After buying weed for his ill mother, Gino is caught by Officers patrolling the area where he and his friends, Ram and Sofie, end up hotboxing. Their struggle to get home has them questioning their character, and defying authority, only to find out that there’s a limit to everyone’s price.
Script / Storyboard preview 1 -- Art by Josel Nicolas
“TAMA” is a film based on a true story, or more specifically, based on multiple accounts about marijuana users and police authority. Having been exposed to new media and studies trying to erase the stigma of marijuana, and having had personal relationships with people who’ve been caught in the same situation, I wanted to develop a script that would not only introduce empathy, but would also portray the intense fear and dread of this common reality.
Gino is not your typical stoner archetype. He’s a son to a mother dealing with cancer. He’s a son trying to help out in anyway he can. It’s these circumstances that make his future dilemma tragic.
The film talks about themes of friendship, right and wrong, and sacrifice to name a few. At a time where our country is wrapped in police (and non-police) violence and the divisive Philippine drug war, this tiny film hopes to remind people to think for themselves, and that nothing in this world is simply black and white.
Gig poster for initial fund raising effort -- Art by Josel Nicolas
I'm a partner and in-house Director for ManilaMan, a local advertising production company where my main focus has been directing commercials and branded online content. While I enjoy my professional work tremedously, I've been itching to get back to directing my own personal films -- films where I can express myself fully, and where I feel I can contribute the most to society.
My goal is to distribute this short film next year to various film festivals, local and international -- but having the resources to produce it is the first step. I'm hoping that with your help, I'll be able to raise enough funds to make this project come to life.
Below is the timeline for this project.
Pre-production (On-going)
- Casting & rehearsals
- Location hunting
- Camera tests
- Funding
Production (mid to late November)
- 1 whole shooting day
Post-production (December)
- Editing
- Color grading
- Sound Design
Film Festival circulation / Private Screening (January 2017 onwards)
Me on commercial set :)
All funds will go into the production of the film -- everything from technical equipment, talent fees, logistics (location permits, food, vehicle rental etc.), and crew fees and budgets (Asst. Director, Camera Dept, Production Design, Wardrobe, Sound Recording, Post-production) Every single peso will be used for the creation of the film.
Pre-production (On-going) - Casting & rehearsals - Location hunting - Camera tests - Funding Production (mid to late November) - 1 whole shooting day Post-production (December) - Editing - Color grading - Sound Design Release / Private Screening (January 2017 onwards) - I'm planning to circulate the film through various Film Festivals here and abroad throughout 2017. With this comes some restrictions that limit the freedom of publicly screening the film wherever and whenever I choose; hence the private screening invite.
Thank you e-mails will be sent as soon as we get word of your contributions. Thank you social media posts will coincide with the film's post-production schedule throughout December. These posts will be personal thank you's directly from me (and through the film's soon-to-be-made Facebook page). Private screenings will be arranged as soon as the Final Cut of the Film is done (January). Invitations will be sent through e-mail and/or Facebook.
You can contact me directly through my e-mails gabbyquimel@gmail.com gabriel@manilaman.ph
- Private screening invitation
- Private screening invitation
- Thank you e-mail
- Private screening invitation (+1 guest)
- Thank you e-mail
- Thank you social media post
- Private screening invitation (+2 guests)
- Thank you e-mail
- Thank you social media post
- Name at end credits
- Private screening invitation (+3 guests)
- Thank you e-mail
- Thank you social media post
- Special thanks at end credits