THE UST Paskuhan concert may no longer be open to outsiders, but a student-led team from UST Tiger TV is determined to bring its magic beyond the confines of the Sampaloc campus.

Leading this year’s Paskuhan broadcast is senior communication student Arwin Nathaniel Romano, who is responsible for overseeing the livestream, which involves managing camera placements, coordinating transitions between performances, and collaborating closely with the technical team and camera operators.

“The most fulfilling aspect is seeing how our coverage brings that concert, that magic into the Thomasian community,” Romano, a former Varsitarian photographer, said.

“And of course, dun sa Thomasians who cannot attend the in-person concert. It helps us to share the joy and traditions of Paskuhan through a live stream, through a wider audience, and creating a sense of connection in a community.”

Tiger Media Network adviser Asst. Prof. Faye Abugan, a seasoned director of the Paskuhan concert, will oversee the production of this year’s broadcast, which she described as “Paskuhan Xtra.”

“We want to make it as interactive as possible, and gusto namin, masaya siyempre. ‘Yon yung pinaka-fulfilling sa lahat, knowing that hindi lang dito sa UST yung na-serve mo na audience. Kahit wala ka sa UST, pwede mo ma-experience ang Paskuhan. That’s what we want to bring,” Abugan told the Varsitarian.

“‘Yon ‘yong mas importante ngayon, na nagalugad mo lahat ng Thomasians sa buong mundo, na-reach mo sila. Kami, the challenge for us is really to communicate this: promotion, social media. The actual broadcast.”

As the broadcast director, Romano said his team aims to elevate the coverage with improved camera dynamics and incorporating an additional drone.  

While this is his first time directing UST’s biggest event, Romano is no stranger to leading major University-wide productions, having directed events like the 2023 Agape and the past two UAAP kick-off parties.

The planning for the Paskuhan broadcast kicked off in mid-October, with concert-day preparations focusing on syncing all technical elements, such as correctly positioning cameras, aligning audio with video, and fine-tuning lighting.

Of course, challenges like technical glitches and delays are inevitable. For Romano, however, tackling these obstacles defines a good director.  

“Balancing creative vision with real-time decision-making can be demanding,” he said. “But it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and problem-solving skills as the coverage director.”

UST Tiger TV’s live broadcast of last year’s Paskuhan concert garnered over 163,000 views.

This year’s Paskuhan concert will be on Friday, Dec. 20. It marks the culmination of the month-long Christmas festivities at UST and the end of the first term.

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