Heather Reyes Smith

Head of Media Team. Focus on expanding social media reach of FiliFest and exceeding standards of FiliFest Media Team.

More than just an annual festival, FiliFest has expanded as a platform to advocate for the promotion and celebration of Filipino culture in the UK. As Chief Media Officer of FiliFest, I head up the Media Team as we continue to expand and produce our own content on platforms such as Youtube, IGTV, TikTok, Reels, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. As CMO, I coordinate our skilled team of editors to ensure the production of quality videos which promote the FiliFest vision and values, as well as collaborating with the FiliFest Community through our platform. Along with the Media Officers, I am a video editor for FiliFest TV and have also enjoyed being (what our Chairperson, Rica, likes to call) the 'face' of FiliFest, which means that I work both in front and behind the camera. Our team is small but mighty, comprised of talented video editors with creative minds, constantly brainstorming and conceptualising new and innovative content for FiliFest and bringing the ideas of the committee to fruition. I am super proud to head up this team!

Outside of FiliFest, I have a degree on BASc Arts and Sciences from UCL, where I studied a myriad of disciplines from History of Art to Public Health, Literature to International Affairs, Psychology to Global Development and even French. I have also been the Publicity and Marketing officer for UCL Filipino Society and UCL Christian Union, where I get to work on graphic design and social media strategy. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of an interdisciplinary degree and am excited to see how I can apply these disciplines and skills to community work here in the Philippines, where I am currently based.

FiliFest 2019 (30th January 2019-1st August 2019) - Chief Operations Officer (External)

• Participated in meetings with external business partners to pitch FiliFest 2019
• Represented FiliFest at events hosted by external sponsors of FiliFest 2019
• Designed the FiliFest logo and FiliFest 2019 banner
• Assisted in hand-painting the FiliFest 2019 banner
• Produced digital marketing materials to promote call for performers
• Supported social media marketing of FiliFest on Instagram through connecting with the audience via Instagram stories
• Led Instagram takeovers, being the representative face of FiliFest
• Contributed ideas towards the creation of FiliFest 2019
• Co-ordinated and led the stage and performances operations as Stage Manager, conducting host interviews to scout talents and planning the stage schedule for performers and hosts
• Event Host of FiliFest 2019, regularly promoting external sponsors and representing FiliFest

FiliFest 2020 (2nd October 2019-1st July 2020) - Chief Media Officer

• Head of Media Team, producing several FiliFest TV Committee videos, organising video editors for FiliFest TV uploads and ensuring quality of FiliFest TV videos
• Spearheaded launch of FiliFest TV on YouTube
• Encouraged collaboration with other Filipino Societies for FiliFest TV
• Led Instagram takeovers of Digital FiliFest 2020
• Directed/Produced the following videos: Welcome to FiliFest TV!, Meet the FiliFest 2020 Committee!, FiliFest is Fundraising!, Tagalog Whisper Challenge with UCL Filipino Society!, Exploring Fort Santiago on RIZAL DAY!, Exploring Burnhham Park in BAGUIO CITY!, Taal Volcano Ecuption 2020 #BangonBatangas, We want YOUR Filipino Society, Heads Ups! Pinoy Edition with UCL Filipino Society!, ICYMI: Latest FiliFest Announcements, Update: FiliFest 2020 is Postponed, Quarantine with FiliFest #StayHome, FiliFest Q&A series (Ep 1-4), Check in with FiliFest Series (Cebu, Philippines, Hong Kong, Hampshire, England), What does the Philippines mean to you?, GAMES NIGHT with the FiliFest Committee and BAM & Beyond (Digital FiliFest 2020)
• Videos Edited: Exploring Fort Santiago on RIZAL DAY!, Exploring Burnhham Park in BAGUIO CITY!, Taal Volcano Ecuption 2020 #BangonBatangas
• Thumbnails created: Welcome to FiliFest TV!, Meet the FiliFest 2020 Committee!, FiliFest is Fundraising!, Tagalog Whisper Challenge with UCL Filipino Society!, Exploring Fort Santiago on RIZAL DAY!, Exploring Burnhham Park in BAGUIO CITY!, Taal Volcano Ecuption 2020 #BangonBatangas, FiliFest 2019 with UoP's Filipino Society!, We want YOUR Filipino Society, Heads Ups! Pinoy Edition with UCL Filipino Society!, ICYMI: Latest FiliFest Announcements, Update: FiliFest 2020 is Postponed, Quarantine with FiliFest #StayHome, FiliFest Q&A series (Ep 1-4), What does the Philippines mean to you?, Digital FiliFest 2020 (Cook with Mae, LET's TALK: Skincare and Beauty, GAMES NIGHT with the FiliFest Committee and BAM & Beyond, Live Performances Day 1 and Day 2)
• Featured in the following FiliFest TV videos: Welcome to FiliFest TV!, Meet the FiliFest 2020 Committee!, Tagalog Whisper Challenge with UCL Filipino Society!, Exploring Fort Santiago on RIZAL DAY!, Exploring Burnhham Park in BAGUIO CITY!, Taal Volcano Ecuption 2020 #BangonBatangas (voiceover on YouTube), Heads Ups! Pinoy Edition with UCL Filipino Society!, ICYMI: Latest FiliFest Announcements, Update: FiliFest 2020 is Postponed, Quarantine with FiliFest #StayHome, FiliFest Q&A series (Ep 1-4), What does the Philippines mean to you?, LET's TALK: Skincare and Beauty, GAMES NIGHT with the FiliFest Committee and BAM & Beyond
• Hosted: GAMES NIGHT with the FiliFest Committee and BAM & Beyond

FiliFest 2021 (6th July 2020-24th July 2021) - Chief Media Officer

• Head of Media Team, creating strategies of how FiliFest can expand their reach and engagement through other digital platforms, on top of co-ordinating and producing FiliFest TV content, assuring quality is maintained and pushing for more collaboration with FiliFest Community
• Endorsed expansion onto TikTok, IG Reels and Apple Podcast to reach more audiences
• Brainstormed and conceptualised with Media Officers new and innovative content for FiliFest, bringing the ideas of the committee to fruition
• Participated in several Instagram takeovers
• Directed/Produced the following videos: Buwan Ng Wika (TikTok), UCL Filipino Society #FilSocTakeover (Freshers with FiliFest), Pairs Secretly Share, Crossover Conversations with FiliFest (Part 1 & Part 2)
• Videos Edited: Buwan Ng Wika (TikTok), UCL Filipino Society #FilSocTakeover (Freshers with FiliFest), Highlights from #FreshersWithFiliFest, Tambayan Ep 7, FiliFest Challenge (IG trailer summary video)
• Featured in the following FiliFest TV videos: FiliFest Community, Catch Up with FiliFest: AUGUST UPDATES!, Tambayan S1 (ep 1), Baybayin Workshop Highlights, FilSoc Social! Games Night (Freshers with FiliFest 2020), UCL Filipino Society #FilSocTakeover (Freshers with FiliFest), Highlights from #FreshersWithFiliFest!, Alamat ASMR (Reading Indigenous Mindanawon Legends & Reading The Legend of "Mariang Makiling"), MassKara Murder Mystery, FiliFest FilSoc Awards!, Crossover Conversations with FiliFest (Part 1 & Part 2)
• Featured in the following TikTok/Reels video: Buwan Ng Wika 2020
• Hosted: Baybayin Workshop (Buwan Ng Wika), FilSoc Social! (Freshers with FiliFest 2020), OPM Competition Semi Finals: Kumu Livestream via TFC Europe's channel, FiliFest FilSoc Awards 2021

FiliFest 2022 (30th July 2020-Present) - Chief Media Officer

• Head of Media Team, creating strategies of how FiliFest can expand their reach and engagement through other digital platforms, on top of co-ordinating and producing FiliFest TV content, assuring quality is maintained and pushing for more collaboration with FiliFest Community
• Focus on growing and developing Media Officers to expand skill-set beyond video editors and into producers & directors