CuBird

Talent managers can be bullies sometimes. This happens especially when they handle careers of A-listers or those who are currently in-demand. A producer-director (PD) was left with no choice but to give in to the unreasonable demand of Ruthless Whiner (RW) during a negotiation for a project offered to one of his top wards (TP). RW wanted a lesser-known actor be included in the cast of a film that TP will star in. PD pleaded with RW if he could just include the new actor in another project he is working on since he has already completed the cast for this one, but RW was unrelenting. He even threatened to pull out TP from the project if his demand wasn’t met. Poor PD had to revise his script just so a new character could be added to the story. This also meant additional cost in talent fee. PD, however, vowed to never work with RW again. Perhaps that’s what you can call “striking while the iron is … lukewarm.” To talent managers, a warning: Word gets around. TOP OF THE TABLOIDS … [Read more...] about Starlet’s handler striking while the iron is . . . lukewarm

To contribute to nationwide efforts to reach herd immunity and economic recovery, listed Philippine real estate firm Century Properties Group (CPG) has launched its “CPG VacciNATION: Covid-Protect our Generation” immunization program. This will provide free vaccines to 5,000 company employees, inorganic employees, accredited sales agents, construction laborers and accredited third-party service personnel starting this month. CPG has procured 26,000 doses of vaccines from AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax and Covaxin. Of this quantity, 10,000 doses are for CPG workers (two doses per recipient) while the balance is intended for employee dependents as well as donations to the national government. The first 10,000 doses from CPG’s orders are scheduled to arrive this month and in August, and the company will administer majority of its purchased vaccines at its Department of Health and Makati City-registered Bakuna Center: Centuria Medical in Poblacion, Makati—CPG’s flagship private … [Read more...] about Century Properties Group to roll out free vaccination for 5,000 workers

From left: Kaori Oinuma, Daniela Stranner, Rhys Miguel and Anthony Jennings “My monstrous side comes out only when my actors don’t listen,” said film and TV director Cathy Garcia-Molina as a warning to young talents she would be working with in the future. It’s the youngsters’ “baptism of fire” of sorts. The director recently attended a virtual media conference to introduce the four cast members of her latest film, “Love at First Stream.” Daniela Stranner, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma and Rhys Miguel will be headlining this coproduction between Star Cinema and the Philippine-based streaming platform Kumu. “I’ve had two days of workshop with them, so they know that I have a monstrous side. They also know that this comes out when they don’t listen, but that this also brings out the best in them,” Cathy shared with show biz writers and vloggers recently. Cathy pointed out that she is not merely bragging about her accomplishments as a director. She really did manage to launch … [Read more...] about ‘Baptism of fire’ for 4 newcomers in Cathy Garcia-Molina’s latest film

The author (left) with Coco Martin, star of “Masahista” and “Serbis” Mainstream and independent films have always been compared to each other, whether it is in terms of budget, sales, content, quality or genre. But in a way, the crisis has shown the strengths and weaknesses of the industry and the sides we belong to, and it compelled us to consider each other’s positions. Both sides have suffered. Work stopped, and now it’s more difficult to continue making films. A big part of the budget that is supposed to be spent for the shoot itself, to pay workers, must be set aside to pay for covid protocol-related requirements. If mainstream filmmakers can have issues paying for these, imagine how indie filmmakers are budgeting their already meager resources. Challenges include restrictions on locations and travel, and the production crew must be limited. The mainstream filmmakers naturally must adjust to these, while indie filmmakers have the odd advantage of being familiar with these … [Read more...] about Mainstream and independent filmmaking in the time of pandemic

Residents and workers stand in the rain and wade through a flood on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 —risking infection of waterborne diseases — just to get into San Andres Sports Complex in Manila, one of the COVID-19 vaccination hubs in the city. (File photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer) MANILA, Philippines — Local governments should not allow people to line up in flooded areas to get vaccinated against COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte said in his weekly taped briefing on Saturday. “The problem is for the local governments to come up with a more sane process of vaccination [rather] than allowing people to queue as early as four o’clock in the morning and getting their shots at about nine o’clock in the morning. It seems to me, it’s not the way to vaccinate people,” Duterte said. “People are exposed in the open, unprotected from the elements. They are waiting for… a chance to have a shot, for three to four hours standing there. There are floods now. They could … [Read more...] about LGUs should not let people line up for COVID-19 vax in flooded areas – Duterte