Alanis Manantan takes the creative route
Between passion and practicality, pursuing what you love is often disapproved of.
Yet, an ambitious woman continuously paves her way, slowly finding inspiration through arts, fashion, and film — everything that ignites her passion to create.
Alanis Manantan, assistant director and art director, highlights that there is so much that you can do in the world of creatives.
“I would say that the kind of work I do is creating concepts for brands and turning these visions into consumable content such as campaign videos, music videos, and commercials,” Manantan said.
Life as a creative
Manantan believes that being a creative involves a continuous learning process.
As a visionary who wants to create something extraordinary out of the ordinary, she finds her work enjoyable despite the ever-changing demands of clients and the increasing pressure of being at the top of your game all the time.
“I get to meet a lot of creative people in the field and that’s so important to me Meeting them and seeing how they work to inspire and motivate me to continuously grow in the field,” she said, adding that being surrounded by like-minded people allows her to learn and produce out-of-the-box ideas and concepts.
However, it is not easy to produce new ideas and concepts quickly, especially with how fast and evolving trends are. What people might consider cool and visually appealing to the eyes may be dull and boring the next day.
“Especially in our field, it’s important to continuously equip yourself with new ideas and concepts. I stay open, curious, and inquisitive,” she said.
Be a perpetual student even if you’re a professional already, Manantan added. “Because only then can assure you that you are not being stagnant.”
Drawing inspiration
As a creative, it is also important to take a step back and find what sparks your passions to remain inspired and productive.
Outside being an art director, Manantan enjoys fashion photography, film, and floral arrangements. She currently owns a small floral atelier called “Tierra & Theory.”
“It actually started as a form of creative escape to what I usually do,” she said, mentioning that she has produced small batches of floral arrangements on special occasions.
She also finds editing photos and curating color palettes “therapeutic.”
“I enjoy the process of conceptualizing, producing, and editing photos. I’m huge on colors and I’m very keen in color grading the photos I shoot, whether it’s just some photos from my recent trip, my family, or fashion portraits,” Manantan said.
As simple as taking photos or watching movies in her spare time is more than enough to draw inspiration for her next projects.
“I like to watch movies and vintage anime films. So for the first part of the movie, I try to enjoy it without overanalyzing… Then, I would analyze the movie and dissect my thoughts: on how it was shot, the color, the set, and the storyline itself,” she said.
Become a perpetual learner
Whichever path one takes, one should keep in mind that growth doesn’t happen overnight and learning is a perpetual process.
“Learning doesn’t have to stop when you graduate from your school. What you learn from school can open doors for you but to be able to stay and succeed in your chosen field, you have to always study your work, practice what you know, and apply the things you learn along the way,” Manantan said.
It’s a continuous effort to challenge yourself and to make yourself uncomfortable because in those moments, “you give yourself the chance to grow,” she added.
Manantan also emphasized that aspiring creatives should have the “heart” in their work: “You got to love it and everything will just follow: the commitment, the dedication, the skill, and the ideas.”
As the year comes to an end, Manantan has a lot of plans to pursue in the future.
“My priorities are to work on my fashion photography portfolio in the coming year and to launch the brand I’ve been meaning to since 2020,” she said.