowledge and skills of its specialists.   Besides Graphika Manila, the digital marketing agency also joined Peepcon Lite, a convention for search engine optimization (SEO) professionals. 

Last August 21 to 24, 2018, the LeapOut Digital team visited the LeapFrogger HQ in Melbourne, Australia. The trip was meant to strengthen ties between the two teams, improve communication, and streamline overall process (and, of course, enjoy Melbourne, one of the world’s most livable cities). Managing Director Marvin Ortiz shares, “The exposure, collaboration, and relationships built will pay off in forms of new business, employee motivation, and increase in productivity.” Here’s what went down on their trip! Day 1, August 22 The first day started with morning tea and snacks with the LeapFrogger and RCJ teams. RCJ is an Australian-owned independent media advertising. Established in 1965, RCJ is one of the most established and largest independent media agencies in Australia. Next in line was a meeting with the team from PD Insurance, one of the company’s biggest clients in AU. The team also set goals for the coming months. Later that day, Managing Director, Marvin Ortiz, had a lunch meeting with media networks in AU care of RCJ. And what trip wouldn’t be complete without a little sightseeing? So the team spent the afternoon visiting Eureka Sky Lodge! The LO team ended the day with some evening fun at Queen Victoria Market, an iconic market that has been operating since 1878. The team also got some freebies from one of our clients, That’s Amore Cheese, and even tried some mulled wine and apple cider. Talk about a whirlwind day! Day 2, August 23 The team’s second day in the Land Down Under kicked off with an early morning road trip with Milena Press, on of the LF account managers. Fun! The team got to see St. Kilda, where one of our clients, One Wellington St. Kilda, is based. (Hello, guys!). Later, the team then had another meeting with a major client, Realestateview.com. Work, work, work! Cindy Alimorong, LO project manager, says, “[We were] jumping from one desk to another to talk about campaigns. Communication is much easier—and weird because we went through a lot of emails.” Mick McCaffrey, LF graphic designer, LO creatives supervisor, Vince Camille Palma, and LO project manager Anna Villena also had a discussion about future creative services for LF. Wonder what they could be? 🤔 Food and drinks! The team headed over to Rice Queen for dinner (and karaoke). So what did they belt out to? The classics, of course: “I Will Always Love You”, “Gangsta Paradise”, “Who Let the Dogs Out”, and “Wannabe”. …and more drinks at Crown Casino. Cheers! 🍸 Day 3, August 24 It was the last day for the LF team. Of course, they got a lot of souvenirs and even more hugs! Also, what’s a visit to Australia without seeing kangaroos and koalas? Here’s the team at the Melbourne Zoo. The team also got to meet Sarah Correa, Carlos’ wife and LF project manager for web development, and their super cute boys. 😍 The team had a send-off dinner at Shark’s Fin in Bourke Street and, afterwards, checked out AC DC Lane, where AC DC used to perform. …and one last hurrah at Beer Deluxe Federation Square! The team agrees that the highlight of the trip was meeting the AU team and spending time together. They also note that communication between the two teams have been more open since the trip. Ultimately, the trip helped form stronger bonds between teams and understand each other’s processes better. The trip is just one of the many planned ahead and we can’t wait for it! See more of the LO Team’s adventures in the Land Down Under on our Facebook page!