SineBuano: Back to classes approach

CEBU, Philippines - In indie production, members are not required to adhere to the redundant formulas of mainstream cinema; indie is more venturesome in its selection of stories to tell and in the manner which it will tell those stories.

It was decided that it’s back to classes-type meetings for the SineBuano group in the first half of 2009. “We’re going back to the basics on writing, camera work, lighting and editing while we chew the fat on what possibilities we could work on as projects on the second half of this year,” said creative director Denis Judilla.

DJ, a co-fellow in the 25th Faigao Creative Writers Workshop last year, organized our first meeting this year for the registration and orientation of new members in preparation for the challenges of 2009. The meeting last February 1 opened with a review on the goals of SineBuano, an independent filmmaking outfit based here in the city, dedicated to promote the Cebuano/Visayan multi-faceted culture and identity through film.

With the strong conviction that it can help in the resuscitation of the Cebuano/Visayan film industry by “recrafting” both the methods of production and the business plan that go with it, the classes-type meetings officially started last February 8, at an informal setting – the Secret Hole Billiards Hall along F. Ramos Street owned by a senior SineBuano member, Mr. Frank Calmita, with Film Appreciation and Analysis as the first topic.

SineBuano chooses to embrace independent filmmaking in introducing this revival effort, it being a fertile ground to start the revival process. In indie production, members are not required to adhere to the redundant formulas of mainstream cinema; indie is more venturesome in its selection of stories to tell and in the manner which it will tell those stories. Plus, indie offers a lot more space in exploring how Cebuano/Visayans can share “unique stories of our hearts, our region and our culture” with the support and interest of the larger public in the filmmaking efforts and with the current accessibility of digital tools matched with the committed interest in the said art before proceeding to venture into the business of Cebuano/Visayan film industry.

Through the collaborative efforts of the new breed of film buffs, it continues to hope on breathing life again to what once was a flourishing art here. It was learned that the death of the Cebuano/Visayan film is not because such failed to carve a following of its own. In the past, Cebuano/Visayan film producers looked at film production as a way of reasserting their presence in the overcrowded social spaces. With the cost of production since, those local producers determined film production here in the Visayas as no longer cost-effective.

Also, Cebuano/Visayan film is a victim to its own star system when the stars relocated to Manila. The regional industry is left in a vacuum, unable to sustain its previous star status; thus, the Cebuano/Visayan films have faded away from the limelight.

Aside from cultivating appreciation and assistance for endeavors in local independent filmmaking, the group also works to educate and encourage its members to excel in the various areas of independent filmmaking, and support the independent efforts of Cebuano and other Visayan artists and artisans.

The SineBuano group has plenty of rooms for improvement, DJ said. As summarized by a member, “we’ve got the heart, now we have to get the ‘how’. We want to do good but we have to know how to do it. To support our actors in delivering the story, we’ve got to have a stronger crew that also delivers.”

In the recent meeting, the members viewed two short films in the suspense/thriller genre – Carlo Borromeo’s “The Witness” directed by Jurly “Jomark” Maloloy-on, Jr. and “Ang Bisita” written and directed by DJ himself. The open forum afterwards allowed for constructive criticisms that hopefully would translate into improved works in the next film productions. The FREEMAN, in support to local talents, will feature the pace of local indie filmmaking as SineBuano members work on capturing Visayan life – both as a reflection and as a dream. Watch out for “what’s showing.”