'Internet is life': Kulitan with TikTok sensation Davao Conyo
The internet has made it possible for people from all walks of life, from different parts of the world, to be seen and heard. And because of this opportunity that technology has provided, we meet people like comedy content creator Phillip Hernandez, better known as “Davao Conyo,” who hails all the way from—you guessed it—Davao City.
What does it take to become a successful content creator like Davao Conyo? I visited him at his home for a new episode of Pamilya Talk and we discussed about his beginnings, how he makes good content that’s also advertising friendly, his creative process, and he also gave tips for aspiring content creators.
Phillip says his dream was actually work in the world of advertising. “Mahilig talaga akong manood ng commercials,” he says. “Na-eexcite ako sa thought na kung paano ipapasok ang brand [sa script].” He dreamt of writing scripts for commercials, and he admitted that at some point, he also entertained the thought of entering show business and become an artista.
Since there was no advertising course in Davao then, he instead decided to take a course with an advertising subject—Marketing.
He started creating videos in 2017 just for fun. He would share it with his friends, who would then share it with others. That’s when he realized, “marami palang natutuwa sa type of humor ko.”
When Phillip started doing his skits, he would usually dub in a mix of Bisaya and Tagalog lines. “In Davao, Davao Conyo ang tawag dun,” he says. When people started commenting that his humor is “Davao Conyo,” he thought it could be a good name because it’s easy to remember. So he started to use that as his screen name since.
He is fond of dubbing Disney characters, so even kids and mommies watch his videos. He also changes the script of movies to make them more relatable and fun to watch for the regular Filipino viewers. Lately, his “mayaman” series is also getting a lot of attention. “I do it in a light way na hindi naman nakaka-insulto,” he says.
Phillip just continued to produce more content, and before he even realized it, he was already receiving offers from brands to promote their products. He thought, “Pwede pala.” Davao Conyo initially didn’t think that a probinsyano like him would be given a chance to become a brand ambassador or endorser.
Fast forward to 2022, Davao Conyo is now one of the most sought-after comedy content creators in the country. With his comedy skits, he’s also able to fulfill his dream of writing advertising scripts. “Nadala ko ito sa content creation. Sobrang thankful ko din na I was able to find my voice,” he says.
How come he doesn’t seem to run out of ideas? Well, Phillip admits there are good days and bad days too — there are times when he has so many ideas, and there are also days when his creative well also runs dry.
What he does is that he keeps an idea bank—a notebook where he writes possible ideas that he could use for clients in the future. “Tapos iiwan ko lang siya diyan. Pag may lumapit na sa akin na brand, pipili na lng ako sa mga naisulat ko,” he says.
He also reads articles about other people. “Hindi ko naman kilala lahat ng klase ng tao so I really have to research,” he says. He’s also very observant. If you’ve seen a Davao Conyo skit that sounds very similar to what you’ve heard people talk about in BGC, you know why. An important aspect of storytelling, says Davao Conyo, is it has to be relatable. In other words, it must be truthful.
Trendjacking—capitalizing on or exploiting a current topic—works for some creators, and Davao Conyo has nothing against it. But he prefers to produce more evergreen content that people can still watch maybe five years from now.
When it comes to creating content for clients, he says it’s important that he believes in or uses the brand or product he’s going to produce content for, so that the promotional part comes naturally. “Pag alam kong sobrang hirap, hindi ko tinatanggap. Tulad ng alcoholic drinks. Na-try ko ng uminom dati pero hindi ako mahilig uminom,” he says.
He also wants to keep his content wholesome and mommy-approved. “Kasi mommy’s boy ako. So feeling ko, pag pasok sa panlasa ng nanay ang ginagawa ko, feeling ko nasa right track ako. Yun na ang naging mindset ko from the start. Nanonood din ang nanay ko ng mga videos ko,” he says.
Until now, Davao Conyo’s videos are still produced by a one-man team. He’s the scriptwriter, the actor, director, and editor. But he has a team who takes care of dealing with clients. The 31-year-old Davaoeño has also moved to Manila to live independently, so he can focus on projects that he’s working on. Phillip admits he’s the ambitious type and he believes in the power of manifestation. “So far nagwo-work lahat ang mga mina-manifest ko,” he says. “Pero dapat may kasamang hard work yun. Hindi pwedeng manifest lang ng manifest.”
Personally, this is definitely one of the interviews I truly enjoyed. Given Phillip’s humility, wittiness and sense of humor, there was no dull moment. Phillip has broken the glass ceiling, so to speak, and I’m so happy to see him become an inspiration to many Filipino content creators.
Sharing here some of my kulitan moments with Philip https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRErcAX1/.
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