EVALUATING

TEXTS AND
IMAGES
Lang Gang
Members:
Ian Jefferson Tabujara
Mirabella Tena
Lois Andrei Santain
Lorraine Angel Soriano
Adam Daryl Usi
 "Excuse Me Miss, Miss, Miss"
A short film written by Arden Rod Condez and
directed by Sonny Calvento
PERSONAL INSIGHTS:
The issue of contractualization portrayed in "Excuse Me Miss. Miss. Miss" by Sonny
Calvento highlights a prevalent problem in the Philippines and other countries
where workers are exploited and deprived of their basic rights. The film sheds
light on the harsh reality of contractual employees who lack job security and
benefits, and are often at the mercy of their employers. Vangie's character
represents the frustration and desperation felt by contractual workers, who are
constantly worried about losing their jobs. The film challenges the system that
allows companies to exploit workers through contractualization and calls for fair
treatment and job security for all employees, regardless of their employment
status. Overall, the film provides a powerful commentary on a critical issue that
affects millions of people, and it reminds us of the need to address this issue and
protect workers' rights.
 EVALUATION:

Source: The short film came from a site called "shortoftheweek". It is a site that showcase various kind
of short films that are not yet ready to be published. We managed to locate this source since it is
famous for short films, which can be great a source of information since it is related to our specific task.
It is a trusted source for films that has been relied on by many people since 2007.

Context: The short film "Excuse Me Miss. Miss. Miss" by Sonny Calvento follows the story of Vangie, a
contractual employee of Trendysitas, a mall, who is about to lose her job due to contractualization. The
film is set in the Philippines, where contractualization is a widespread issue affecting many workers in
various industries.

The information accompanying the film suggests that it sheds light on the unjust practices of
contractualization, which deprives workers of their job security and benefits. The film's plot revolves
around the protagonist's struggle to keep her job and her discovery of a secret that could change the
situation for all contractual employees.
 The context of the film is the current socio-economic situation in the Philippines, where contractualization is a controversial issue. The short film
emphasizes the misery of contractual employees who have to work under challenging conditions with no job security or benefits. The story is a critique of
the system that allows companies to exploit workers through contractualization.

Overall, "Excuse Me Miss. Miss. Miss" is a thought-provoking film that addresses a critical issue affecting the lives of many people in the Philippines. The
film is for anyone interested in social justice and workers' rights and provides valuable insights into the realities of contractualization.

Content: Vangie, one of the numerous salespeople working in a large mall in the Philippines, finds it difficult to balance the demands of her family and
her hardworking boss. She balances working many jobs to support her family, including her ailing mother, and make ends meet. She is aware of how
crucial her current position is to her and how difficult and time-consuming it is to hunt for a new one, but she frequently procrastinates. Her desire of
becoming regularized is now skipping away from her hands as she stands on the verge of losing her work. She begs her supervisor in an attempt to keep
her work, which causes her to learn the secret to regularization from her boss. It turns out that her boss's ability to utilize magic to create false versions of
herself and balance her personal and professional lives is what makes her so flawless all the time.

Vangie's everyday activities at Trendysitas and her actions during her shift were frequently depicted in the movies. The floor of the mall where they work
serves as the location for the narrative. It was portrayed as a location that was dismal, lifeless, and monotonous along with their uniforms, with only their
leader wearing a vibrant red one. It was clear that the filmmakers spent a lot of time and effort shooting different situations and illustrating messages. It
concerns the predicament of Filipino contract laborers. In order to make the portrayal of Filipino laborers in real life authentic and relevant, the filmmaker
conducted extensive research and carefully listened to their stories. The director utilized his short to demonstrate how absurd and oppressive some
requirements may get when you are applying for the job, as well as maintaining the work once you get employed. The story is actually based on the
recollections of a former sales lady at a well-known mall chain.
The movie has a humorous tone and makes fun of the absurdity of a society that prioritizes profits and numbers over the
welfare of its workers. Excuse Me Miss, Miss, Miss adopted a lighthearted approach to highlight the millions of people who
are employed under contract at a variety of well-known establishments across the nation, including malls, fast food
restaurants, and construction projects. In order to avoid paying these workers with long-term health benefits and other
benefits, it is typical practice in the Philippines for large corporations to hire personnel on a rotating basis.

The movie avoided becoming too didactic to turn off the audience by keeping things light and humorous. It effectively
presents the idea that perhaps there is truly no way to maintain work-life balance if you're a regular wage worker in the
Philippines if you cannot clone yourself by employing a fantasy premise to deliver its main point.

Audience: The target audience are the people who are not yet aware of the major dilemma when applying to any sort of
job. Since the film is about the plight of of contractual workers in the Philippines, then the main target audience are the
people that will soon join the working field, which will assist them to be ready to face the reality.
Author: The short film was made by Sonny Calvento. He is from the Philippines, who works
as a producer, writer, and director. He wrote scripts for ABS-CBN Corporation for ten years.
The purpose of the short film is to reveal the plight of contractual workers in the Philippines
through entertainment such as this short film. The main idea of this film is to show the
reality of what the workers are going through.

Visual: The precise construction of the frames and the careful attention to the finer details
are immediately apparent in the very first shot of the movie, demonstrating the importance
of cinematography as a tool for communicating the tale. Vangie, the main character, is
severely constricted by the aisles' symmetry in this formal setting where she frequently
stands out. Her boss, the antagonist, is so well written that she embodies excellence and
performance to the point where Vangie's carefree attitude contrasts sharply with her
intensity. She is featured throughout the entire movie with a red uniform, which stands for
strength, authority, and enthusiasm because the other staff members perceive her as being
overly zealous and flawless.

The jazzy tune enhances the warm visual style and creates a delightful sense of unease and
intrigue that helps bring viewers into the on-screen environment. With the final twist,
Calvento skillfully employs fantasy to bring the underlying metaphor full circle and
highlight both the conditions of the workers and the significance of consumption.

Technical Quality: The color and the size of the short film are very great. High definition
quality is also present. It is also protected by copyright since when a motion picture is
generated and fixed in a copy, the copyright is automatically secured. Copyright only
applies to the expression that has been fixed in a motion picture (camera work, dialogue,
sounds, etc.).