WE
continue the discussion on whether digital movie-making is actually
harmful to local cinema, as claimed by Tilman Baumgärtel, German film
critic and professor at the University of the Philippines Film
Institute. JIM LIBIRAN (Palanca winner for his screenplay
“Tribu;” head, ABC 5 Public Affairs; news documentary maker;
journalist; member, Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of the
Philippines) I’m not an expert in this field; I am still a
student, a filmmaker wannabe, a DVD addict. Tilman Baumgärtel was my
professor in UP, when I took the undergrad Film 100 class as a
prerequisite for my Masteral subjects. Tilman is a teacher and a
friend. I don’t really know if he is a fan of Philippine cinema, but he
is absolutely devouring as many Filipino films, old and new, as he can. (On
Baumgärtel’s view that 35mm is better than digital:) I don’t really
care what … I’m using as long as it hits the target. To say that one is
better than the other depends on where you are in the scheme of things.
The industry, for decades, has produced 35mm movies that are just as
trashy as the sex videos on mpeg or 3gp. Some may argue that, at least,
the former looks better onscreen. On the other hand, not only
independent Asian and European filmmakers, but even Hollywood, have
brought us digital masterpieces. Poet-spoken word artist Lourd de Veyra
says it best: “Wala sa pana iyan, nasa Indian.” That I think, is also
Jon Red’s point in his reply (Inquirer Entertainment, Oct. 31, 2006). The
fact is, given the chance, many filmmakers would grab the opportunity
to shoot in 35mm. But rather than wait for that 35mm guava to fall from
the tree, they pushed on, expressing themselves, honing their craft or,
heck, experimenting and sometimes just goofing off with the cheaper,
readily-available digital video cam. Shoot or perish. The
momentum is here. Filmmakers will not stop making movies just because
film stock is out of their financial reach. Movies will be made with or
without films. Are they going digital because it’s the easy way out?
Recently, we saw 20 masterpieces by 20 directors in the omnibus film
“Imahe Nasyon.” Most, if not all, were done using digital cameras, not
only videocams, but Digital SLRs—still cameras! Viva Digital was formed
precisely to explore these possibilities. Does that mean Prof.
Baumgärtel is wrong? Nope. It means that, maybe, the “Downside of
Digital” was not directed against indie filmmakers; [maybe it was] an
attack against big players in the film industry who continue to dangle
their expensive film stocks and equipment way out of young filmmakers’
reach. (On whether digital movies could “lower the audience’s
audio-visual standards:”) Jumping in my head right now are 100 crazy
replies. But I will go with this: By all means, let us protect the
audience’s audio-visual standards. That may be the only standard in the
Filipino psyche that hasn’t been eroded. (On the effect of the
boom in digital filmmaking on the entire filmmaking industry:) I see
pre-teen filmmakers uploading their masterpieces into souped-up editing
stations. I see high school students silently but artistically
expressing themselves using off-the-shelf consumer-grade digital toys.
I see mobile theaters in the barangays—guerilla theater circuits
complementing guerilla filmmaking. I see MTRCB-banned digital films on
disc being peddled like illegal drugs in the streets: “Buy this, and
free your mind.” I see the Hollywood flood being walled off by Quiapo’s
digital pirates. [In fact] I see the pirate stalls in Quiapo turning
into the new digital Divisoria of enterprising guerilla filmmakers, a
real market. I don’t know how empty mall cinema houses will figure into
this. I don’t know if big producers will coopt this “emergent movement”
and turn it into a new revenue stream. I haven’t heard any loud boom
that signals the coming of “new cinema golden age.” Maybe there
wouldn’t be any explosion, no giant wave. Maybe it will just come in
the form of kids playing with their digital toys, experimenting with
their editing box, and showing off to friends. Digital amateurs, tens
of thousands of them. Wouldn’t that be something? KHAVN DELA CRUZ (“Bahag Kings,” “Paalam Aking Bulalakaw,” “Mondomanila,” “Rugby Boyz,” “Can&Slippers,” member, IFCP) While
some of the points raised by Baumgärtel are valid, his statements
should be taken as subjective, case-to-case observations rather than
generalizations. In 2000, I wrote “Digital Dekalogo,” 10 reasons that
digital is good for Philippine (and thus, World) Cinema. For six years
now, this manifesto has circulated in international film festivals and
has been published in Italy, Spain, and Austria. Here are excerpts: Digital Dekalogo
A Manifesto for a Filmless Philippines Film
is dead. It is dead as long as the economy is dead, when public taste
and creativity are dead, when the imagination of multinational movie
companies is dead. At millions of pesos per film production, there is
not going to be a lot of happy days for the genuine filmmaker, the true
artist who wants to make movies, not brainless displays of breasts and
gunfire. But technology has freed us. Digital film, with its
qualities of mobility, flexibility, intimacy, and accessibility, is the
apt medium for a Third World Country like the Philippines. Film is dead. Please omit flowers. I.
Economics: A minute of celluloid film including processing costs around
P1,500. A minute of digital film costs around P3. Do the math. II.
The only way to make a film is to shoot it. Shoot when you can. Do not
delay. If you can finish everything in a day, why not? Sloth is the
enemy of the Muse. III. Your attitude towards filmmaking should
be that of an amateur—half-serious, playful, light, not heavy, thus
without baggage. There are no mistakes; the important thing is you
learn. IV. Utilize all elements within your resources. If you
have a knack for music, score your own soundtrack. If you have writing
skills, craft your own screenplay. If you have money, invest in gear. V. Work within a minimized budget. Artificial lighting is not a necessity. The story is king—everything else follows. VI. Work with what you have. VII. Forget … the star system. Work only with those who are willing to work with you, and those who are dedicated to the craft. VIII. Work with humble, patient, passionate and courageously creative people. XI. If you are alone, do not worry. Digital technology has reduced the crew to an option. X. Create first, criticize later. | 
