UDD debuts first-ever ghost audience for 'Trese' concert

MANILA, Philippines — Fans got to see the first 4:45 minutes of Netflix's original anime series "Trese" at the strike of midnight last night and Netflix can't get them more hyped 13 minutes before its premiere on June 11 with the appearance of Liza Soberano.

At exactly 11:47 p.m. last night, the "Trese Before Midnight" countdown streamed on Netflix Philippines' Facebook page saw "Trese" Filipino voice actor Soberano on the show on Netflix's Facebook page. It also debuted UDD's "Paagi," the Pinoy band’s first-ever concert with a ghost audience where participants of an earlier contest saw a "ghost" version of themselves in the crowd while UDD performs for the first-time the anime's official soundtrack.

"It's contemporary music but with Filipino instruments," Oliva teased at last Tuesday's virtual presscon.

He serves as series executive producer, director and showrunner. He was also present in the countdown show with writer and executive producer Tanya Yuson, and of course, the brains behind "Trese," Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo.

KaJO is getting all the feels for the debut of his and Budjette's masterpiece which they co-created in 2005.

"All the emotions -- happy, excitement, somewhat sad because we're done anticipating," he answered Philstar.com's question on how he felt after almost two decades since illustrating the cult favorite horror/noir graphic novel written by his buddy Budjette.

"And a bit fearful because it might turn out awesome and Budj and I would have to do something better than that but I like all those feelings. So, it's great," he said.

Yuson thinks it is surreal that "Trese" is finally having its own airtime.

She first picked up a "Trese" book in 2009. She shared how she fell in love with the myth of "Trese" set in a backdrop of a Manila where supernatural creatures live among unsuspecting humans. She loved it so much that even though she didn't know Budjette personally, she called him and said she was interested in turning their work into a series or film.

Yuson is one of the co-founders of BASE Entertainment, a studio based in Jakarta and Singapore.

"The journey had been pretty long but, at the same time, it's really been special. There's really no other way to put it just because of the people we're working with and everybody shares the same passion," she shared.

Tanya is also aware of the wide reach of the global platform and she promised that "Trese" might be based on Filipino folklore but she and her co-writers wrote it so people will still be able to relate to it even though they did not grow up in the Philippines or do not have an idea or exposure with Filipino culture. She also emphasized that "Trese" will not be "watered down."

Budjette shared how he is pleased with the writing of "Trese" for Netflix. He is particularly happy and also surprised that some Filipino phrases including "Tabi tabi po" were retained and not translated.

"It's great that there's a hint or flavor of pagka-Pinoy. That would intrigue, I guess, a foreign viewer and wants to know more and, in effect, start to learn our phrases and words," he noted.

Viewers will have the option which dub they want to watch -- English, Filipino or Japanese -- for the six-episode anime series.

Oliva, who has worked on both Marvel and DC titles as film producer, animated film director, and storyboard artist, is proud of how he and his lean team of seven artists were able to create "Trese."

"We may not have as crazy fight sequences as 'Castlevania,' at least not yet. We may not have the kind of production value that some of the other stuff or shows have. We have a very small crew but that crew produced something that looked fantastic because everybody brought their A game. I had all the best people that I worked with," he shared. 

RELATED: 'Trese' director admits 'marketing strategy' to 'vandalize' billboards