Indies rev up annual film output

Now that numerous “indie” features are beefing up the output of the Filipino movie industry and discovering new filmmakers, some optimists are cheering the “fact” that local movies are now back on easy street.

—Uh, don’t bring out the buntings nor light the fireworks just yet. Yes, filmmaking has been boosted in a big way, but most of these new indie productions can’t make it to the big theater circuits and cineplexes, where the big, production-sustaining bucks are made.

Mainstream producers

It’s also true that mainstream producers have revved up their annual film output, and that some of their flicks have made a lot of money.

Trouble is, most of those hits are safely “commercial” productions that are cynically aimed at the “least common denominator” of viewers’ “popcorn” preferences—so, local moviegoers remain poorly served.

One bright light is the occasional indie that does get into the major circuits and does well at the box office.

Upbeat development

Another upbeat development is the fact that some “majors” have launched a smaller production arm that successfully makes relatively low-budget, “semi-indie” movies that they beef up with their contract stars’ drawing power at the box office.

These “indie-maindie” blends benefit from the majors’ big promotional support on their sister TV channels, so it’s no surprise that they do much better than most alternative productions, which have very little to spend on advertising, even if they do get to show on some mainstream cineplexes’ screens.

Trouble is, these struggling indies comprise the bulk of the country’s new feature films, so before we start celebrating the dawn of a new, prosperous day for Filipino movies in general, we should focus our energies and resolves on looking for ways to make it possible for indie movies to get to show on more mainstream circuits’ screens, where they stand a much better chance to end up in the black, and thus give their makers the resources to come up with more and even better films.