By Boy Villasanta
I’s been six years since controversial Fil-Briton filmmaker Jowee Morel (“Moma,” “EC2Luv,” “Mga Paru-Parong Rosas,” “Mona Singapore Escort,” “When a Gay Man Loves,” “Latak,” “HiStory,” “Strictly Confidential” and “Leona Calderon”) conceptualized and upped in cyberspace his FilCastPro arts and entertainment directory as he got busy with other media and creative works. He did not have the luxury of time to manage it and left it in limbo.
He then jumpstarted from his movie career by doing a documentary film on the history of Quezon City mid last year and then rerouted his show business path this year by renewing his pet project, FilCasPro.com, this time minus the letter “t” in the name tag. “It’s a long story but I guess it’s a good as the original,” said Jowee in a casual talk.
Morel spent sleepless nights redesigning the look and the contents of the showbiz catalogue with the help of experts in web design.
At the moment, the web page is already done despite some refinements here and there.
The most important thing here is the reintroduction of the program to the audience but Jowee has patience and foresight to do and redo all the nitty-gritty cuts to suit not only his fancy but his guests’ as well.
Showbiz directory?
What is a social media arts and entertainment directory?
In the traditional media parlance, a directory is a list of persons, institutions or even places and events with their attributes and identifications so that searchers would find it easy to locate their subjects of discovery. It has no big difference in the age of non-conventional media like the internet except for the techies which come with them. The principle of objectives is quite still intact.
In Morel’s blueprint years back, he had Alden Richards as one of his artists in the directory. It was a free publicity for Alden at the time when Jowee was already impressed with the young actor. Though tentative, it was like doing a promo for actors like Richards. He also had stars like Chanel Latorre, Geraldine Tan, Alessandra de Rossi etc as prototypes of artists to cull from if the need arose like who or what a film investor or a director would want to fill in their respective production cast and crew.
At the outset, Morel had already envisioned a unifying factor on the creation of the registry. “As an artist, I have so many ideas and vision to apply to the local entertainment industry. Like the talent fee system, for instance. We can create a fair and just deal with producers if we just lay out the terms and conditions about work relationships first and foremost,” he said.
Beauty queens
Now that the online index is in place, Jowee has many prospective artists to include in his list. At the moment, he has two beauty queens in the stable like 2015 Miss International Bea Rose Santiago and 2008 Miss World-Philippines and Binibining Pilipinas finalist Danielle Castaño. Although Bea Rose is a Viva Entertainment contract artist, being in FilCasPro.com doesn’t jeopardize her membership with Morel’s directory.
Santiago has been Jowee’s friend and business associate since the beauty queen had acting lessons with the director. Danielle was instantly agreeable with the way Morel had been managing the site. Castaño who was a crowd favorite in beauty pageants is an actress to boot having portrayed Gregoria de Jesus in the late Mario O’Hara’s masterpiece, “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio,” an entry to the 2010 Cinemalaya Directors Showcase.
“I want more beauty queens in my directory. They are refreshing enough to the page,” he quipped.
Not only beauty titlists are Morel’s dreams in his catalogue but all artists in all disciplines. “This is open for all creative persons. We welcome all artisans,” he exclaimed.
One of the most striking features of the log is Morel’s preference for artists in the Philippines and Filipino artists overseas. “Foreign artists in the Philippines can enrol like Brazilian stars and models or any foreign artist living in the country. Filipinos abroad can definitely be part of FilCasPro.com,” he assured.
Jowee is very optimistic he will be supported by all people in the local entertainment industry because the project is for all its citizens, for the welfare of them all.
