The type of films Filipino filmmakers make reflect the type of people most Filipinos are – people lacking in substance. Just looking at the list of entries for this year’s Manila Film Festival, you can already tell that not a lot of thinking was involved in the process of making them. Even the titles leave nothing to the imagination of the audience. Most of the actors playing the lead roles are the same ones we’ve seen since we were kids or some hot young flavor-of-the-month of one producer or another.
Kraken rip-off
Take the 13th instalment of Shake, Rattle and Roll, and ask: What else can people expect to get out of it? Not much, obviously. People are probably watching it for the eye candy. Every year the film features starlets parading and pouting for the camera hoping to look cute enough to win an award. That’s right. Talent in acting is not really a criterion for winning an acting award in the Philippines.
In the case of the film Enteng ng Ina Mo starring Ai Ai delas Alas and Vic Sotto; the actors had nothing to work with in terms of storyline and dialogue. The characters just basically rehashed their roles specifically with Vic playing his Enteng character from the 1980s TV series Okay ka Fairy ko and Ai Ai reprising her winning role in last year’s Tanging Ina Mo. It’s another one of those things in the Philippines we can refer to as scraping the bottom of the barrel. The producers are obviously milking the franchise until it bleeds.
And what about the new Panday 2 movie? First of all, how does Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr find the time to make movies? Isn’t he supposed to be spending more time deliberating policies in the Senate instead of delivering cheesy lines? Aren’t there enough men to take over the role Senator Revilla inherited from the late Fernando Poe Jr? Second, the new Panday movie is being criticized for being a blatant rip-off of the 2010 Hollywood blockbuster remake of Clash of the Titans. All the film needed was Medusa to complete the cast of Perseus’s nemesis. There was nothing special about the “special” effects either.
How do these filmmakers sleep at night knowing that they are not really creating a work of art but just copies of some other people’s work? They are not even making people think; they are not even stirring emotions or provoking people into doing something with their lives; they are not even inspiring young people to aspire for greatness. What they are producing is just stuff you can discard after one use. In short, most Philippine films are a total waste of the people’s time and money.
Films are supposed to be cultural artifacts that reflect our culture and, in turn, affect us and our outlooks towards life. Most films are considered art, for entertainment and a powerful tool for educating — or indoctrinating — society. But nowhere can we find our culture or any significant message of consequence in our films. Films are powerful tools of communicating ideas and who we are as a people. Unfortunately, our films tell us and everyone else that we are shallow and superficial.
you know what’s wrong with us filipinos and our movie industry? we tend to go for the visuals, not the substance of the story. and admit it or not, our movies are sort of done wrongly for the chosen audience. example, panday. they advertise it like for the kids, but during the actual movie, inappropriate words were used. and they tend to discuss using deep tagalog words that the kids lost interest in watching. yes, the special effects made up for it, but that’s all there is. in the case of enteng, same. reused lines, scenes, but yes funny though. but the movie doesn’t have its lasting effects. i cannot blame people who are ranting about the 2 weeks break w/o int’l films. because i also wouldn’t want to waste my money watching these recycled rubbish. for me, i choose the indie films over these mmff. yes, the truth is, the caliber of indie films are way better than mmff.
That’s a good way of explaining what I meant by lacking in substance.
Ilda, I also raised the issue last year here >> http://thephilguild.weebly.com/2/post/2010/11/mmff-2010-a-promise-of-reinvention.html << where I also cited that Bong just rehashed Riddick to produce his old filmfest entry Resiklo.
Hi Philippine Guild
I don’t know why some people defend blatant copying of ideas. There’s no pride in doing something original.
The “shallow” Filipino – F. Sionil Jose. His case can rest.
This discussion has become really interesting.
Let’s say that not all Filipino films are great: mainstream, nor indie. There’s always something to improve on. For instance, Enteng ng Ina Mo is, by all means, an unnecessary revamp of the 1980 TV series and the “Ina” franchise. It doesn’t further the plot of “Tanging Ina Mo” nor “Okay Ka Fairy Ko.” The dialogue was intended to elicit laughter but it fell short with the punchlines.
A huge chunk of SRR 13 sucked and it made me wonder how it got 4 out of 5 stars. However, Parola, one episode in SRR 13, was layered with tons of subtext about the psychosexual development of two adolescent girls, and it deserves some merit for “attempting” to bring something new to the table. Pero it wasn’t that good pa rin–nandun ‘yung sobrang cheesy flashback, tapos yung awkward special effects, and we’ve seen that before and it REALLY isn’t good. But that doesn’t mean we dismiss the film as bad just because it failed here.
And a lot of indie films aren’t that good either. Napanood ko ‘yung Gayuma ni Alvin Yapan at sumakit talaga ‘yung mata ko. Ang pangit ng camera work, at pinilit kong intindihin na low-budget siya pero, wala talaga eh. Masyadong shaky at parang di pinag-isipan ‘yung shots. Inintindi ko ‘rin yung acting ni Kalil Almonte kahit na may lebel ng pagka-mediocre, kasi hindi required na “out there” ang acting skills lalo na para sa gaganap na sakristang in love.
Sana isang masusing pag-aanalisa at pananaliksik ang ginagawa natin dito. Hindi man tayo pare-parehong filmmakers or film buffs, hindi siya excuse para magkaroon ng unsubstantiated claims tungkol sa mga pelikulang di pa napapanood. I try to look at the points as constructive criticism, but that doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be affirmative criticism–kasi bashing lang eh. Is there really nothing good about it? Then that’s cynicism.
And talking about the quality of films that are locally produced requires a grip on the history of filmmaking in the country, the politics involved, and most importantly, the process on how to make films. Just because we have to adjust to the “level” of our readers, it isn’t an excuse to make empty assumptions. Kung tayo ang nakakaintindi, kailangan nating ipaintindi sa mga di nakakaintindi kung ano talaga ang nagaganap.
Matatalino naman tayo. Huwag natin babawan ang pagtingin natin sa mga pelikula. Critical thinkers nga, diba–thus nothing has to be taken at face value. Kung ang MMFF ang mukha ng filmmaking dito sa Pilipinas, eh di ipunto niyo kung bakit ang pangit ng mga films. Be specific and on point.
At dagdag ko lang siguro, about patterns. Oo, ang daming patterns ng mga Filipino films na sinusunod. Mainstream films have become quite predictable. But you have to know that films go through tons of revisions and sometimes the creative intent behind it is compromised. Iba ang vision ng scriptwriter sa director, sa producer, sa editor, sa distributor, sa exhibiting bodies na bumubuo sa media oligarchies. You get the picture.
At kung ginagawa ‘yung mga films to adjust to the level of the “masses”, ‘wag nating i-assert ang mga Pilipino as babies spoonfed with bull. Out of place lang ‘yung homogenization. Hindi lahat ng Pilipino nanonood ng pelikula. What’s your concept of the masses anyway? Is it the assimilationist bourgeois, or the informal settlers, or the petty posers?
Kaya nagtataka ako kung bakit may komentaryo tungkol sa pagtingin ng masa sa mga pelikulang hindi naman sila ang target audience. Hindi pang-masa ang pelikula, so stop obsessing about society’s perception on Filipino films because not everyone can afford to watch a film in the moviehouse–which is what famous production outfits capitalize on. Para sa upper middle class ang pelikula: ‘yung may kakayahang magbayad sa sinehan dahil nababayaran naman nila ‘yung necessities nila.
Chad, sana napanood mo ang Sayaw para naman gumanda-ganda ang opinyon mo sa amin. hahaha!!! aware naman kami sa pagkululang ng Gayuma. but really, thanks for watching.
Jayclops, matagal-tagal pang magkakaroon ng DVD ang Sayaw dahil pag may DVD na, mapipirata na agad ‘yan. chances are, we will have screenings in Cinemalaya this year. try to catch it there. mas masaya sa CCP manood kasi game na game ang audience.
Sir Alem! I watched Sayaw and it was good. Siguro as a moviegoer masyado akong nalunod sa mga metaphors. Pero okay naman. Ang galing ng portrayal ni Jean Garcia.
May isang shot po doon na pinapanood ni Miss Jean si Rocco at si Paulo na magpractice ng choreography. I’m big on symmetries, so sana ‘yung choreography ng sayaw nagwork din within the line of symmetry.
Ayos po ‘yung paggamit sa mga tula. Pero sensya at di ko siya masyadong na-gets. I needed to watch it a second time para maintindihan nang mas mabuti.
Agree, re: masa. This blog mentions “masa” a lot and I think it needs to be defined. You’re right about movie studios making movies for people with disposable income. They usually target what they call the “night market” or people who go to work at day, and spend at night. Hence, the opening of new Filipino movies on a payday week.
I actually like this year’s SRR.
FILMS FOR YOU (not just ilda) TO WATCH:
Kisapmata – Mike de Leon
Kakabakaba Ka Ba? – Mike de Leon
Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang – Lino Brocka
Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag – Lino Brocka
Busong – Auraeus Solito
Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa- Alvin Yapan
Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay – Antoinette Jadaone
These are just off the top of my head. I would include a Lav Diaz here, but I sadly, I haven’t seen any of his films. Because you see, I would only recommend films that I’ve actually seen.
Sana may DVD release yung last 3. di nakaka-abot ang festivals dito sa ‘min eh. The first 4 are in my best Filipino films of all time. Maynila being no. 1.
All your arguments are invalid, Ilda, because you did not see the films you brought up. Your knee-jerk response of a blog entry is uninformed and shallow, and sounds like a sad ploy to milk the currency of this year’s festival for a little traffic to your blog. A little research into Filipino cinematic tradition would show you that the MMFF films are typical of Pinoy culture and function very well as artifacts, if they are read properly. From the sound of it, your analyses of films (that you’ve seen, that is) stops at “the message” that the film’s story delivers to you in big bold educational letters. News flash: films aren’t “supposed” to make you do anything; they don’t even make you watch them, in your case. If you do watch them, they might thrill you, depress you, elate you, puzzle you, or rouse you to action, depending on what the filmmakers set out to achieve. The MMFF films follow the long-standing tradition of films as escapist entertainment, which we received from Hollywood and blended with our own pre-cinematic forms of escapist entertainment. As such they offer insight into the Pinoy mindset at specific points in history, if you can see beyond the superficiality of the story and its “message.” But to do this you need to watch the films first. One final way of looking at your problem is that you’re barking up the wrong tree. There are all sorts of films being made in the Philippines today, and there is room in the cultural landscape for all of them; you just need to know where to look. Get an education before you call out escapist fare for not being something that it has no intention of being.
Yes, that is what I said about most Filipino films. But a lot of foreign films can “thrill you, depress you, elate you, puzzle you, or rouse you to action”.
You have to accept that most people are either lazy or don’t have the time to find out which indie films are good. In my case I am really, really busy. I spend a lot of my spare time writing. Two hours of wasted time is two hours I won’t get back.
There is a reason why there is such a thing as advertising. If you do not promote the films, it will not get the right exposure. You are also competing with Hollywood films that Filipinos have come to expect to give them good value for their money. You need to step up to the challenge of getting people’s attention away from the competition. You can’t just simply shrug your shoulders and say, “because they have big budgets”. Use your imagination and creativity in getting attention for your film.
You can’t rely on people discovering your so-called “good” films on their own. You have to give them a good enough reason to watch it. Saying “it’s good” won’t be enough.
yes, dapat talaga all our local film should learn from the foreigns. Did you like Happy Feet poh Ilda? NOw that’s a good film. entertaining with good moral values.
Your excuse for not watching independent films is that your busy? Moreover, busy writing? Writing what? This sort of thing?
Hindi na excuse ang pagiging busy.
Hindi rin tamang argument na sabihing kulang lang sa advertisement and indie films. Matiyagang nagtatrabaho ang mga sumusuporta sa indie para sila’y bigyang pansin. Sadyang hindi lang nabibigyan/binibigyan ng nararapat na atensyon ang mga independent films. Kung talagang concerned ka sa sine at mahal mo talaga ito para makapagsulat ka ng isang article, maghanap ka at manood. Kung talagang mahal mo ang sine, hindi ka lang tatanga at papanoorin kung ano ang hinahain sa iyo.
I don’t have to tell you what else I do that keeps me busy. You just have to take my word for it.
WRONG. You do not seem to understand human nature. People tend to follow what’s popular. Just look at your President. He was voted into office only because he is popular. Because I am busy, I tend to read a lot of film reviews to save me time from watching crappy films. I also watch films that get bad reviews but only because the storyline interests me and they sometimes surprise me.
So you need to advertise your films to get noticed. If you don’t believe me, watch the TV series Mad Men.
Don’t expect mana from heaven to fall on your lap. You have to work hard at getting it.
“You have to accept that most people are either lazy or don’t have the time to find out which indie films are good. In my case I am really, really busy.”
Then for goodness’ sake don’t mouth off about it. You clearly don’t know enough about the topic to form a sensible opinion. Again, all your arguments are invalid.
What’s most awful about your writing is that it reeks of an arrogance that rests on intellectual laziness. Take your site’s own advice, and get real.
Your responses to my as well as other people’s comments reveal you to be just as shallow as the filmmakers you criticize and the audiences they cater to. You are just as content to take in whatever is fed to you by advertising and other received burgis notions like “all Filipino films are bad bad bad” without thinking. If Pinoy films indeed don’t make us think, it’s because people like you don’t want to think.
You really should watch a Pinoy film. Something tells me you would enjoy yourself.
Re: “Then for goodness’ sake don’t mouth off about it. You clearly don’t know enough about the topic to form a sensible opinion. Again, all your arguments are invalid.”, cite specific examples of what you claim to be aspects of the article that are “invalid” plez. Last I heard this is a free country and everyone with an opinion has the right to express it, just as everyone here is free to express an opinion on said opinion in the form of a comment on this blog.
So rather than whine about the article being, in your opinion, made up of “invalid” arguments, why don’t you come up with what you believe are “valid” counter-arguments. Up to the challenge?
@BKG
Just because you don’t agree with my views doesn’t make them invalid.
I am being realistic here. Most people do not have the luxury of time to “research” on films. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can do something about promoting your films. Get Real!
It seems that you are the one being elitist. Just because some people do not seek out your indie films it doesn’t mean they are not cool. If you are happy with the handful of people who accidentally stumble upon your film then don’t complain about not getting enough exposure.
If you know you can’t rely on the distributors then do something more proactive by promoting it yourself. The Internet can help you.
“The type of films Filipino filmmakers make reflect the type of people most Filipinos are – people lacking in substance.”
I honestly RESENT that statement. Please don’t stereotype. Thank you.
It’s not a stereotype. It’s a generalisation.
Ok, so please avoid making generalizations.
Just to paraphrase Mr. Mascharilla, generalizations are never good when groups are labeled and marginalized.
How can she not? Doesn’t it have a semblance of truth to it?
It is a true and valid generalization for me and I also agree with it.
I love this websites like these. Hey Ilda you really hit the nail with the hammer of this article. Please everybody stop whining already and do something right now! Every article in this website is the best view of Filipinos in the world. Pass it to your friends and families. All the articles of Ilda are the best. Benigno is not so good based on his comments, pero he owns yata this website? SOrry poh! I learned a lot to be an intellectual! ty
Thank you, ryan. Good to know you can handle the truth.
Amen! Lahat kayo makinig kay Ilda para wala na away please?
i agree ryan. we might not agree with everything ilda writes (as in the case of ‘generalization’ issue) but it really touches us where it should hurt. I’m not at all for measuring our film vs. hollywood or foreign film, but we must indeed raise it to a higher level. Yes, the films of Brocka and Bernal deserve to be commended, but they were made long ago. Ano, wala nang improvement after that?
=)
tama! ang hindi sumunod sa amin hindi nagiisip… >.<
Hay, comments pa lang sa blog na ito, obvious nang napaka-defensive nating mga Pinoy kapag naapakan ang paniniwala natin. Mano bang gawin na lamang itong hamon diba? By hamon, I mean ‘challenge’, not the edible stuff which will be misunderstood (read:trolled) by others. Aasenso ang Pilipinas once tigilan natin ang kayabangan sa sarili nating paraan. Sorry medyo off-topic ang comment.
Hi Batang Cubao
Exactly! “Hamon” or challenge is ultimately how the filmmakers should view this article. They need to prove to us all the they can conquer even the “masa” crowd not just their peers if they are really as good as they say they are.
I think the filmmakers are and have been aware of the challenge. It’s just, this article didn’t do much to challenge them further. Sa lahat ng ginagawa ng mga filmmakers para tulungan ang lipunan gamit ang pelikula, it’s articles like these, media giants like…, and stubborn elitists like…, that bring them back to square one. At medyo kayabangan (on your part – colonial mentality) din po ata ang pagsabi na walang matinong pelikula ang nagagawa ang Pinoy.
You’ve got to be kidding me? You mean instead of inspiring them to do better, the filmmakers will just stop making films when they read criticisms? Going back to square one is good. There’s always room for improvement.
You simply can’t dismiss aspiring for greatness as “colonial mentality”.
The main problem with indie films is the lack of exposure.
If they need it, the internet is a way of getting their message across, through trailers on various websites like vimeo, youtube, etc.
You can then use social networking sites to spread the word about the film or film fest at little or no cost to you other than time most likely.
With the trailers, synopsis of the movie, you can at least give your target market an idea as to what you are going to show, and add interest to a film or the whole festival to add traffic as well as revenue.
Through my years of being a member of facebook or friendster in the past, I have never seen of heard of any trailers or link posted that would lead me to said indie film festival site to provide a gateway for me to look into it if it at least can peak my interests.
As such, using the various mediums available for maximizing exposure has not been utilized and therefore, it shouldn’t be a complaint.
Greatness that is patterned after the success of another country’s film industry is, in a sense, colonial mentality. “Gaya-gaya”, even in the sense of greatness.
No one’s stopping from making films because of criticisms. That’s what the independent film movement is for: to create a discourse contrary to what’s notably “a Filipino film”. You’re a good case of the Filipino consumer: you don’t give a hoot about the process of filmmaking because you’re too busy–just like “da Pinoy” you are referring to–to read on this.
If I didn’t give a hoot about filmmaking, I wouldn’t even bother responding to filmmakers defensive comments.
I love films. I even want to be a filmmaker one day. That’s why I hate it when most Filipino film makers keep doing the same thing over and over.
@ Chad
Wait, as a consumer you are only meant to do a few things. To patronize what you like and to criticize what you don’t like.
What else is there as a consumer?
We as consumers of these media either show or not show support. Plain and simple. Sometimes with our wallets through ticket purchases and/or time spent finishes/consuming the media being presented (applies to big/small screen).
I don’t think that there was anywhere in the blog/post that said we should “gaya” our foreign counterparts in what we present. Where did you get that?
I think though, the mere fact that they tried to imitate and presented it badly shows that they can’t even do it properly for the sake of showing something good, wouldn’t you agree? Now how is that colonial mentality?
I am a consumer, and yes, I can’t be bothered to be enticed to see something I have no clue what it is about. No trailer, no synopsis. How am I supposed to even know it exists or what I am to expect if I were to go there and spend/waste my time, right?
If you want people to go, you have to find ways to entice as sir benigno keeps pointing out. Give us something that will make us go see it or maybe think about seeing it. It means there is something about your “marketing” that struck a chord with us.
Don’t blame us being ignorant if your “marketing” didn’t reach us. It isn’t our job to know, it is the job of the “promoter/marketer” to let people know.
If there were no ads, not one, for the new Sherlock Holmes movie, would I even bother to look for it? Hell no! I’m a consumer, why would I look for it when I don’t even know about it.
So a consumer doesn’t have a job per se in that whole world of cinema other than the option to consume or not to consume. What else is there for the consumer?
@Ilda – I kid you not, you kid yourself. You see, what I meant was that those things keep pulling them down, making it harder and harder for them to be heard every time they try to get back up. Keep closing your eyes and ears to the developing side of Philippine film industry, their voice is lost. Good Filipino films are doing so much to be heard, and you say it’s not enough. Maybe you just have to stop lazing around waiting for things to come to you. If you look, you certainly will find, many have.
@Sphynx – I don’t know about your Facebook circle of friends, but I barely see mainstream trailers hit my Newsfeed, but I’ve seen hundred upon hundreds of short films, and trailers to indie films appear. There are fan pages, event pages, Facebook groups everywhere for these. Maybe you’re just in the wrong crowd. Don’t be as mindless as what you claim the Filipino masses to be. I’m certain you’re educated enough to think for yourself and find good films for yourself. Look and you will find.
My bad. “Keep closing your eyes and ears to the developing side of Philippine film industry, and they’ll ultimately lose their voice.” Now we don’t want that. No one does.
@Sam
Well, actually, no trailers hit my newsfeed, or if they do, very few trickle down the line. I get most of my trailers on youtube, sometimes on yahoo. But it goes to show, there are ways to reaching my type of audience.
I have seen a few short films on youtube though (they were mostly animated though but not limited to the US – some from Russia, France etc).
But what I am trying to point out is that there are ways, not limited to just facebook, multiply, youtube, veoh. These are just some of those that I know, and I think these are just scratching the surface of it. The online medium is a very potent means to reach a wide audience, the question is, what will suit best for your needs, a shotgun approach or a precise one? It depends, but you can’t argue that it will hit some notes with the audience it finds and create a bit of buzz. A little buzz goes a long way, that much I know.
But I have never exerted a means to find a movie which I didn’t know already existed or is going to be shown. The information was brought to me first, before I took on the effort to know more. Which is I think we must at least accept as a fact most consumers would do as well.
@Sphynx – There you go! You’re on your way to finding these treasures in Philippine Cinema. Look!
Indie filmmakers are utilizing whatever they can to be heard. Smart audiences search out for them because they thirst for good films. They lack exposure because these corporate giants controlling our media refuse to give them a voice because it won’t benefit them.
To be searched out for, I think, is one nature of indie films. The point being raised that indie films aren’t good enough because they don’t generate a buzz is against what indie films are. The independent cinema was made as an alternative to the mainstream, naturally it won’t be as popular as mainstream because it’s not trying to be mainstream. Basic definitions here. Now, if what a lot of you are saying that since indie films don’t generate a buzz that means they’re not good enough is rubbish. Why set the standards of mainstream to indie?
Anyway, there are plenty of venues of exhibition for these independent films, and because they aren’t mainstream, one has to make the extra effort to look. Sir Alem is even giving out a free pass to help the search.
@Sam
Well, in my case, I do not agree that just because there wasn’t a buzz doesn’t mean it wasn’t any good. I do want to point that out.
If I remember correctly, the issue of buzz against quality of film was that it wasn’t what the majority would watch which reflected poorly on the majority at large (that majority were happy with mediocrity or something below that).
But again, not everyone feels that way which is again why I know there are indie films.
I am just the type of consumer who you need to “poke” first as to what I can expect, via trailers, synopsis and the like before I even think about going to see it.
The difference also with a short film on youtube (good or bad) and going out to see an indie film is I see youtube from the comfort of my home and I can multitask, pause and close should I choose to.
For me to actually go to a screening to watch would demand a greater amount of time from me, so I believe, it is the job of the promoter to figure out a way to entice me to leave my place of comfort to go see something that peaked my interest for an hour or two. This I believe, is not in any way part of what my type of consumer is.
I am the type that would like to know a selection beforehand so that I can opt in or out.
I am the type of consumer that eats at restaurants that I have already tried or that were recommended to me (and after reading a review of it after it was recommended to me by someone I know).
This is the type of “marketing” that my type of consumer is, and I think it should be noted that information reaches us as a first step, not the other way around, in order for a possibility of contact to be established.
I am not saying every consumer or majority are like me, but I would believe there are quite a lot of those who are similar to me who do not take the first step to find a possible movie to watch that they had no idea of beforehand.
So in order to reach us, the promoters should find a way first around our non-desire to explore blindly. =)
So maybe we can change that? The whole Ghandi thing that I want to be the change in the world shiz. Don’t leave it all to the promoter because sometimes the promoter is controlled by a greedy corrupt giant who thinks nothing more than to earn money. I understand your side very well, it’s just, come on. I guess we’re going off topic now. Try new things and don’t be afraid to go out. That’s what I see the problem is with the Filipino mass. They get what is handed to them by corporate giants and can I say we both agree on that? But there’s you and I who can step up and change that. The indie film industry needs audiences to help spread the word, but if you wait for them to reach your doorstep, that’s a million individual doorsteps they have to go to and they simply don’t have enough money.
Basically, a good understanding of the industry would’ve helped this article and its readers. Ideas like yours, about the exhibition, market side and all, has already been taken into account, no doubt. You have no idea how hard these indie filmmakers are trying to do what you say. Easier said than done.
@Sam
Well, I do believe it is the majority of the mass media has its way of handing out this brainless drool to the public and the masses it eat up every single time.
But sadly, you have to understand. I am a consumer, how and what I consume is my decision. I do not approve of what the mass media is feeding me so I look for something else.
We can agree that we most probably don’t watch the same things, offline or online but these people manage to reach me in one way or another yet the local indie films don’t.
I still think the online medium has not been utilized to its most effective state in terms of promotion of these indie movies you speak of.
I have heard of some like ang pandadalaga ni maximo oliveros (forgive me if I got the title wrong) but it is not my cup of tea type of movie (based on what the trailer I saw showed). But at least for that, I saw the trailer, the other films on the indie seen, I haven’t even seen a trailer, let alone heard of the movie title, which goes to show that most likely, the online media is not maximized. I understand it is not easy, but we can at least agree, that this is a fact.
A regular consumer (not really a film buff) wouldn’t go out of his way to research what is next to be screen. He needs to be fed this information first to be enticed, and that is what is needed as a first step, not to expect the “normal” consumer to execute the first step.
This is sad… But it’s true…
Filipinos should start making NEW, LOGICAL, and MEANINGFUL movies. Let’s not stick into comedy and the so-called “filipino drama” and start with at least something new for the country. Problem with our directors and writers is that all they care about is the money that they’d make. Indie directors and writers should stop complaining saying that the Philippine media is trash, you guys should actually do something about it.
Anyway, I just want to see, even once, a MODERN Filipino movie that actually has a decent story line and not just the visuals. Hope that ever happens.
uhm, yun na nga yung point ng mga comments above. na there are NEW, LOGICAL and MEANINGFUL movies out there. Movies that doesn’t “stick into comedy and the so-called filipino drama”
kaso nung sinabihan ng mga tao itoing si Ilda, ang sagot hindi daw maganda kasi walang buzz. (buzz na pala ang test ng kagandahan ng pelikula)
if you actually look for good filipino movies, you will find them for sure. pero parang hindi naman kayo naghahanap. kumbaga, hindi namin kasalanan na mang-mang kayo sa mga bago at magagandang pelikula dahil tamad kayo.
Paulit-ulit na lang. Kung ikaw marami kang oras mag-hanap at panuodin lahat ng films eh hinde lahat ng tao katulad mo. At hinde mang-mang ang tawag sa mga taong walang time mag-hanap. Marami sa kanila katulad ko “busy”. Mahirap ba intindihin yun?
Kaya kung filmmaker ka, ikalat mo ang impormasyon tungkol sa pelikula mo para yung mga “busy” maisipan din panuodin. Entiende?
What you don’t understand is that it isn’t so easy to advertise/start a “buzz” for indie films. It’s not that film makers are making excuses for not getting exposure. It isn’t an excuse because the film giants are not giving them the exposure, no matter how hard the film makers try.
your excuse: i’m busy.
wow, everyone is. you’re not the only one with activities.
you expect the “product” to advertise itself to you. then don’t make a criticism about the quality of a film when the greatness of one, according to you, is only reliant on its marketability
like this: if you aren’t aware of Koji-san soap, and there’s no publicity, then one can assume it’s not good enough? if it’s not good enough why is it still being produced? because there’s a market. supply creates a demand. bakit walang publicity ang Koji-san? tinalo ng Safeguard. does that make Safeguard better than Koji-san? no.
it’s all about the palate of the viewers. you may share the same sentiment with other “consumers” but that doesn’t make your point any stronger
@sky
This is going back to you:
Your statement applies to you too.
Not everyone is busy. Apparently some people here have the luxury of time to “research” about indie films. Ohhh…they must have cushy lives.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to do “research”. DEAL WITH IT.
@x
I think that is an excuse. You can generate your own buzz especially that everyone nowadays is connected in one way or another to the internet.
Like I’ve said in an earlier comment, do these indie films you speak of (in itself or during a film festival) have trailers to each movie that will be shown? Any write ups on the internet to give a brief synopsis of the plot/storyline?
It informs the possible viewer as to the possible content(s) of the film/film festival and will entice him.
How do people know of new products/companies nowadays? Don’t these new products/companies launch themselves through social media to create the so called “buzz” or “hype” you covet? Why can’t it be done to an indie film/festival? Surely there is a way to reach a larger group of people with the least amount of cost and time through these online mediums? You just have to let people know what you are offering them.
I think that applies not only to products but to films as well. Agree?
kung alam mo kung pano magdistribute…
Gusto mo magfilm di ba?
sana magfilm ka, para alam mong mali ka.
Hello Ilda! I find it encouraging that somebody calls it as it is for a change. I know that we’re all passionate about our country and everything that it stands for, and opinions that go against this notion will never be popular, but there are times when we just need to start realizing that the bus has left the station and we’re not on it!
I’m not an expert in film-making, but I do watch movies and I know what I like. Personally, I would like to see Philippine cinema try to catch up with the leading edge of the industry, wherever that lies. Worryingly though, the industry seems to be happy with the awards and the praises that it heaps upon itself. It doesn’t help that the public with the means to comment on these things, and simply for the sake of sounding pro-Filipino, tries to be agreeable with the kind of films that not many of us seem to be willing to pay to watch anyway.
If people do watch these kinds of films then how come Hollywood films still rule the box-office anyway? Is it because of the drawing power of Hollywood actors? If so, hasn’t it occurred to anyone that it might be possible that these actors are globally popular because they read the lines and act in the stories of people who actually know what they’re doing? Marketing is always a factor but with social media and the internet, it is hardly an excuse anymore.
The Philippines and Filipino culture is a very rich source of stories, the only reason why it’s not up on the big screen is because everybody just wants to be agreeable. The problem, I think, is that the people with the means to make good cinema happen to have no talent, but nobody has the guts to tell them. It’s a farce to say that the Filipino will not buy into a good quality movie with a real story and good dialogue. I see them lining up for foreign drama and intellectual suspense-thrillers all the time!
The Philippines has been embroiled in revolutions and counter-revolutions for the past few hundred years, there have been tragedies, lost love, and inspiration through all these times, if we can’t sell these stories or write the lines that will make the Filipino weep and laugh at his own folly and achievements – perhaps it is time to look for a job outside of the movie industry.
Thanks for your comment. I hope the filmakers will take your suggestions on board.
Maganda pa yung pelikulang Manila Kingpin: Asiong Salonga Story.
I’m still hoping for a local (post)apocalyptic movie
Neither do most American movies, but this is true. That’s why I barely watch movies anymore.
Hi ilda,
thanks for calling out the rampant foolishness and rank stupidity in our cinematic culture
http://myshrinkingvocabulary.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/redemption-the-metro-manila-film-fetish/
Thanks for the link to your article. We seem to share the same views.
It is with great sadness to read your blog. Dapat sayo e kinakaibigan at nililibre ng hatid/sundo sa UP Film Institute para sa isang libreng dose ng classic at sensible na pinoy film. Or kung alam mo kung saan iyon e pumunta ka nalang don. The MMFF films are shitload of Shit. Yes. They are. They have been. If you were kind of generalizing the way MMFF seems to be the pinoy’s cup of coffee in regard to the pinoy industry, well you got that wrong. The people in Baguio just might shove up in your desk their very own film festivals. Indie and the not so indies. The reason why Independent Cinemas are not so popular in the commercial cinemas is because of people like you. You think you know better, then you should do more research. I haven’t seen any of the films in MMFF because I’d rather watch a Lav Diaz film instead. It may take me 7 hours to finish one but I don’t care. I’d rather watch a copy of his film which I got for even less than a ticket price of that Enteng Kabisote shit.
Whether or not the author knows there are good independent films in our country is not the crux of this article. She is attacking the MMFF, the biggest and arguably the most popular film festival in our country, for wasting huge opportunities to showcase quality Filipino films. The author laments this and berates the idiotic, repetitive, and uninspiring trait of the films they show.
There are a lot of good Filipino filmmakers out there who can make quality films that can strike genuine and lasting emotions to the audience. It just a pity that they get shoved aside by big film companies to cash in on tired and overused scripts.
BTW, not everyone can go to UP or Baguio just to watch some indie film. Please be realistic.
and not all filmmakers can show their films in free tv.
@peter
but you can post your trailers on vimeo, veoh, crunchroll, youtube or some other video hosting site right? It’s a start.
You can then embed these links to a webpage where the contents of the present, and maybe even past indie films were shown. Then you would simply have to disseminate information about the film/festival schedules through various networks online. Right?
Did you even know you can set youtube to be a location based video site that only showed strictly Philippine only uploaded content, with only a few outside Phils content?
Independent films aren’t only available in UP and Baguio.
Please be realistic.
Geez, how low can you get just to make an argument?
Heck, there are even independent films/classic Filipino films online. Instead spending time writing about things you clearly have no knowledge about, why don’t you just watch some independent films on the Internet?
You say you’re busy, but it seems to me that you’ve spent almost two days now arguing with the people who comment on your article.
And if you’re going to say that I have done the same (two days arguing with you people), at least I admit to that and not make some excuse like being busy.
@X
Ayan na naman. You took what I said out of context just like some people here.
I only mentioned UP and Baguio because Princess mentioned those venues. I didn’t say you can only watch indie films at UP and Baguio. Hay naku. This is why I feel like I am wasting my time with some commenters. Some of them read too much into what I’m saying or put words into my mouth.
You have no idea how busy I am. Of course I have to try and respond to some of the comments on my blog even if it’s taking up some of my free time. Would you rather I didn’t?
Obviously writing for me takes precedence over watching movies, which means that I’d rather write than look up what independent films are showing. Busy people like me would appreciate something handed to them on a silver platter. You guys seem to have a problem accepting this fact. You can’t seem to put yourselves in other people’s shoes. Use your imagination. Picture someone busy. What can you do to make her movie going time easier?
You know it’s so easy for me to end this discussion. I can choose to say, “Ok, I have seen the films” or “Ok I will watch them”. Hasn’t it occurred to you that I might just be playing a devils advocate here? I want you filmmakers to understand what your typical customer is like. If you are trying to sell something and no one is buying it, it’s either the product sucks or you’re not trying hard enough to sell it. Either way, you cannot force people to buy it.
@ILDA
If your arguments are just full of fallacies and inconsistencies (like what they are now), I’d prefer that you didn’t respond.
You may not respond to do this, you don’t have to. Go watch a film.
You don’t think others aren’t as busy or even busier than you are?
Go watch a film.
..|..
Funny how the argument of choice now is to force people to watch certain films. It’s no wonder Pinoy products are a global laughingstock.
Dear X
If you have nothing new to add, I’d prefer that you didn’t comment at all or at least quit the ad hominem.
You’ve got some nerve dictating the terms and conditions of the comment section of this blogsite. You are the visitor here just in case you forgot.
What are the fallacies and inconsistencies you are talking about? Please be specific.
It’s not my problem if you can’t accept the personal circumstances of other people. That’s the trouble with Da Pinoy. They tend to speculate and believe in their own “haka-haka”.
@Princess
You don’t have to make me watch the so-called “classic at sensible” Pinoy films. That is not really the point of the article. I don’t even know why you feel “great sadness” to read my article when you also said that “The MMFF films are shitload of Shit”.
Please read the article again and try to understand the point. You agree that there is a problem in the film industry but when someone speaks out about it you get disappointed? I don’t understand that.
When the so-called “good” films have to be “researched” then there is clearly something wrong with the Philippine film industry. You can’t pin the blame on me.
i mean, tanging ina, anong klaseng movie ba yang Enteng Kabisote na yan? eh parang mas maganda pang gawan ng movie yung pagtae ko sa kubeta.
It’s the popular movies that suck, I guess. It’s probably because they stick to the same old tired formulas. Those with formula-breaking ideas tend to be unfilmed, or something found in the indie zone. I want formula-breakers.
One formula-breaker I imagine is, instead of an underdog hero struggling against an overdog villain, the hero is already the overdog. He can beat everybody. But the thing is, people around him are fault-filled and lazy. So he goes around teaching people how to change and do things right. Of course, he can’t force ‘em, and this can be the conflict.