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- VFX Editor shared how they are treated in the Philippine entertainment industry.
- He said that this results to shows with substandard effects that viewers usually nitpick on.
There has been many criticisms online regarding the poor quality of Filipino teleseryes’ visual effects.
Some quarters have expressed their disappointment over the visual effects of GMA Network‘s Victor Magtanggol. They questioned why it didn’t live up to the promised standards.
Director Boy Bardagol shared what he learned upon meeting a visual effects maker who explained why the Philippine teleseryes’ vfx doesn’t usually match those in Hollywood movies.
He said that they can do it, however they were advised to just produce what they were paid for. And it’s apparently a measly sum.
For all the flak that Viktor Magtanggol is getting from netizens, here’s the sad true fact about our visual effects team in the Philippines at kung bakit “hindi na tayo pumantay-pantay sa standards ng Hollywood”. A few months ago, I met an awarded and a very good visual effects maker in the Philippines whose portfolio will leave you drooling. Sabi niya, “Kaya naman natin, Direk ‘yung ginagawa ng Hollywood. May pinagawa nga sa akin na effects, hindi mo mahahalata na visual effects sa linis ng pagkakagawa. Pati ‘yung sword na pinagawa sa akin, pinagbutihan ko talaga at realistic na realistic yung dating, pati ‘yung apoy akala mo talaga apoy. Pero sabi ng superior namin, huwag daw gandahan. Huwag ipakita na kaya natin ‘yung ginagawa sa Hollywood. Kailangan daw ‘yung kung ano lang ‘yung presyo na ibinabayad
He said that this is to safeguard themselves from networks who might take advantage of them if they turn in polished work for a cheap price.
Kailangan daw ‘yung kung ano lang ‘yung presyo na ibinabayad sa amin ng mga networks, ‘yun lang daw ang worth na ipakita namin na visual effects at huwag daw tindihan. Kasi kapag nakita daw ng mga kapitalista na kaya na nating pumantay sa Hollywood sa kakarampot na ibinabayad nila sa amin, aabusuhin na daw kami at laging magrerequest na pantayan na namin ‘yung Hollywood standards sa presyong di-makatarungan.
The editor compared it to the situation in Hollywood wherein production houses really invest on editing and effects, but in the Philippines, a single person can do it but they will still pay him less than his deserved salary.
E sa Hollywood, bawat galaw ng effects, maraming tao ang gumagawa at binabayaran nila ng sobra-sobra. Dito sa Pilipinas, kaya lahat gawin ‘yun ng isang tao at isang machine lang pero babayaran nila ng barat. Hindi nga kami bayad sa overtime namin e! Kaya may tama din ‘yung superior namin na huwag ipakita sa mga kliyente na kaya naming gawin ‘yung effects at pumantay sa Hollywood. Hanggat hindi nababago ang sistema ng bayaran at hindi nababayaran ng tama ang talento ng mga artists sa Pilipinas, hindi rin maayos ang mga makikita nilang mga effects sa aming mga visual artists. Ang ganda ng effects na manggagaling sa amin ay ibabagay namin sa kung magkano ang budget na ibibigay nila sa amin.”
As a result, people shouldn’t question why shows such as Victor Magtanggol and Bagani‘s special effects look inferior. “Product = value”.
