US-based graphics firm eyes local movie sector

CEBU, Philippines - A US-based outsourcing firm engaged in providing post-production movie conceptualization collaterals is now in talks with local cinemas in the Philippines to help improve the country’s entertainment industry.

While VersaGrafx Designs Philippines Inc., is providing post production materials to Hollywood based movie studios like Paramount Pictures, Lions Gate, Tri-Star, among others, the company has felt the need to extend its corporate social responsibility to its home ground — the Philippines.

“We would like to touch base with local studios in Manila, we would like them to know that Hollywood is utilizing the talents of Filipinos, especially Cebuanos in most of their post-production requirements,” said VersaGrafx creative director Junny D. Mahilum.

      The company, which was established in Cebu in 2005 at the Cebu Asiatown IT Park has been doing post-production conceptualization designs for over 200 Hollywood movies, working closely with large movie studios like Lions Gate, Paramount Pictures, Weinstien Studios, MGM, Universal Studios, Warner Bros, Columbia Tristar, among others.

According to Mahilum, while local movie studios are outsourcing post-production materials to China, they might as well utilize the talents here. VersaGrafx is going to localize the rates for the local market, he added.

Initially, the company is working closely with Manila-based designing company called Optima Digital in its bid to reach out the local market.

Large part of Philippine movie products such DVDs, and other promotional collaterals are exported to other countries, like the United States targeting the global Filipino communities, these requirement can be done in Cebu, he said.

The company’s designing process involves a review of cinematographic materials and on-location shoots and still photographs to be used in the conceptualization and design.

The finished products are the visual and construction designs of the cinema standees and DVD tower casings in electronic files (for home entertainment market) and the movie webpage designs, and point of purchase displays.

These will be used for the manufacture of cinema standees, which are the promotional materials for movies placed at cinema entrances and DVD retailers, and big retail chains in the United States.

Tapping the local movie studios here such as Star Cinema, Regal, among others will not only provide world-class quality for post-production materials for the Philippine movie entertainment industry, but will also improve the availability of employment opportunities for Filipino graphic artists, whose talent are bound to be taken advantage with by other countries.

Mahilum said because or less good opportunities for graphic artists in the Philippines, these in-demand talents are deteriorating in the Philippines, most of them are now in other countries, like United States, Canada, Dubai and Singapore.

VersaGrafx Philippines, which has a headquarter office located in North Hollywood in California, USA, is currently maintaining a lean number of graphic artist talents with only a six-man designing team responsible to work for several orders from huge movie studios in Hollywood.

At present, the team is working on several movie post production collaterals, including Brad Pitt’s upcoming movie called “In Glorious Bastards” by Paramount Pictures and Weinstien Studios; Transformer 2; The Punisher, and others.