IF HE BUILDS IT, THEY WILL COME - Part 2
by Apol Lejano, The Manila Times, October 26, 1997

The movie industry is in a slump now. Do you think the Internet contributes to this in any way?

Yes. To some extent, the internet has contributed indirectly to the downfall of the local movie industry because as more and more Filipinos get to use the net, they become more exposed to new ideas, new information thus, stimulating their minds and their creativity whether consciously or unconsciously. In contrast, Filipino movies don't have any substance or content – if not copied or imitated, they have been using the same storyline, dialogue, concepts, treatment, techniques since time in memorial. They perhaps modify the approach to a script but the essence, the substance has always been the same. No originality. Nothing new.  The local movie industry doesn't only have the substance to create better movies but also doesn't avail of the latest tools to produce better movies. Technology has become a very cost-effective production tool and has allowed  everyone to become more productive. Yet the local movie industry sees technology more as an expensive time-consuming approach to movie production and a threat to their jobs.
Unfortunately, the local movie industry has stuck to the an old school of thought and has buried its own grave, so to speak.

There is also cable TV which even the masses have access to and which show the same thing.  Worst is you see them same faces all over your TV sets everyday. Many are already fed-up with the same thing. And the movie industry in blind to acknowledge all these.

Furthermore, the fact that more and more Filipinos are getting exposed to foreign films that are extremely creative  and have superior technical production values, they begin to appreciate what a quality movie is and what isn't. They can tell the difference. With foreign films, there is always something new and different.  And they begin to look for these types of movies.

The net contributes to new creative ideas. It's the information age! And there is so much information and ideas out there.  It would be arrogant for anyone especially those from the movie industry to say that the masses cannot afford or don't have access to the internet. The fact is you don't need to have an internet account or own a computer to go online. Public internet cafes are available here in Manila and even in the provinces that anyone can now go online. Even some public schools have internet access in their libraries already.  The masses, in one way or another, are already exposed to this technology.

I wouldn't say that the internet has replaced movie-watching as a form of entertainment. On the contrary, it even entices people to watch movies. There are many movie-related web sites out there. Movie companies use the net to promote their movies by providing more in-depth information about a particular movie, thus, getting people interested to watch these movies. They even show a trailer to their upcoming movies or even interviews. For example, the latest Star Wars trilogy from George Lucas is still under production and will probably be released in 2 more years but you can already get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes information through their web site. Through this, you can have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the movie.

The net is an extremely effective marketing tool which no one in the local market has maximized.