October 31 ang final deadline ng finished product ng mga nais lumahok sa 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Isa ito sa bagong announcements ng Executive Committee na pinamumunuan ni MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos sa launch na naganap nu’ng Martes ng gabi sa SMX Convention Center.
Ang final announcement ng eight official entries ay sa November 10 ilalabas. Pero bago ang paggawa ng isasaling pelikula, kailangang magbigay ng letter of intent ang lahat ng producers na sa July 8 naman ang final deadline.
“As regards ‘yung submission ng finished product, this was not done arbitrarily. This was done in consultation with the producers and members of the Execom. So hindi naman ‘yan galing lang sa Execom.
“Alam naman nating kapag hasa na sa pelikula, kapag dinibdib ang shooting, ang principal photography eh matatapos at matatapos ito kung tutuusin. Unless merong force majeure like earthquakes, typhoons, but otherwise, with preparation, kayang tapusin ‘yan,” pahayag ni Boots Anson-Rodrigo sa media forum after ng launch.
Ayon naman kay Wilson Tieng, maaga ang submission para magkaroon sila ng oras na tumulong sa marketing at promotions ng mapipiling entries.
“Kung medyo late ring mag-submit, talo rin ang producers. Wala ring time to expose or to run ‘yung trailers nila, ‘yung advertising collaterals nila. Kaya nakikiusap kami na kung puwede maaga sila mag-umpisa at matapos na ang pelikula para makagawa na sila ng magandang trailer para maitakbo na agad sa sinehan dahil hindi naman sila nagtsa-charge. Makakatulong ito ng malaki sa promotions ng film,” paliwanag naman ni Wilson.
Gaano sila kaistrikto sa deadlines?
“Deadline? Deadline means dead. Patay. Deadlines. Siguro we should stick with it. Of course dati na nating pinag-uusapan ‘yan. Ako I’ve been with the festival for just few months.
“The veteran members of the Executive Committee have been saying that there are instances na ang daming nagri-request sa deadline lalung-lalo na this year because we returned to the finished product as basis for the selection of entries this year.
“This came all about because we want change, ‘di ho ba? Actually, the demand came from the stakeholders. Sabi, hindi dapat script ang batayan ng pagpili ng entries sa festival. So we listened to it. We discussed it. Sabi nga namin, madugong talakayan ang ginawa namin para magkaroon lang ng desisyon.
“We came up with this. Siguro this is the right time to start accepting of selecting films based on finished products. Maybe it would be very hard for the first year for this year. It might be hard but people can adjust and eventually, ‘pag nasanay na tayo na finished product talaga ang basehan eh mag-a-adjust na rin tayo next year. Masasanay na rin tayo na maaga pa lang sa taon, nagpaplano na tayo.
“With that, we can achieve the change we want na tayo lahat ay nagpaplano ng film festival hindi at the last moment pero pinaplano natin ito. Maganda ang planning ang eventually, we would come up with quality film festival that will also hit the box-office,” paliwanag ni MMDA Chairman.
Ang bagong criteria na inilabas ng MMFF Execom ay 40% story, audience appeal, overall impact; 40% cinematic attributes at technical excellence; 10% global appeal; at 10% Filipino sensibility.
Ipinakilala rin sa launch ang members ng Screening Committee na itinatago noon sa publiko. Transparency ang naging rason nila. Pero ‘yung members ng jury pagdating sa awards night ay hindi pa nabubuo. Pagdating naman sa Gabi ng Parangal, naka-schedule na ito sa January 8, 2017 hindi gaya noon na ginaganap ang bigayan ng awards ilang araw after ng December 25 opening day.
Pagdating naman sa resulta sa takilya ng entries, ayon kay Wilson, ‘yung first day over all gross ng lahat ng kinita ang kanilang ilalabas upang makaiwas sa trending at ‘yun ang pasukin ng manonood.
“We will announce towards the end of the festival the grosses of the movie para wala ganoong trending at walang sakitan ng loob!” rason ni Tieng.
Ang ilan pang bagong kaganapan sa 2016 MMFF ay ang contest para sa logo design at ang paglikha ng theme song.