Filipino enters Spielberg reality show for filmmakers

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 11:05pm (Mla time) 03/07/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino cinematographer Paolo Dy is now closer to making it in Hollywood.

Dy is now among the aspiring filmmakers featured on "On The Lot," a competition produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg that offers a $1-million development deal with DreamWorks.

Dy's suspense short film QWERTY is now featured on the website, which aims to discover 16 unknown filmmakers whose films will be aired on Fox News Channel.

Like the American Idol model, the filmmakers will need to win the support of viewers who will decide their fate based on a weekly audience vote.

Cebu-born Dy is a director, cinematographer and screenwriter. He has won numerous awards and has done television commercials, music videos, and short films.

"Paolo Dy believes that there are three things one can never have too much of: a passion for beauty, a thirst for excellence, and a supply of fresh 35mm film stock," he writes in his own website.

Holding a degree in Management Engineering and Economics from Ateneo de Manila University, Dy said he skipped corporate life and pursued film.

Dy's first short film, MIKO, won a Bogen/Manfrotto short film
competition in New York sponsored by Student Filmmakers magazine. It was also screened at the CineManila International Film Festival.

On The Lot will be aired two nights weekly, with a one-hour "Film Premiere" episode.

After a global search, the competition will chose the top 16 filmmakers. They will be brought to Hollywood where they will be grouped into teams.

Every week, these filmmakers will produce short films from a different genre. They will have access to professional writers, cast and crew, and maybe even Hollywood celebrities.

Teams will have to battle deadlines and tight budgets that go along with filmmaking. Their films will then be evaluated in front of a live audience during the "Film Premiere" episode.

Judges include a motion picture executive, a prominent film critic and a succession of respected directors in different genre.

Video submissions and application forms are now being accepted at thelot.com http://thelot.com website.


Go Pinoy!!! Lets vote for him

http://films.thelot.com/films/19175