Upstream strikes deal with NBCUniversal

Following a groundbreaking partnership deal with NBCUniversal, Filipino streaming platform Upstream.ph will carry Universal Pictures’ 2021 film slate and more.

NBCUniversal owns and operates the Hollywood film studio giant. Under the deal, such blockbuster movie franchises as Jurassic Park, Fast & Furious and Halloween will be available to Filipino audiences in the comfort and safety of their homes.

Movies from the US media and entertainment company’s animation studios Dreamworks Animation and Illumination, as well as film studio Focus Features, will also be made available on the streaming platform.

In a virtual presscon over the weekend, veteran producer and Upstream executive Dondon Monteverde said that they felt honored to be the “first and only Filipino portal” to be trusted by NBCUniversal to stream old and current titles from extensive catalogue of Universal Pictures and other film studios.

“We’re grateful that they saw our platform as fit to showcase their movies,” Monteverde said.

It was Upstream that first approached NBCUniversal about a possible partnership in light of still-shuttered movie houses in the country.

“We actually approached them — knowing na wala talagang cinemas — if they were interested (in showcasing) their movies to the Filipino audience,” he said.

Monteverde recalled what they went through to secure the trust of NBCUniversal. “Talagang mahirap (the negotiations). We went through the eye of the needle because, of course, our platform is still new. So, we really had to review a very thick contract from them (with a lot of things we needed to follow).

“From there, they also looked into our partners and their track record. They also looked into our infrastructure, which was the most important thing for them… All went through a rigid due-diligence (check) from NBCUniversal.”

The first film made available through this deal is The Croods: A New Age, starring Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds. “We’re very excited with The Croods 2 because based on records, The Croods 1 actually made about P75 to P80 million just in the domestic market,” Monteverde said.

Another upcoming release they are excited about is F9 of the megahit Fast & Furious franchise, starring Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, among others. Other titles set to hit Upstream are Let Him Go, The Bad Guys and Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Fatale top-billed by Hilary Swank, as well as the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Old will also be available on the platform, among other projected hits of the year. Films will be priced at P210 per ticket.

Monteverde said, “With the partnership with NBCUniversal, we hope it will be an eye-opener for other content companies or even Filipino producers that they can trust (Upstream).”

He noted that with a target audience that includes the 11 to 12 million-strong Filipino migrants and overseas workers, they can also bring their content to the global Filipino audience.

Response to the pandemic

According to Monteverde, Upstream, a transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) platform or pay-per-view (not subscription-based like Netflix), was made as a response to the uncertain times brought about by the pandemic. By April last year, producers were at a loss as to where they would put out their content in the absence of cinemas.

Amid these discussions, Monteverde and direk Erik Matti, his business partner at the movie outfit Reality Entertainment, decided to venture into streaming and eventually found a partner in Globe Studios. The rest is movie history.

In late 2020, they first populated Upstream with QCinema film festival content and then Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries. Running a VOD platform has “many challenges” given that many Filipinos aren’t yet used to watching streamed content. Still, the reception to the MMFF movies surprised the Upstream people.

“Alam naman natin na medyo bago ang streaming, sa mga ganitong TVOD, which is pay-per-view. But nagulat kami na maganda ang reception. During that time, we were able to sell about 180,000 to 200,000 tickets already at an early start,” he said.

“So, right now, we’re still in the infancy stage with this kind of platform… But I can say, we are growing little by little and the audience (numbers) are getting better.”

Aside from content from Hollywood and other international distributors, Upstream will also offer exclusive content such as the Manny Pacquiao fights and Upstream Originals beginning with Erik Matti’s A Girl + A Guy. “Nakakapagbigay rin kami ng trabaho sa mga Filipino industry workers. We’re not stopping to produce content because we know na meron kaming kalalagyan,” said Monteverde, adding that they’re also in talks with other local producers like Regal, Viva and ABS-CBN.

Future partnerships

Meanwhile, Monteverde expressed hope that cinemas will open again by the last quarter of 2021 or the early part of 2022.

He, nevertheless, believes that the streaming platform is here to stay as the pandemic has changed content preferences and consumption habits of Filipino audiences.

“We really believe that Upstream is here to stay because this is also happening abroad na after 17 days, mapapanood na rin sa mga streaming platform ang mga favorite movies nila. Yung iba naman nag-introduce ng ibang platform and they call it premium video-on-demand (PVOD). Nakita natin (ito) sa Mulan, Wonder Woman or pinalabas nila kaagad with partner streaming platforms kasabay ng mga cinemas.”

Once the pandemic is over, Monteverde said Upstream will find ways to partner with local cinemas.

“Eventually, what we’re looking for is good collaboration with the cinemas because we also love our cinemas, many would like to watch their films (on the big screen). We look forward to working together with cinemas — when things go back to normal — in bringing quality content to Filipino people.”