Turning ideas into reality
HOOQ, the largest video-on-demand service in Southeast Asia, recently launched renowned director Erik
Matti as the latest addition to the judging panel of HOOQ Filmmakers Guild. The guild aims for filmmakers to turn their most imaginative TV series into reality.
As the first Filipino representative to the judging panel, Matti will helm the selection process of the five pilots to be produced and the full series thereafter. The other two judges announced were Indonesians Mouly Surya, a critically acclaimed director who recently screened at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, and Nicholas Saputra, an award-winning actor and documentary producer.
At the launch, held at the B Hotel Grand Ballroom in Quezon City, Matti was joined by HOOQ regional brand and communications head Allison Chew, HOOQ Philippines country manager
Jane Cruz-Walker and content and programming head Jeff Remigio.
Matti said, “I believe the Philippines still has a lot of undiscovered filmmakers out there just waiting for their big break. The HOOQ Filmmakers Guild will give these aspiring filmmakers a chance to see their ideas become reality, and hopefully inspire others pursue their dream.”
Matti also co-founded (and co-owns) Reality Entertainment, a film production company with Lily
Monteverde’s son Dondon. The production outfit will be producing the On The
Job sequel and series (set to premiere later this year) together with the video-ondemand service.
HOOQ chief executive officer Peter Bithos noted, “There is incredible talent for TV series making in Asia, and we want to give opportunities to film professionals to turn these amazing ideas into reality. HOOQ is built in Asia for Asia and we want to give Asian filmmakers the power to create quality entertainment that gives our customers that escape into worlds of romance, action, adventure and even heroism, all in the setting of their backyard.”
HOOQ calls on film professionals — directors, producers or scriptwriters — to send in scripts and treatments for a TV series idea they have. Submissions can be from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia.
From the entries, five scripts will be chosen and given $30,000 each to be produced into pilot episode that will debut on HOOQ. Submission of entries is until Aug. 15. (For more information, visit campaign.hooq.tv/filmmakersguild2017.)