Carlo happy doing indies

MANILA, Philippines - Producing indie films now comes first for Carlo Maceda with his On Cam Productions (formerly Carl and Carl Productions). Formed in 2007, On Cam has produced five indie film projects to date. The first one was Nars, which became a surprise hit in 2007, earning P30M even as it didn’t take the conventional route of reaching audiences. Instead of mainstream film screenings, they employed a direct market concept and approach.

“I’ve been making indie films for almost five years already. Well, I’m proud of all of them. Nars was successful because it commemorated the year when nurses overtook domestic helpers as our No. 1 human resource export,” the actor told The STAR.

Another film is Sisa, which has been actively touring campuses nationwide. “Sisa was named Top 10 indie films of 2009. It was also chosen by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and by the National Historical Institute this year to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal,” Carlo said.

Sisa may not be the central character in Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere, but she’s one of its most tragic yet resonant and enduring characters. Behind Sisa the movie was the theater tandem of Frank Rivera and CJ Andaluz, who was also responsible for the Aliw award winners for Best Musical Production — Ambon Ulan Baha, Oyayi and Tao.

Carlo, whose academic background never fails to impress those who ask (he has a Math degree, magna cum laude, from UP Diliman), claimed that he has always been fascinated by the arts. “As a child, I always wondered how people were able to make movies, for me it was magical and so I decided after being an actor, I want to learn how to make movies.”

He entered showbiz in 2002; his first movie was Mano Po 1, after which he won the first-ever Mossimo Bikini Summit. After a few years in the biz, however, the acting jobs lessened. This was another reason why he got into producing. 

“Ang daming artista walang trabaho. I felt that I needed to do something about it. I (was) trying to find a solution based on observation, also because I’ve been experiencing it myself,” he said.

But he said the purpose behind creating films wasn’t solely to provide jobs. He also saw that audiences were already looking for alternative content. “Indie kami pero ang strength namin ay educational yung content namin kasi teacher ako dati. I’m trying to fuse my careers together,” said Carlo, who used to teach Math at UP and other business schools. “Sisa, for example, has been touring campuses since 2009 from Isabela to Ilocos to Davao. It’s also our way of planting seeds of arts and nationalism on the side.”

He compared the fulfillment he gleans from acting and producing. “The fulfillment I get from producing films is different from acting as it is like raising a kid. When we start making a movie, it involves a lot of planning and collaboration. It is such an amazing feeling when your viewers react and appreciate your movie, or when they clap in appreciation at the end of it. It is also more challenging to be a film producer as it involves management, feasibility studies, marketing, promotions and conceptualizing new projects. Meaning, your work doesn’t end when the film is completed. It goes on,” he said.

What’s next for On Cam Productions? “My new film Bangkang Papel will be released soon this year,” he said. “I’m (also) studying scriptwriting and I plan to collaborate with Jerome Labra in creating an epic film which is very close to my Visayan roots. I was inspired by director John Sayles in his film Amigo to create awareness on some areas of our history. Also next year I plan to direct my first movie. I want to try my hand on a comedy about dieting.”

Meanwhile, Sisa, which cast Jodie Santamaria in the lead role, recently received support from the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS).

AIMS president Arlene Abuid-Paderanga said that the screening of Sisa served as a fundraiser to generate funds for the institution’s newly-formed theater group. Paderanga is a firm believer in the importance of having a creative avenue for students, having been involved herself with the productions of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Carlo’s On Cam Productions also conducts workshops on the side from acting to producing to marketing indie films.