Host-comedian Vice Ganda attested to the difficulties of filming their Metro Manila Film Festival 2022 entry amid the pandemic.
At the media conference for Partners in Crime on December 13, which LionhearTV covered, Vice recounted the challenge of mounting production amid the protocols and budgetary issues caused by ABS-CBN’s shutdown.
“Ang hirap gumawa ng pelikula ngayon dahil di ba, nasa pandemya pa rin tayo? Ang daming pamantayan, ang daming protocols, di ba? So ‘yun, hindi siya kasing– kung dati mahirap na nga, mas mahirap ngayon.
“At tsaka, also considering the fact na walang masyadong pera ‘yung kumpanya namin, dahil wala kaming franchise, lumiit ‘yung project, simula pa lang gising kami sa ganon. Hindi kasing laki ‘yung budget na ini-spend namin dati.”
He also acknowledged the pressure of completing Partner in Crime‘s production.
“Pressure? Alam mo ang pressure talaga, kung papaano namin matatapos ang pelikula. Hindi ‘yung– siyempre may pressure kung paano tatanggapin ng crowd ng audience, pero ang talagang naubos ‘yung energy namin, ‘yung lahat ng kakayahan namin ay ‘yung isipin kung paano namin tatapusin ‘yung pelikula.”
Now that they’ve finished the production for the MMFF2022 entry, Vice realized the added pressure of ensuring the success of their film.
“Maraming factors kung bakit naging mahirap ang pagbuo namin ng pelikulang ‘to. Kaya we’re really pressed and pressured, ‘yun ‘yung mga una naming hinarap. Ngayon, ‘yun na ‘yun, ngayon pa lang pumapasok ‘yung, ‘Shet, paano kaya– siguro babalik ang mga tao sa sinehan.’
“Nagawa na namin ‘yung trabaho namin, na natapos namin ‘yung pelikula, nabuo namin and maganda ang pelikulang nagawa namin, kailangan na lang namin i-push pa, para ma-promote at makumbinsi ang mga tao na, ‘tara labas tayo, nood tayo ng sine.'”
The MMFF 2022 entry Partners in Crime stars Vice Ganda and Ivana Alawi.
Under the direction of Cathy-Garcia Molina, Partners in Crime opens on December 25, Christmas Day.