Bigfoot brings Hollywood to Cebu

Only a visionary can think of something so wild it just might work. No one believed Ted Turner when he said people needed a 24-hour news network. CNN, snidely dubbed by critics as the Chicken Noodle Network, has now become as basic as chicken soup – invading every little known corner of the globe at any given second.

Just like CNN, Cebu was a move that can only make sense to a Michael Gleissner. In all the places in the world and in all the places in the Philippines, he picked a city which was not Manila. Even more surprising was the fact that Mick wanted Cebu to be Asia’s gateway to Hollywood.

Matthew Lubetich, chief operating officer of BigFoot Entertainment, repeats the corporate legend of how their chairman fell in love with our City of Smiles having been trapped in breathtaking Shangri-La Mactan Hotel for two weeks during the 9-11 tragedy. But what Matt can’t fully explain why the Bigfoot Group of Companies (with a complex network of business investments in communications, business process outsourcing, learning and entertainment) found itself occupying 11 floors in a Metro Cebu building and developing an international film school complete with sound stages, a hotel and dormitories in Mactan Island to the tune of $8 million.

The Mick Gleissner website describes him as a director, writer and photographer. His latest work involves painstaking underwater photography for his 2006 Nautical Angels Underwater Calendar. He trained his long-legged models to wear weighted heels, keep their eyes open and hold their breaths long enough to look alive on camera. This project had him relying on good old luck with very little (if any) technical magic involved.

For those who know him well, the Cebu ideal is not that surprising. Mick has always had the boldness of a pioneer. At 18, he started his first company which introduced the CD-ROM as a retrieval media in Germany. Then, in 1991, he became a trailblazer in e-commerce by developing a bulletin board system (allowing connection between computers via dial-up networking through modems) even before the Internet became widely available. Six years later, he built a call center in Namibia, Africa for German customer service a step ahead of the popularity of such technology. The year before, he sold his companies to VERIO (which later became NTT) and Amazon.com for which he was vice president for some time. Later, he acquired Bigfoot which was formerly an e-mail directory.

Then, as corporate legend would have it, Mick transplanted the company in Cebu and developed Bigfoot Communications Powerhouse (conference call services, audio and web conference call, directory services, a dating service) as well as Bigfoot Entertainment (the parent company of Bigfoot Productions, Bigfoot Production Services, the International Academy of Film and Television or IAFT, Bigfoot Production Services, Bigfoot Soundworks, and Bigfoot Partners).

Bigfoot Entertainment’s first film production is 3 Needles starring Lucy Liu, Chloe Sevigny, Olympia Dukakis, Sandra Oh, Stockard Channing and Shawn Ashmore. Set in three continents (Asia, Africa and North America), the movie presents three tales that humanize the AIDS epidemic. It has been shown in the international film circuit having debuted in the 30th Toronto International Film Festival last September where it earned a special presentation. Within the month, it had screenings at the Atlantic Film Festival where it won for Best Direction (by Thom Fitzgerald) and Ed Higginson Cinematography (by Tom Harting). Just last month, 3 Needles graced the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea.

"The primary goal of Bigfoot Partners is to invest in independent films which would have difficulty being produced," explains Tim Doolen, director of Creative Development. "3 Needles is one of the first two films we’ve produced. Bigfoot Partners will be producing small films with very modest budgets of around $200,000 to $5 million. That’s a small film because a typical Hollywood film now would cost $30 million to $40 million. We’re talking about smaller-scale films which will hopefully have a bigger impact on the audience than, say, the big Hollywood blockbusters like War of the Worlds. One of our other goals is to portray Asian culture in a positive light to a Western audience. We have felt that Asian culture does not get enough representation to Western audiences. You have Jacky Chan and Jet Lee and that’s about what we see of Asian culture. But Asia’s much more than kung fu or ninjas."

Early next year, Bigfoot will be shooting its first feature film in Cebu. Irreversi, a domestic psychological thriller, is actually set in Hong Kong. While production will begin in the former Crown Colony, most scenes will be shot locally. After that, the company will produce the action comedy Cock Fight which was re-written (from its former setting of Mexico) specifically with Cebu as backdrop. The lead role will be played by an American actor, preferably a known comedian such as Adam Sandler (a preference Timm thinks out loud). But supporting roles will, of course, be played by local actors who will be picked from auditions in Cebu and in Manila.

"We’re very committed to the Philippines. We’re very committed to Cebu (But) our products are primarily for a world audience. We’re currently not making anything for the local market. However, local companies do use our facilities and services. All except about three of our employees are based in Cebu," Timm adds.

Facilities and services offered by Bigfoot now includes the only true sound stage in the country – a 370 square areas which VP for Technical Mark Anthony Cabaluna calls "at par with international standards." Sound Stage One will be the first of three true sound stages in the IAFT complex. Acoustically, it boasts of having "special sound-lock ‘ante-rooms’ that are spatially designed to buffer noise before entering noise sensitive areas, high grade acoustic doors which perform to STC64dB control noise transmission and guarantee no disturbances during studio sessions; an air-conditioning system of greater than NC 25 with continuous operation (approximately 30 dB background noise level); internal absorptive finishes maintaining a room response RT60 @ 500HZ 0.81 second and "woodwool" acoustic boards that are impact resistant (DIN 18 032/Part 3) and fire retardant (DIN 4102)."

The film school itself is equipped with a mix theater (81 seating capacity with Dolby 5.1 digital recording and editing), a Foley stage and music theater with NC25 acoustic noise criteria and edit suits and computer laboratory that can provide everything from special effects and animation to computer simulation for film or video.

Technology, however, is only part of the equation. The intention, really, is to bring Hollywood to Asia through Cebu. Better yet, Bigfoot is bringing Asia to Hollywood. "When we talk of Hollywood, we’re talking of filmmaking done certain way which we’re hoping South East Asia can get on board. Of coursed, Filipino films can make it in the international market," assures Matt who likewise fell in love with Cebu he married a Cebuana. "You will really see that change when Vic del Rosario of Viva Films is able to translate some of his titles. I watch Filipino films at home all the time and I don’t understand them. Give me translations and I’ll watch a lot more. So, when you see that happen, you will really see the market shift and be more competitive."

The group is optimistic that the Philippine Film Industry is not dying. It’s transitioning. Proof of this optimism is the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) which will open its doors to the first batch of film students in January. Their message is simple: To survive, Filipino filmmakers must join the global village.

"We want to not only attract students locally but internationally as well," stress Bill Vincent, vice president of the IAFT. "The same goes for our faculty. Each course is run by a mentor who supervises; instructs and counsels the student. Many of the mentors are Hollywood people. Right now, we’re talking to an acting coach from Brussels who may want to teach here."

The one-year immersion program (starting January) will cost foreign students $8,000 while local students get a discounted rate of $5,000. Courses offered are animation, cinematography, directing, editing, producing, screenwriting and sound design. Students are also encouraged to specialize in electives like 3-D animation with Maya, underwater photography, documentary filmmaking, compositing with after effects and guerilla video (filmmaking on limited resources). Short courses are also made available through regular workshops.

"What’s interesting about our programs, whether they’re the one-year immersion or just a workshop, is that we ask the student to come up with a creative project which is either a short film or a music video. This, eventually, becomes part of their portfolio which we also keep to show potential employers," assures Gemma Lucero, academic director of IAFT.

Rotating enrollment for a new class of 24 students will be every two months starting January. Applicants should be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma with some experience in photography or filmmaking (even as an amateur hobbyist). Tuition fees do not include materials and housing. Dormitories are conveniently located within the complex. There will also be a hotel for visiting family members and friends.

Meanwhile, IAFT only offers certificate courses. There are, at this point, no plans of developing diploma course. "The school teaches the craft and not necessarily the academics of it," Bill emphasize. "You will find that it’s very attractive to the US community colleges which would send their students over to use our facilities and would later accredit them. Besides, filmmaking is not a field that strictly requires one to have a diploma. Many of those in Hollywood don’t have a college degree in their field. And there are also many film graduates who are out of work."

The most talented student of IAFT also have the chance get involved in Bigfoot Entertainment’s various projects. Currently in post production are the films Social Graces and Shanghai Kid. Also to be shot soon is the documentary Intoxicated which will investigate the effects of alcohol on consumers. The company has likewise been producing two travel shows for television: The Nautical Angels featuring three women visiting exotic ports and destination in Southeast Asia and Diving Asia showcasing the best diving spots in the region. Expectedly, the latter had a pilot entitled Diving Asia which was shot off Michael’s favorite Shangri-La Mactan. The show also spawned a documentary of the USS Cooper wreck in Ormoc. Directed by Daniel Foster, the film captures the dangerous dive to uncover secrets left behind by one of the biggest battles of World War II.

The soft-spoken Timm Dollen is also busy searching for a project worthy of Bigfoot Partners’ Film Fund. Target budget is $200,000 to $5 million. Accepted genres are thrillers, comedies and dramas with emotional impact. Storyline must portray Asia positively. Setting must be Asia with at least one of the lead characters being Asian. The film must be also marketable worldwide so dialogue must be in English.

"We also have the Filipino Filmmaker’s Fund which is devoted to a Filipino film to be shot by Filipinos. We’re actively soliciting ideas now," says Timm who invites submissions through their website (http://www.bigfootpartners.com/invesdt.html). "We’ve talked to some people from Cinemamalaya and we gave away some of our cards but we only got a handful of responses and not too much interest. We know we’re a new company and very few people know us. We’re also in Cebu which is a disadvantage if you’re targeting Manila-based filmmakers. But we really want to make a Filipino film with Filipino filmmakers. The English requirement is also an issue because Filipino filmmakers – and rightly so – are very proud of their own language. But for us, that’s something we have to require. I know that we will find the right project."

Michael Gleissner is just as confident he can bet on Cebu. He hasn’t been wrong about his business moves so far. There’s no reason to think he’s wrong now.