OTJ turns into a mini-series

MANILA, Philippines – Erik Matti’s 2013 magnum opus, On The Job (OTJ), is exploring the video-on-demand platform as revealed recently by Reality Entertainment director himself and film executive Dondon Monteverde, along with the think-tank behind HOOQ in a presscon. 

From the big screen, OTJ will have its mini-series “reincarnate” as the initial venture of HOOQ, Asia’s first and largest premium video-on-demand service, in producing original content. Hence, OTJ 2 will soon be screened in one’s mobile device and smart TV. This is also in collaboration with Globe Telecom.

“When HOOQ approached us for the series to be done, there were no other topics (being discussed). It was (about) ‘We want On The Job and we want to produce a series for it,’” said direk Erik of the shift of OTJ into a smaller, more intimate screen.

“And where else can we have the opportunity to explore what we left behind with OTJ than with a platform such as this. Immediately, we were excited.” 

The Reality Entertainment team was sold on the idea and agreed with HOOQ and Globe to produce a six- to eight-episode video mini-series. 

“What we took from the first On The Job movie was the idea of several layers of a particular industry that gives jobs to people. We picked that and we picked the players from different layers.”

From there, direk Erik added, “all their conflicts start to come out and they all come together” and like the first OTJ, viewers are in for a dark, gritty and realistic storytelling and will see who dies in the end.

“We are already completing the story lines and we’re already thinking of bringing back some familiar faces,” said direk Erik.

Although the inclusion of original cast members Gerald Anderson, Joel Torre and Leo Martinez is not yet clear in the video-on-demand series, what direk Erik could say is, Michiko Yamamoto heads the writing team. “(Michiko) will be writing from beginning to end. We’re not putting in like a battery of writers. She should be on top of it with a lot of researchers with her and some junior writers to collate a lot of stuff.”

How’s the new tale of OTJ different from the original?

“The series will involve the cop angle, the police story,” replied Erik. “There is also the side of the prisoner turned assassin. In the middle of it all, we introduce a new angle in the OTJ story. It’s the story of media in the Philippines. We were talking about it five to six months ago.”

When Erik said media, he meant both the traditional media (print and broadcast) and social media. “We have an angle that we found about those things. In the middle of those opposing ideas, there is one big story that is gonna erupt in the media industry. That’s where all the killings are gonna happen.” These killings, as direk Erik clarified, do not reflect the present time or today’s burning issue.

This sounds interesting and compelling. As Erik further shared, “You’ll see a lot of characters in it, you’ll see a lot of players in the story. There will be a web of conflicts within an industry. It is a composite of several true stories.”

Asked about the transition of OTJ to the new medium, direk Erik had this to say: “Most of the films we make that Dondon gets to see in the first cut are always way beyond two hours. There are just so many things to say in a film. HOOQ just allows us to expand the world, to expand the characters than what a two-hour (film) can afford… Other people might think immediately that when we do a six- to eight-episode series, it might be difficult to expand a certain kind of story... Just to be given a six- to eight-episode series is exciting to explore. There are just so many things where we could start; (we are) just weeding out the things we don’t really want to put in. I think that’s just exciting.”

To discuss more the premise of the new OTJ story and the shape it will take in its newest form, direk Erik said the viewers will follow a protagonist, who is not necessarily good. (So, one can sense a tinge of unconventional characterization in him.) Towards the end, a much bigger evil force is disclosed. “You start rooting for the bad guy,” he said. “(The series) is more political. Of course, there are still all the chases, the suspense and all the danger. Just like On The Job (the movie), it goes beyond guns and girls. There are a lot of topics being discussed and fleshed out.”

With a story structure similar and different from the first in many ways, the digital world will anticipate the return of OTJ 2.0, so to speak.

Aside from OTJ, everyone can find something interesting in HOOQ’s catalog of locally and Hollywood-produced content. It ranges from box-office hits (mainstream and independent) to popular TV series. Also can be accessed are interviews, additional footage and deleted scenes of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II.

There is also the unique price plan called Sachets, making more Filipinos get into the digital entertainment. Availing of the product allows one to access Hollywood and Filipino titles for seven days.

From left: HOOQ CEO Peter Bithos, Erik, Reality Entertainment executive producer Dondon Monteverde, Globe senior advisor for consumer business Dan Horan, HOOQ Philippines country manager Jane Cruz and HOOQ chief content Krishnan Rajagopalan

To enjoy the HOOQ experience, sign up for a seven-day free trial on www.HOOQ.tv.