Independent Films: Where will it take the Philippine Cinema?

This aims to tackle the different factors and issues affecting the promotion and marketing of Philippine independent films. It intends to discuss the current situation of mareting independent films and enumerate the issues surrounding it. Many persons involved in the filmmaking industry believe that such kinds of motion pictures are the future of the cinema industry, but if they say so, why is it only a few is accessible to the Filipino people and some were not even aware of the existence of such kinds of films. A brief history will first be presented as to how independent films began. Major parts of this paper will then contain the factors affecting the promotion of independent films, from the existing and potential market up to the problems currently facing the filmmakers. Lastly, the author will give a conclusion and recommendations regarding the different issues and aspects of the chosen topic.

Brief History of Independent Films

As early as 1970’s, there are already independent filmmakers and producers which sprouted aside from the “Big Four” studios namely Lebran, Premiere Productions, Sampaguita and LVN due to labor-management conflicts. Prior to the birth of independent films, non-conformity was a trend among the youth as they feel a need to revolt against adult institutions and establishments, which is best symbolized by the phenomenal Beatles and the rock and roll revolution. Film, as a tool for self-expression, was also used to satisfy this “rebelliousness”, conceiving new film genres such as “teen love team” in replacement of the adults’ “Nida and Nestor.”¹

¹ History of Philippine Cinema. www.aenet.org/family/filmhistory.htm

In 1977, an infamous filmmaker by the name of Kidlat Tahimik made a movie entitled Perfumed Nightmare which created a buzz in the film industry especially when it won the International Critic’s Prize in the Berlin Film Festival. This move by Kidlat Tahimik drew the line between commercial and alternative cinema. It was entirely independent of a standardized commercial filmmaking, hence the name. Funding was taken from his own pockets and friends’ and he literally took the risks of making such a remarkable innovation to Philippine Cinema, where there is a need to show the public its contents rather than making profits. Perfumed Nightmare tackles commercialization as early as that time which is kilometers away from the entertainment films of the era. According to the website of Online Essays, “Out of the short film festivals sponsored by the University of the Philippines Film Center and the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines, young filmmakers have joined Kidlat Tahimik in the production of movies, that by their refusal to kowtow to the traditions and conventions of mainstream filmmaking, signify faith in works that try to probe deeper into the human being and into society.” For example, Nick De Ocampo’s Oliver and Raymond Red’s Ang Magpakailanman, both filmed in 1983, gained attention from festivals abroad, an evidence that a new age of Philippine alternative cinema is about to start. Filmmakers like them continue the search for a deeper meaning of cinemas which is not only for pure entertainment but to define complexities of the interactions between human souls and his environment.

Making of independent films toned down a bit but with the growing accessibility of internet and other digital technology in the 1990’s promises a golden beginning for alternative cinema, as it starts to reduce barriers of making and promoting Philippine films. When studio systems are still at par, creating a movie entirely independent from them may result to mind loss due to high rates and tests of production, promotion and post-production of films. But with the rampant development of favorable film-making technology like the contraption of 16mm cameras, sound technology, the internet, accessible editing software and low-cost personal computers, almost anyone can make his/her own film.

Existing and Potential Market for Independent Films

Filipino moviegoers are comprised mainly of students and young urban professionals; especially those from the academe, making the market for independent films narrower. Usually, the first viewers of independent films also came from the pool of film-makers themselves and promotion starts by word of mouth. Independent films are now seen as art movements as evident in its cinematographic styles, storylines and contents. They present sensitive issues which studios cannot invest on as they dont see profitability in it, especially that the mass market is looking for forms of escape from poverty and politics. Viewers from the academe would spend more on independent films due to a certain intellectual hunger that needs to be fed. Then, the development of more lucrative market is seen alongside. In an interview with independent filmmaker Khavn dela Cruz², he said that his films are not the usual mainstream fare and relatively difficult to understand. He tried adjusting his films for the imaginary Filipino masses, but in the end, what came out was still something “uncommercial” and he gave up. When asked his opinion on why audiences here aren’t as open to more experimental work as in abroad, He said,

“One reason is the issue of censorship through MTRCB, which was created by Dictator Marcos himself. Some filmmakers specifically make films for them, by following their rules. Now one of the major cinemas, SM (2) has self-censored itself by refusing, not only X-rated films, but also R-rated films, even if the distance between the two letters is quite far. Also, there is a notion that (3) the majority of the Filipinos being too tired from working or looking for work dont want to think. They just want their simple/clear emotions to be triggered.” He even emphasized that Filipinos want an escapist cinema.

Birth of Indie Sine and the Role of Studios in Independent Filmmaking

Independent films may have posed a threat to the existence of studio systems at first but today they are starting to collaborate with each other to help develop independent efforts of promoting and distributing films, though only a few gets to be chosen. For example, Independent digital films Maximo Oliveros… and Magnifico was funded and supported by Star Cinema through showing their movie trailers, since the major problem with such films is promotion and marketing, which has been the key advantage of main studios ever since.

In a hit-driven culture where the prime method for consumers to approach new films is to be drawn to them in the theater, on cable television or through video rentals as a result of widespread promotion, creators of films that do not have similar resources to widely promote or

² Independent Filmmaker Khavn Dela Cruz made Ang Pamilyang Kumakain ng Lupa, interviewed by Alex Tioseco

distribute their works at a profound disadvantage.³

Digital format favors Independent Filmmakers as the producers dont have to spend more than P1 million to enlarge a film for the 35-millimeter reels to fit the silver screen as they originally use 16-millimeter in making such films. Now that it’s relatively cheaper to produce such films, there are a growing number of producers and directors that are becoming attracted to Independent filmmaking. 2005 alone paved way to 50 full-length digital films, outnumbering mainstream films which are only 45.⁴ Robinsons Galleria, one of the nation’s leading commercial complexes saw opportunities from it and dedicated one of its cinemas to public viewing of independent films – the Indie Sine (formerly Cinema 8). The said movie house then acquired the LCD projector that is compatible with digital lenses.

Promotion Problems Facing the Independent Filmmakers

Making a digital film may be relatively cheap, but the bigger problem enters the picture when promotion of the film is about to start. The truth is, since they are independent of studios, there is no one to fund their increasing costs except for themselves. Many problems would then arise in struggle for the success of the film.

First, the cost of delivering film prints to major cinemas is restrictive because it is simply extensive. It is like renting the theater for a fee and the producers may even be taking the risks of a big flop and money loss, Although such costs can be reduced with the use of projectors compatible with the digital technology being used by the independent filmmakers. The said problems would then give rise to other succeeding predicaments like lack of theaters willing to show such films since they dont have the digital projectors. Another dilemma of independent films remains, as theaters are under pressure to show movies with guaranteed high demand – and the films with the highest demand remain those that are highly publicized through intensive and costly marketing campaigns.⁵ The same is true with the distribution of DVD’s as commercial companies would only produce films that are confirmed blockbusters.

³ Landers, S. “Independent Films in the Digital Age: A Triumph of Diversity over Scarcity”. August 24, 2006 (www.articlecity.com).

⁴ “Here’s to More Maximos”. Newsbreak Independent Journalism.October 22, 2006. (www.newsbreak.com.ph).

⁵ Landers, S. is an online marketing associate at EZTakes, a movie download service, which includes a large catalog of independent films available for purchase and download.

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Aside from the above-mentioned problems, lack of funds will be repeatedly mentioned as one of the major challenges these filmmakers are facing. As Director Khavn said when asked regarding the limitation of audience in the country, “My audience in the Philippines is limited simply because I don’t have the money and/or clout for a billboard, to open in major cinemas nationwide, for advertising in the dailies, to show my trailers on the TV, etcetera. He also mentioned that, “I can have all of these but I won’t own a single percent of my film, and more importantly, “I will have to make a film that betrays myself and my work.” ⁶ But even if finance may not be a problem, still there are no enough space where it can be shown.

As digital technology enters the scene, independent filmmakers have cheaper choices of building new audiences. Online social networking communities like Friendster and Multiply is surely an effective alternative to promote such films especially when these heavily rely on word of mouth as a means of marketing. There are also other sites that which include blogs and reviews of independent films. Another website, the Youtube, contains a lot of trailers about different Philippine indie movies. But though there are existing websites like these, accessibility to the film is still one of the underlying factors behind failures to reach the audience. Usually, the only chance of getting exposed to the public is through festivals, which can either be here or abroad. At present, there are the prestigious festivals in the country – Cinemanila, CinemaOne, and Cinemalaya, which even help and provide funds to potential filmmakers.

Conclusion and Recommendations

At present, the major problems faced by independent film makers regarding the promotion of their movies are the following: (1) lack of funds; (2) theaters under pressure to show certified blockbusters; (3) projectors in cinemas not compatible with digital technology; (4) increasing costs of delivering film prints to movie houses; (5) lack of appreciative market; and (6) censorship.⁷ But with the aid of digital technology, computers and the internet, filmmakers are

⁶ Tioseco, A. “Family Meals, Family Values, and Philippine Cinema: An interview with Khavn Dela Cruz”. Sense of Cinema. January 2005.

⁷ The decision not to show R-18 was economical. They were losing money at the box office and that was why they were pulled from SM Theaters. It is illegal to exhibit X-rated films in commercial cinemas, and may only be shown in censorship exempt theaters like CCP and UP Film Center.

able to survive in the struggling industry, and provide ways to reduce promotional costs. It is difficult to penetrate the common market of moviegoers without rampant visibility everywhere, so independent filmmakers have to devise strategies that are very different from the existing. In an example given by Landers, studio systems promote through all means, show the movie to theaters, fade, and reproduce and distibute them in CD, while independent filmmakers create a buzz by joining festivals and thru word of mouth, bring awards and hence, attracting the attention of major distributors.

Notes:

¹ History of Philippine Cinema. www.aenet.org/family/filmhistory.htm

² Independent Filmmaker Khavn Dela Cruz made Ang Pamilyang Kumakain ng Lupa, interviewed by Alex Tioseco

³ Landers, S. “Independent Films in the Digital Age: A Triumph of Diversity over Scarcity”. August 24, 2006 (www.articlecity.com).

⁴ “Here’s to More Maximos”. Newsbreak Independent Journalism.October 22, 2006. (www.newsbreak.com.ph).

⁵ Landers, S. is an online marketing associate at EZTakes, a movie download service, which includes a large catalog of independent films available for purchase and download.

⁶ Tioseco, A. “Family Meals, Family Values, and Philippine Cinema: An interview with Khavn Dela Cruz”. Sense of Cinema. January 2005.

⁷ The decision not to show R-18 was economical. They were losing money at the box office and that was why they were pulled from SM Theaters. It is illegal to exhibit X-rated films in commercial cinemas, and may only be shown in censorship exempt theaters like CCP and UP Film Center.

Sources and Bibliography:

“Filmmakers: Amable Tikoy Aguiluz VI”. Geocities. (www.geocities.com/philmovies/filmmakers/tikoy/tikoy.html). Accessed March 2, 2008.

“Here’s to More Maximos”. Newsbreak Independent Journalism. (www.newsbreak.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13848&Itemid=88889092. October 22, 2006.

“History of Philippine Cinema”. Philippine Jouneys Online Essays. (www.aenet.org/family/filmhistory.htm). Accessed March 2, 2008.

“History of Philippine Films”. Wikipedia. (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinemanila_International_Film_Festival.html). Accessed March 2, 2008.

Landers, S. “Independent Films in the Digital Age: A Triumph of Diversity over Scarcity.” Article City. (www.articlecity.com/articles/computers_and_internet/article_2963.html). August 24, 2006.

Tioseco, A. “Family Meals, Family Values and Philippine Cinema: An Interview with Independent Filmmaker Khavn Dela Cruz”. Sense of Cinema. (www.senseofcinema.com/contents/05/34/khavn_de_la_cruz.html). January 2005.