USS Cooper

The Philippines (and especially Cebu) has a plethora of prime dive locations for its deep diving possibilities and variety of reef and wreck dives. 7,000 islands means that not only are there tropical islands of all shapes and sizes but the diversity of life in between the islands (underwater) is astonishing.
During the second World War, the Philippines was a site of US occupation and a number of battles took place there. USS Cooper is a documentary revealing the tale of an historic battle and subsequent sinking of the ship USS Cooper as told through a group of professional divers and one of the few survivors. See the trailer for more of the story.

Screen Test

Screen Test is Bigfoot Entertainment's reality show featuring model/actresses competing for a spot in a film for Bigfoot Entertainment. The show covered the China, USA and Viet Nam and was shot at our studios in Cebu Philippines. The above video is the Chinese version of Screen Test, but you can see much more at the the Screen Test web site:
http://www.ftvscreentest.com/

blogging around Cebu

Cebu truly has a diversity computer savvy bloggers, photographers, foodies and style experts covering the scene. With last year's addition of Bite Magazine, the happenings of Cebu are at the fingertips of Bigfooters. That means that not only will you have fun, but you'll have it efficiently - and love it! Here are a few links to get a newbie started on Cebu:

Bite Magazine
The Cebu Life
Cebu Daily
My Cebu Photo Blog
Food Food Food!
Style Cebu
The Heritage of Cebu
Cebu in Photos
Travels with Goyo

Song and Dance

There's a whole world of music and dancing in Cebu! Weekends are awesome for exploring the many venues around town: The Outpost, Paseo, Vudu, Loft, Pump, Sunflower - even Jazz & Blues. With so many venues to go around (and Cebu being the guitar capital of the Philippines) a few employees like James D'Lonsod and Michal Garcia find themselves playing gigs around town as often as they get a chance. James leads a Rastafilipino Reggae-Rock band called Coolie Dread and the Microphone Commanders (CDMC) as pictured below. Thanks for the photos Nathalie!





Photography by Nathalie Heugas

Yekta Nikou for Fashion TV

Here's a showcase of talent at Bigfoot Entertainment: Photographer (and model) Tina Macfarlane as she photographs Yekta Nikou in tropical Cebu, Philippines.

Three Needles: World Aids Day

Today is World Aids Day and with that comes a solemn look at the state of the human race in relation to the epidemic. It is important to realize both personal responsibility and the importance of education in preventing the disease. Especially considering the lack of a cure, the best that can be done is to be aware and help others become aware.
Three Needles is one such film that aims to create this awareness. It follows three very different stories in three separate countries, tying them together with the sickness that destroys their lives. After viewing the trailer, read the excellent interview with writer and director of Three Needles, Thom Fizgerald.

Thanksgiving at Abaca

Thanksgiving this year was absolutely fun! We all participated in the year-old tradition of sharing what we were thankful for. Among the thanks, most were very happy with their close workmates whether filming "Tears from Afar" or back in the office. With so many actors and filmmakers coming from Los Angeles we had a turnout of over 50 employees at Abaca restaurant on Mactan Island.

Postcards from Cebu

We're working on a series of photographs showing the scenic parts of Cebu, for a series of postcards to send out to potential clients/students/friends. Take a peek at some of the work!


Eveningscape of Cebu


Cebu City Hall


IT park, in the heart of Cebu


Hilton Hotel on Mactan Island (really close to Bigfoot)
And lastly, a view of the bridge connecting Cebu City to Mactan Island as seen from the Cebu Yacht club (Highly recommended)

photography by michalgarcia.com

The Magic of Tiki

Tiki bar is a multi-faceted supplement to our working environment here at Bigfoot Entertainment and the International Academy of Film and Television. With its bar, barbecue and comfort rooms (as they are called on these islands) it is the ultimate after work winding-down destination. Tiki bar is also where the de facto creativity takes place and ideas are born, in the chillaxed resorty lawn chairs of the Bigfoot backyard. Can you dig it?




Beware of too much tiki:


photography by michalgarcia.com

Fashion TV - Destination Singapore

Bigfoot Entertainment is also unique in that it is not only a film production studio, it also produces material for Fashion TV Asia. Above is a clip with models Shelly Radley and Tina Macfarlane as they browse the some of the best Singapore has to offer. Enjoy!

What to do in Cebu (part one)

Imagine what you can do in Cebu. Don't really imagine, just look at the photos. There's a whole lot of outdoorsy places to go, plus chic resorts and malls. Today we're focusing more on the outdoor activities, for the go-get-'em crowd. You can go boating.


You can go to the Kawasan waterfalls and swim/lounge/hike.


You can Karaoke at practically every venue in the Philippines.



You can people watch - and they'll watch you back!


You can go to tops and overlook the city. Tops serves beer & snacks too!


Cebu has many historic sites, including Magellan's cross and the church of Santo Niño.

photography by michalgarcia.com

Congratulations Graduates!

Twelve more students are now graduates of the International Academy of Film and Television, which had its graduation ceremony this past Saturday. Graduates of the program hail from the Philippines, the United States, India, and Holland. Some of the graduates are returning home, while others have been employed at Bigfoot Entertainment with a new film currently titled "Tears From Afar" which begins production Monday. In addition, some of their thesis films which were screened at their graduation will be submitted to festivals around the globe. You can view some of the unsubmitted films online here.


Mentor Jeff Bacon squeezes in between a few of the graduates on this festive occasion.

Curious BTS for a curious day

Here's a little behind-the-scenes on The Curiousity of Chance to add more spark to your Coming Out Day. Enjoy the tid bit!

Acting with IAFT

Last night was the end-of-term performance for Alex Murphy's acting course, part of the curriculum at the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT). Both students and current interns took part in the monologues and scenes performed at our dance studio.

In this shot, Samim is preparing to act out a torture seminar by Begosian. To start the performance, we shout a response:
We are here at Bigfoot...our acting careers have gone kaput!
Alex is helping to change our lives...We've gotten rid of girlfriends boyfriends wives
We love to do monologues and dance, Alex is building our confidence!

The nine week term ended with a bang. Here are a few pictures of the action:


Alex Murphy is no Robocop, but he teaches a mean acting class! Here he's giving last-minute direction before the final performance.


Niko performing Begosian's "The Fan"

Annu bustin' out Hamlet's "to be or not to be" speech.

Angela rehearses a scene from "Jawbreaker" before the performance.

Meredith and Tra perform a scene from the play "A whole house full of babies."

Olaf performs a killer rendition of Tyler Durden from "Fight Club"

Annu is a drunken pastor imitating bacon frying. Abstract, but extremely funny!
photography by michalgarcia.com

Music Video Action

As our feature film Deep Gold comes to a close, a few music videos and behind-the-scenes shorts are being shot for DVD features and as promotional items. Here is one recently directed by Matt Karam featuring Ben Patton on vocals and bass, Jaye Muller on keys, and James D'Lonsod on drums.




DIRECTOR: Matt Karam
PRODUCED BY: Sujay Dahake & Steve Aalam
SHOT BY: Torsten Schimmer
MUSIC BY: Muller & Patton
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Michael Gleissner

Keep posted for a second music video installment and more on Matt Karam

The New Guy

Bigfoot's PR and Marketing Department

Brand spankin’ fresh in the PR and Marketing team, the virgin days has gone by swiftly. Introduced to some interesting people from various departments and teams make me feel optimistic bout working here, plus the fact that Cebuano’s always have this warm smile, irrelevant whether it’s sincere or not, either way, it has the same effect, your mere existence being recognized in a jovial and gleeful manner, who’d resent that?

My first official job as a writer feels like a bliss, getting paid for what you love doing, fantastic -- this is the way to live. Besides the conventional complaints of waking up early and doing a 9 to 5, or in Bigfoot’s case, 9 to 7 job, what else’s there to complain about?

Being a contractual has it perks such as non auto-deductions on compensation, but alas, this can’t go on forever, health benefits and paid leaves would be of necessity later on, as one grows older, body can’t take that much punishment as it used to. So a permanent job with benefits is the way to go kids.

Blogging experiences, observations, opinions within the premises, perhaps even the mundane could be transformed into exciting literary pieces. But that’s the thing; I wouldn’t have to settle for the mundane since there’s just a lot productions/projects going on in and around Bigfoot.

Content is abundant – a blogger’s wet dream.

Genesis

In anyone’s life there comes a time where you’d have to crawl your way out of your comfortable shell, for whatever reason it may be, desire for independence or perhaps the age old nightmare of being disowned. I fervently pushed for the former.

On a wet and humid afternoon, wearing nothing but a bacon gartered underwear in front of a radiating and irritatingly blinding monitor at home in Manila, Bigfoot gives me a ring. Exchanges went on for about month, negotiating minor details on lodging issues and compensation. Somehow, I just couldn’t resist the temptation of working in a high-end, fancy office with blonds randomly sprouting from corners. Oh, plus the fact that Fashion TV is affiliated with Bigfoot, and how can anyone forget those midnight shows on FTV? H.O.T.

Bigfoot's Lobby

The Lobby from another angle

Being the nerd-stricken, phlegm-swallowing boy that I am, signed the contract and took the next flight to Cebu. And here I am, typing on as a passionate (yes, hail to self-promotion) copywriter serving Michael Gleissner and his army of filmmakers.

Note to self, never believe pictures – they’re the new age devils. I feel like Adam & Eve squished into one atrocious walking mammal. White sand beach? What beach?!

A shot of the main Bigfoot building

A pristine and concrete open area between the main building and Casablanca apartments? More like a complex terrain of quasi hills and a fraction of the rain forest.

We can’t have everything can we, and even with all the superficial gripes and rants the Bigfoot premises rightly deserves, this is an adventure and experience that’s worth a peek.

(Post by Ricky Gonzalez)