Email Conversation Case Study

Email Conversation with Keith and Sari

INTRODUCTION

         Movies are a powerful force in Philippine society.  Movies, more than just a source of entertainment, reflect a nation’s personality.  On the silver screen takes shape all the hopes, dreams and fantasies of the common man.

        Having a small market here in the Philippines leads to indie directors making films for foreign festival juries like Cannes and Sundance festival. It is both sad and happy to see fellow Filipinos winning awards on foreign festivals wherein there their work are much appreciated than we their fellow “kababayans” who do not patronize their work. Given that the state of Philippine technology in term of Film is poor, we still stick to film projectors wherein Commercial movies are made from unlike indie films which are only made using digital technology or with the use of digital cameras thus resulting to indie films not being shown in big cinemas because projectors in cinemas not compatible with digital technology. 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, good thing there is internet where they are free to promote their work.

It is ironic that a film celebrating the traditional Filipino lifestyle was appreciated only overseas, Filipino audiences were unaware of the famous indie films.  Fortunately in the 1990s, independent films were finally being broadcast locally in special TV shows, where the audience from the lower social strata can finally have a glimpse of different film forms. Keith and Sari, a couple who have passion in art and choose filmmaking as their field discusses about their difficulties of producing an independent film, the budget, the logistic, the creativity and all. How can indie film producers stand against all these struggles with the support of the film industry and the Government is their big question.

Indie does not have a price tag and is actually limitless, as it seems directly from the creativity of the filmmaker. For it is through an artist’s eye that others are exposed to other perspective of life and it depicts a quality of Filipino films.

POINT OF VIEW:

        I will consider the point of view of Sari who is expert in making films.

OBJECTIVE:

• To help the Industry look into the market potential of the film industry and its foreign market demand.
• To help Filmmaking Industry identifies their weaknesses and strengths when it comes in their operation and help them stand still against internal factors that hinders them.
• To help prepare an action plan to generate budget for film projects and recommend a performance monitoring scheme.

PROBLEM:

How would film industry stand against those factors that hinders them in their operation esp. major internal factors such low budget and people involved which are the key in production of quality film?

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION:

1. Company Background

        Movies are a powerful force in Philippine society.  Movies, more than just a source of entertainment, reflect a nation’s personality.  On the silver screen takes shape all the hopes, dreams and fantasies of the common man.

        A true independent filmmakers are not necessarily freelance artist, they can be hired by studios on specific projects and does not have to be an “in-house” directors. A true independent filmmaker is someone who is self-sufficient in every production aspect: funding, creative authority and project ownership. But in more realistic sense, independent filmmakers should be called “interdependent” independent filmmakers as they still heavily rely on outside support and funding bodies.

1. Persons involved in the Case

• Keith a budding Artist in filmmaking industry
• Sari wife of Keith who is expert in making films
• Bangy, brother in law of Keith and a brother of Sari

1. TOWS (Threats/Opportunities/Weaknesses/Strength)

• Threats

- Piracy and violation of intellectual property rights

- High Cost of Indie film production

- Government regulations

• Opportunities

- More Filipino artist loves filmmaking

- Media penetration and Expansion

- Low Generation of budget

• Weaknesses

- Low Government support

- Advertisement and awareness of Filipino audience

- Negative impact in independent movies

• Strength

- Entertainment is always in demand

- Technological innovations

- Juries abroad favor independent movies

ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION

• ALTERNATIVE 1 Technology Innovation

Technology innovation must be considered and give importance by the film industry. It is for them to cater wide span of audience and viewers outside the Philippines.  They should have strategies that will open the awareness of Filipinos in these kinds of movies. By the use of technology advertising of these projects is now so easy. Industry must consider innovation when it comes in the equipment and definitive of the quality of Filipino films.