Revolver Studios and Reality Entertainment have plans of going full blast in film production this 2011.
This group just recently finished two co-productions titled Rock en Roll and Zombadings: Patayin Sa Shokot Si Remington.
Heading the two companies are three individuals who are very familiar with the Philippine movie industry.
There is Dondon Monteverde, the executive producer and managing partner for both companies. The son of Regal matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde has already nearly two decades of production experience for both TV and the movies.
His other managing partners are directors Erik Matti and AF Benaza.
PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) talked with Direk Erik last March 14 at the office of Post Manila in Makati City regarding their upcoming projects.
These include the following: OJT, an action-thriller starring Piolo Pascual (to be co-produced with Spring Films); The Aswang Chronicles, a horror-thriller starring Dingdong Dantes; a comedy film starring Vhong Navarro that will be shot entirely in China (to be co-produced with Star Cinema).
There are also plans to launch Phoemela Baranda through a sexy flick tentatively titled Punto de Vista.
The in-house directors who are part of these two companies are as follows: Topel Lee, Joel Limchoc, Richard Somes, Borgy Torre, and Jerrold Tarog. Celebrity photographer Jun De Leon, who is also part of the group, has broadened his horizons by megging TV commercials.
Other members include Peter Collias (who served as the head scenic artist in Hollywood films like 10,000 B.C., The Matrix, and Moulin Rouge) and Larry Ang (a fight director who honed his skills doing films in China and Hong Kong).
UPCOMING MOVIES. Direk Erik has been concentrating on directing commercials for the past four to five years. This year, he plans to make a comeback in the film industry by writing and directing several projects under Revolver Studios and Reality Entertainment. His last movie projects were Exodus (2005) and The Arrival (2009).
He reveals that The Aswang Chronicles is an action-horror-adventure movie that will begin shooting by April. Written and directed by Erik Matti, it revolves around a drunkard who eventually becomes a hero (to be played by Dingdong Dantes). Joey Marquez is cast in this film as the "under-the-saya" father of Dingdong's wife in the movie.
This is in line with Dingdong's wish of starring in an action film after topbilling the gay-themed teleserye, I ♥ You Pare. (CLICK HERE to read related article.)
Direk Erik also elaborated some more about Piolo Pascual's movie titled OJT.
"In July, we will be doing a co-production with Spring Films for OJT (On The Job Training), an action film na may apat na lead actors."
Written and directed by Erik Matti, OJT is inspired by true incidents. He describes the film by saying, "Tungkol ito sa mga preso na pinapalabas para maging hit man at bumabalik sa kulungan. May consultant ako na alam ang nangyayari sa loob ng preso pero the story is fictionalized."
Piolo will be joined in this action film by Joel Torre and Richard Gomez.
Aside from these projects, Jerrold Tarog will be directing a movie for Viva while Topel Lee will direct a movie for Regal.
Direk Erik is also excited for the movie Rock en Roll, which is megged by Quark Henares. Starring Glaiza de Castro and Alwyn Uytingco, this film is about kids who formed a band. The movie revolves around a young man who is in love with a girl but he is too shy to tell her.
NURTURING LOCAL AUDIENCES. Direk Erik also took this chance to share his observations about the Filipino movie industry.
"Exciting times ngayon for movies kasi ang tingin namin, nasa junction tayo. A few years ago, it was the height of rom-com [romantic comedies]. We had One More Chance (2007)...A Very Special Love (2008). But now, you get a sense that rom-coms are not working as hard enough for producers.
"A few years ago also, horror films were at a height rin with Feng Shui (2004) and Sukob (2006).
"Ang feeling namin, everyone is looking for something new to break in. We don't claim that it's gonna come from us but it's open to opportunities. The audience is kinda ready to accept something else... Dahan-dahan, give them something familiar pero exciting pa rin."
He points out that aside from just producing movies, they also want to build an audience that is more receptive to movies that are out-of-the-box and do not rely on formulaic plots.
"What we want is to nurture a local audience... Hindi mo naman ma-blame ang independent filmmakers who put it outside [the country] 'coz that's the audience talaga. But in the end, we have to think local talaga," says the director behind the movies Pasiyam, Scorpio Nights 2, Mano Po 2: My Home, Gagamboy, and Exodus.
PEP then asked Direk Erik is this their way of reaching the masses—tapping mainstream stars to topbill indie films?
"I think so. I'm the last person to admit that we need stars for a movie to work pero looking at the Metro Manila Filmfest, looking at the box-office...no matter how good the story is, kung wala ka talagang mapag-usapan na artista, it's only to go so far—money-wise."
He then cited an independently-produced film that also did well in the box-office. "Kimmy Dora made so much money. I think that's the indie movie that [we can emulate]." Kimmy Dora was the launching movie of comedienne Eugene Domingo.
Direk Erik sums up the goal of Revolver Studios and Reality Entertainment by saying, "The dream is to make it big locally and export the movies internationally."
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