Sylvia Sanchez and family branch out into film production
MANILA, Philippines — Sylvia Sanchez and her children Arjo and Ria Atayde have branched out into producing films and series under the family company Nathan Studios, Inc., which was established over the pandemic.
One of their first projects is Cattleya Killer, a co-production with ABS-CBN International Productions, which became the first Filipino drama to screen at the just-concluded MIPCOM Cannes, the “mother of all entertainment content markets.”
It is directed by Dan Villegas and stars Arjo in his first title role after winning Best Actor at the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards for Bagman and the congressional race in Quezon City’s First District in the last May elections.
According to ABS-CBN, the pilot of the six-part series was presented to industry decision makers in anticipation of securing a global distribution partner.
Besides Cattleya Killer, Nathan Studios, Inc. has taken on an eclectic mix of projects, including co-producing Ice Seguerra’s Becoming Ice 35th anniversary concert last Oct. 15, the upcoming dramatic-thriller Hey Joe now in post-production and the action-thriller Topak directed by Richard Somes. They also co-produced the iWantTFC series Misis Piggy, released early this year. More co-productions are in the pipeline with, again filmmaker Dan Villegas and Biana Balbuena’s EpicMedia Productions.
“Pangarap ko talaga maging producer,” said the veteran actress Sylvia in an interview ahead of their MIPCOM Cannes attendance. She said she wants to join the roster of Filipino producers who want to showcase the Pinoy talent to the world.
“At the same time, kami ni Arjo and Ria, naniniwala kami na maraming magagaling and kailangan i-showcase yung galing nila. (Kailangan) tumulong kasi like ngayon, ang daming walang trabaho. Parang, halika na, produce tayo para kahit papaano makatulong sa mga production, sa mga tao, our goal is really to help,” she added.
Sylvia feels the timing is right to give producing a try as Asian talent is increasingly getting recognized in the Emmys and Oscars. She was particularly motivated to pursue producing when she participated in the Cannes International Film Festival in May upon the invitation of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) under then-head Liza Dino.
“I learned that ang genre na mabenta dun ay hardcore action and horror talaga, like Conjuring. There’s a market for that,” she said.
She further noted that she’s happy to venture into production, knowing that an acting career is not forever. Even before it became a reality, she has been interested in the production side and found an early mentor in iWant content head Ginny Ocampo, the former business unit head at ABS-CBN whom Sylvia credited as the one who fought for her to star in the hit dramas The Greatest Love and Be Careful With My Heart.
Sylvia continued, “Masaya ako na nagpo-produce kasi hindi habang buhay artista lang ako. I’m not a good writer, I’m not a good director, but I have ideas that I want to do and I’m able to do, like I’m able to collaborate with directors (filmmakers), which is what happened in Misis Piggy. I accepted and produced it, as well as Cattleya Killer,” she added.
She also cited the example of Topak where her inputs got incorporated in certain scenes.
Though Sylvia and her children act in most of the projects they either produced or co-produced, the Atayde matriarch stressed Nathan Studios is open and willing to produce works that don’t necessarily star her or her children.
“Like kami ni Arjo and Ria, nag-uusap kami na gusto namin bigyan ng chance yung mga artista din na ‘di ganun ka sikat pero magagaling. Naniniwala ako na ‘pag magandang project at magaling ang talent, plus right timing, that’s it.”
As for the types of stories she’s looking for, she said, “If I embrace your concept, I will get it. You know I never thought of producing action and yet when direk Richard Somes offered Topak, nung nabasa ko, ang ganda nito. So, I’m looking for something different. Yung kakaiba. There’s no set genre, as long as it’s good and different, we will get it.”
Nathan Studios, by the way, is named after their home’s street address, which they consider as a lucky charm.
Sylvia said, “Gusto ng mga anak ko ang Nathan because Nathan is the street ng bahay namin na andun lahat bumuhos, ‘dun lahat naging OK totally ang buhay namin. Before OK na kami… stable kami but Nathan talaga, dun lahat dumating (blessings)... That’s why my kids wanted Nathan as the name because it’s our lucky street and it’s where our ‘lucky house’ is.”
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