John Arcilla in “On the Job: The Missing 8”
As the industry continues its steady shift toward streaming and other digital spaces, it’s important, filmmaker Erik Matti said, that film outfits adjust their business models accordingly.
While theatrical releases in the country are still deemed impractical because of the pandemic, Reality Entertainment —which Matti cofounded with producer Dondon Monteverde—is shifting its focus on content production for different streaming services and international companies.
“Because of the changes in landscape, cinema setup and show biz in general, we felt we had to evolve and look toward a future that may be different from how we imagined it prior to the pandemic,” Matti said at a recent press conference.
Opportunity for Filipinos
The acclaimed director revealed that after the success of his movie “On the Job: The Missing 8,” which was released as a miniseries on HBO Asia, he and Monteverde started getting inquiries from various international streaming platforms. The film premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and won for its lead star, John Arcilla, the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.
It was then released as part of the six-part “On the Job” miniseries on HBO Asia. “After that, we started attracting a lot of interest from international streamers. I think that more than just us doing projects, it’s also an opportunity for us to bring Filipino talents out there on the global stage,” Matti said.
Among Reality Entertainment’s confirmed upcoming projects is the Filipino adaptation of the French comedy-drama series “Call My Agent!” The local version, which will be coproduced by HBO Asia, will star Angel Locsin and Edu Manzano.
Erik Matti
While details are still confidential, Matti revealed that collaborations with Netflix and Disney are in the works. Other international projects include: a Filipino adaptation of a hit South Korean film; a collaboration with a Korean company for a project to be shot entirely there; a Filipino series that will be filmed in London for a “major streamer;” a story that will be shot in the Philippines and United States; and tie-ups with American producers for a project that will involve Danao City in Cebu, and a hostage drama series with “supernatural elements” that will be filmed in Palawan.
“Rather than tightening our belts amid the pandemic, I think we feel that now is the right time to push things further and do more work. So that the audience can see that we’re really trying to revitalize the industry. We don’t want to just slide by and relaks- relaks lang,” Matti said.
In line with this vision, Reality Entertainment partnered with five filmmakers to help address the growing demand for content for digital platforms. Directors Dean Marcial, Siege Ledesma, Kerwin Go, Joey de Guzman and Kip Oebanda will be working closely with Monteverde and Matti in crafting and delivering the upcoming commissioned projects they have on their plate.
Highly competitive
“We brought together these five filmmakers to help up us … We found in them the sensibilities we’re looking for. We’re looking for bigger stories than what we’re used to. We’re ready to hear their stories,” Matti said. “It’s hard to find people who can push a story locally, but also produce something that’s universal enough to cut across different territories.”
Landing project deals with international producers is a tedious and highly competitive process, Matti pointed out. That’s why it’s important, he said, to work with people you can trust.
Cast of the hit French comedy drama series “Call My Agent!”
“Competition is high among streaming services, so it’s not easy getting projects from them. The amount of due diligence they do to make sure that their money will go to the right hands is tedious. Of course, we would like to be confident when we put all these directors in these projects,” he said. “We want people we can vouch for to assure the international streamers that we can deliver what we promised.”
Hard times demand bigger risks, Matti said. And as they continue forging partnerships with international companies, the director hopes to showcase “the best of Filipino talent and craftsmanship on the global stage.” INQ