Pinoy videographer succeeds in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain – “I did not plan to stay long here in Barcelona. I just wanted to visit my mother whom I had not seen for 15 years,” said Rodel “RJ” Juacalla.

He began his story as soon as he was seated. We met after a short notice at the McDonald’s in the La Rambla area on the last day of my vacation in Barcelona. 

RJ’s mother left the Philippines to look for greener pastures when he was just 3 years old. So he grew up with his titos and titas. In 2006, he left the country for Marbella, Spain to visit his mother and relatives who were based there.

About 7 years after, RJ is still in the city, making a name as a videographer. The A Rodel Juacalla Film- Event Planning/Event Services, a company which he formed in 2008, has produced more than 100 video packages for its growing satisfied clients. Most of these are for birthdays, debuts and weddings of Filipinos and Spanish citizens alike.

RJ’s venture into the creative world of video production started in Marbella, although by accident. He was then working as a waiter in one of the resort hotels in the city, a job which was handed over to him by his brother.

“Tatlo kasi ang trabaho niya noon, wala pang krisis dito. Kaya nirekomenda niya na ako ang kukuha ng pwesto niya bilang waiter,” RJ recounted. (He had 3 jobs then before the crisis. That’s why he recommended me to take over his job as waiter.)

“Na culture shock ako pagdating sa Marbella,” RJ continued. “I had to make major adjustments in my lifestyle and learn the local language.” (I had culture shock when I arrived in Marbella.)

His job as a waiter introduced him to the exciting life in the most stylish resort in Costa del Sol, the region where Marbella belongs. His proficiency in English enabled him to communicate well with the tourists and endeared him to his employer.

The beginning

Then one day, his sister asked him to cover the debut of her godchild. The video would be her gift to the celebrant. 

“Hilig ko talaga ang mag-video,” RJ said. “Ako ang taga-video ng mga gigs ng banda namin sa Pilipinas,” he added. (I really enjoy doing videos. I’d record the gigs of our band in the Philippines.) So after much thought, he agreed to give it a try.

Little did he know that it would be the beginning of a career in video production in Spain. The debutante was very pleased with the gift. The community got wind of the beautiful video and before RJ knew it, service requests for birthdays and debuts from family and friends poured in. At first, he did them for free. Later on, it became a flourishing sideline to augment his income as a waiter. 

Weddings eventually became his signature product. What sets him apart from the other videographers in Barcelona is the 6-minute teaser, featuring the highlights of the wedding, which is shown usually during the reception. He was the first to introduce this on-the-spot/same-day edit in Barcelona.  Subsequently, the full length video would be done a few months after.

RJ is already a household name as wedding videographer in Barcelona. Early this year, he organized a Wedding Exhibit which was held at the Philippines Club in Barcelona. The exhibit brought together young videographers, photographers, make-up artists and fashion designers involved in a wedding production aimed at pooling their talents and resources in a business venture. 

RJ is also involved in other activities relevant to the pursuit of his profession. He is the only Filipino member of the European Event Videographers Association (EEVA), an association which exists, among others, to assist its members in achieving their professional, artistic and fraternal goals. It has around 500 members from all over Europe. 

Documentaries

In 2011, RJ was part of a team of first and second generation Filipino migrants that made a creative documentary about a young man and a young woman and their journey from the Philippines to Spain. The documentary, which was directed by Kay S. Abano, was one of 3 documentaries which were presented at the Centro de Cultura Contemporanea de Barcelona. The other two documentaries were from Pakistan and the Dominican Republic.

RJ hails from Lucban, Quezon province. He is the youngest of two brothers and one sister who are all based in Barcelona. He took up Computer Science from the Sacred Heart College in Lucena City. He worked in the sales/marketing department of San Miguel Corp for 3 years.

While in Marbella, he met his future wife through online chatting. Arlene and RJ married two years ago and settled in Barcelona.

RJ did not have formal training in videography. But in college, he was inspired by Jayson Magbanua, his professor in Basic Film Making. Jayson Magbanua, an internationally known and awarded wedding videographer, opened his eyes to the world of storytelling and videography. 

“Sabi ko sa sarili ko, gusto kong maging siya,” RJ said. (I told myself I wanted to be like him.)

I have seen some of his wedding videos which are uploaded on YouTube. I am impressed by his creativity and versatility as a videographer. He represents a new breed of videographers who go beyond the run-of-the mill wedding video coverages. His works which are non-linear and show his great storytelling ability. These are art film quality videos comparable with seasoned videographers like Jayson Magbanua.

“I dream of making a music video and short films one day,” RJ said.  

With his accomplishment in the industry in just 3 years, his talent and determination, the realization of this dream is not farfetched.

To his kababayans who are also working abroad, RJ has this to say, “Huwag tumigil na mangarap para umangat ang ating antas ng buhay. Hindi tayo dapat habang buhay ay waiter o kasambahay. Sikapin din nating mag-inspire ng ibang tao.” (Don’t stop dreaming to reach a higher goal in life. We shouldn’t be waiters or helpers forever. We should aspire to inspire others.)

“Ang legacy ko ay maging idolo din ng mga kabataan.” (My legacy is to be an idol to the youth.)

While he is reaping the fruits of his artistic endeavors in Barcelona, RJ still hopes to return home to the Philippines and establish his own video/film company. – Rappler.com

Contributor Miles Viernes is an Athens-based writer. She is a retired government employee and a proud UP alumnae.