If Julie Andrews can sing a song of her favorite things when the dog bites and the bee stings, let me enlist things I dream and hope for Philippine Cinema (so help me god):
5. Leave the hosting to Kris Aquino
This does not only goes out to lambaste Kris Aquino and her acting prowess or the lack thereof. But more of my wish that the culture of looking up to film actors should not rely on connections, on looks but well on the acting ability itself. I do not exempt myself from having artista crush (Yes, Papa John Lloyd, someday you and I will be! *swoon*), but I wish that soon there will be a new breed of actors or the actors of now will pay more attention to their acting and will be vigilant enough to accept films worthy of acting in. I know this wish is a bit far-fetched for there is a deep and long history of how the people perceive film actors and casting in the mainstream film industry. For now, not seeing Kris Aquino in any movies will be good enough for me, for now.
4. And the award goes to...
Like all art forms, having an award in film making is an essential standard for one film maker to say that he has made it in the industry. I am all for awards and recognition, but it is just sad to realize that as years go by most award giving bodies in the film industry had lost pristine reputation. That it just became a playground where groups can boost their egos by handing out pieces of brass (or whatever material). I am not generalizing that all award giving bodies in the Philippine film is this way. Though maintaining a standard in the industry is problematic and close to being just a dream, I wish for the day that these awards are handed out to people who are really deserving. That the Metro Manila Film Festival for one will stop showing sequels of past box-office hits. That there will be a true award giving body for digital and alternative films.
3. 50 pesos or less is enough.
I took up Korean Cinema a few years back but up until now I am envious of the Korean Film makers who enjoy government support in distributing and showing their works. You see in Korea, a cinema house is required to follow a quota in showing Korean films vis-a-vis Hollywood films. Distribution and showing a film is essential in appreciating film in the first place. That for me, there will never be a 'film consciousness' among the Filipino people up until we are exposed in films in general. That the cost of producing a film, the price to watch a movie, the price of a dvd or vcd (original) is far from affordable for the common Pinoy poses a great problem on distribution. I condone any criminal acts like piracy, but let us dig deeper on why the public (poor and rich alike) buy pirated dvd's. Is it just being cheap or the cost of enjoying a film is just too much? (I saw a study before that it is not piracy which caused the movie sales of Filipino films to plunder but it is because the watching public prefers Hollywood films. Will get back at you on this :P )
2. A new breed of film makers thrive!
Thank god for digital cinema and the opportunity it gave for people on the budget to make film. I do agree with Prof. Baumgartel that film production being affordable could has a couple of down side. But, FTW the fact that it allows film production to be enjoyed not only those who have the money is a good thing waves better than those of the bad.
1. May alternative independent films be given due recognition in the discourse of Philippine Cinema.
In connection with number 2 on this list, I think that enough space for discourse in the academe will really help boost and give space to alternative independent films. It is not enough to give film makers the boost in terms of distribution and production, but film being a live organism, it is a must that people who understands film be unwavering in the discourse of film particularly of alternative and independent films. I think that independent films is the new frontier, that it is a good thing film production is now enjoyed by people and not by just big production houses and media conglomerates.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
final but not the end
Being in AWOL for more than two years, I made it a point that the classes I will enlist in are interesting to take and talk about. I chose AS177 for a couple of reasons, first it is very convenient, being it is just once a week (the scheduling of classes I am used to because that is how it is in Mass Comm where I came from), it is in the afternoon (I work at night and asleep most of the morning, lastly and most importantly, film is really an interest of mine.
The two years I quit school, I volunteered in an alternative media group which produces documentaries tackling and probing the issues of our times. When I was a member of Tudla Productions Inc., I was lucky enough to see and be part of film productions ultra indie-style. So when I see that there is a class about Philippine Cinema, I enlisted because I know it will deepen my understanding about cinema in the Philippines and to append in an academic way the things I've experienced before with regards to film.
The style of the class is very logical and not hard to follow. In every cinema 'era' the groups report on, there is a movie shown which is somewhat a representative of that time. Among all the films shown in class my favorite is Scorpio Nights (review). Well, I will not be a hypocrite and will admit that I am someone not new to sex scenes and porn movies but those in Scorpio Nights are just HOT. It made me feel that I am on in a secret, a passionate affair, in a love triangle destined to shatter in pieces. It was actually the only movie shown in the class that I ask friends to watch. hehe.
Tunay na Ina comes in a close second. I really enjoyed the drama, the story, the acting and the songs in this movie. It took me a couple of days to recover from LSS in lyrics such as "Kayo po ay maawa sa pulubing bata" and "Maligayang bati masaya na Pasko (with matching tears from Tita Duran who was forced to sing this happy Noel again despite the news her mother is very ill)"
All in all, my taking up Philippine Cinema made my semester fun and better. But with the end of the semester I must confess that I regret not having to speak up on times I feel like sharing my opinion in class about film and the Philippine society. I must admit that I felt a bit scare to share my progressive thoughts in class because one, I am afraid to be marginalized and second I do not want to be tagged as GnD tibak. I regret not having raised the topic of alternative media when the classed discussed 'Digital Film' (topic I reported on, que barbaridad lang hane?). Anyway, it may be the end of the semester and this class but my love for film is ever continuing. Perhaps, I was not able to share my thoughts in full while in the class, but there is the outside world (Hello World!!!) where I plan to participate and support the Philippine Cinema (particularly independent and alternative film makers!) Wooooo....
Mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino na sumasalamin at nagtatanong! Mabuhay ang mga manggagawang pangkultura na walang sawang makipamuhay at mamuhay sa mga lislis upang makagawa di pangunahin ng mga obra kundi ng pantulong sa pagmulat ng manonood at pagsisimula ng mga diskurso at malao'y ng pagbabago! :-D
The two years I quit school, I volunteered in an alternative media group which produces documentaries tackling and probing the issues of our times. When I was a member of Tudla Productions Inc., I was lucky enough to see and be part of film productions ultra indie-style. So when I see that there is a class about Philippine Cinema, I enlisted because I know it will deepen my understanding about cinema in the Philippines and to append in an academic way the things I've experienced before with regards to film.
The style of the class is very logical and not hard to follow. In every cinema 'era' the groups report on, there is a movie shown which is somewhat a representative of that time. Among all the films shown in class my favorite is Scorpio Nights (review). Well, I will not be a hypocrite and will admit that I am someone not new to sex scenes and porn movies but those in Scorpio Nights are just HOT. It made me feel that I am on in a secret, a passionate affair, in a love triangle destined to shatter in pieces. It was actually the only movie shown in the class that I ask friends to watch. hehe.
Tunay na Ina comes in a close second. I really enjoyed the drama, the story, the acting and the songs in this movie. It took me a couple of days to recover from LSS in lyrics such as "Kayo po ay maawa sa pulubing bata" and "Maligayang bati masaya na Pasko (with matching tears from Tita Duran who was forced to sing this happy Noel again despite the news her mother is very ill)"
All in all, my taking up Philippine Cinema made my semester fun and better. But with the end of the semester I must confess that I regret not having to speak up on times I feel like sharing my opinion in class about film and the Philippine society. I must admit that I felt a bit scare to share my progressive thoughts in class because one, I am afraid to be marginalized and second I do not want to be tagged as GnD tibak. I regret not having raised the topic of alternative media when the classed discussed 'Digital Film' (topic I reported on, que barbaridad lang hane?). Anyway, it may be the end of the semester and this class but my love for film is ever continuing. Perhaps, I was not able to share my thoughts in full while in the class, but there is the outside world (Hello World!!!) where I plan to participate and support the Philippine Cinema (particularly independent and alternative film makers!) Wooooo....
Mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino na sumasalamin at nagtatanong! Mabuhay ang mga manggagawang pangkultura na walang sawang makipamuhay at mamuhay sa mga lislis upang makagawa di pangunahin ng mga obra kundi ng pantulong sa pagmulat ng manonood at pagsisimula ng mga diskurso at malao'y ng pagbabago! :-D
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