GAMEBOYS - NOT JUST ANOTHER BL STORY
"Gameboys" is of course the little Philippine-made Boys Love (BL) series by The IdeaFirst Company that is now taking the BL-world, social media, and the filmmaking industry by storm.I must admit that many of my insights in this blog entry come from this report: GMA7 News Online's "How online BL series 'Gameboys' injects Pinoy flavor, resourceful flair in the genre" published July 3, 2020.
It must also be noted that amongst the many reports/articles (Ricky Calderon/The Manila Bulletin, Rank magazine, PsychoMilk, etc.) that I have read, this, so far, contains the most expansive details about the series, especially about the shooting/filmmaking process, although I must give a shout-out to Ricky F. Lo of The Philippine Star's FanFare fame for being the first of the major columnists to give "Gameboys" the light of day, so to speak.
Apart from the vivid descriptions of the "new" shooting/filmmaking process that the production team was forced to deploy (or workaround with), due to the limitations and contingencies engendered by the quarantined situations, which in turn were brought about by concerns against the spread of the covid-19 virus, what I found remarkable in the reportage is the purpose of the series.
PERCY M. INTALAN, president of The IdeaFirst Company and executive producer of "Gameboys" reportedly asked, perhaps rhetorically: We thought, why don't we try telling a story in this current situation?
While making a love story against the backdrop of the quarantined situations may seem like a "duh" moment or a "given" that is as tired as a cliche, it is actually a stroke of genius, especially if the euphemistically called "lockdowns" are but one of the many innovative elements (the least of which being, the creative use of ubiquitous communications technology and gadgets as a focal narrative point and as a device or mechanism to naturally move the storytelling forward) in the narrative that has become relatable precisely due to its contemporariness (referred to as a "present-day setting" in the GMA7 Online News report) where everyone is going through not just the same difficulties and deprivations but also the similar ways of coping and resourcefulness.
The report goes on to say that "at its very core, "Gameboys" tells the story of two boys in love during the quarantine. The distance between the would-be lovers and the online tools they use to communicate are important characters in the show, too. More importantly, it tells a story of how love and relationships have changed - and, perhaps, made more challenging - because of the pandemic. It tells a very specific story about where we are as people navigating love, desire, and relationship with COVID-19 very much in the air."
"The reason why kinikilig yung mga tao now is ramdam nila, e. Ramdam nila yung pagkakahiwalay nung dalawa. Ramdam mo yung isolation. Ramdam nila yung longing na magkita pero hindi pwede," Intalan said.
"Smart and engaging," sabi nga sa report.
Indeed, the people behind the production's take on where they wanted to bring the narrative is noteworthy and at least for me, and imho, very admirable.
"For me, BL is kind of almost a fantasy and it's a world where social norms are not even a concern. Nobody has to justify why they like people of the same sex. They just do. That's how the world should be. But at the same time, napansin namin na masyadong magaan yung treatment ng BL, na hindi naman nage-exist yung societal concerns," Intalan said.
The report adds: They also wanted to feature more than just "fantasy," to make "Gameboys" more palatable to the Filipino audience. For instance, family is an important factor both in the lives of Filipinos and in Pinoy fictionalized media. "In the Philippines, it's important that we still address that in a BL way," Intalan said. Hence, the introduction of some "Filipino" elements in the show. For instance: Cai's father in the show has COVID-19 so familial concerns can be featured in "Gameboys"; De Santos' Gavreel telling Canlas' Cai he's willing to show a bit more skin for him "with his consent," adding a "woke" aspect to a genre that is occasionally problematic with its depiction of sexuality; So's Pearl casually admitting that she likes Alden Richards, but is also interested in Catriona Gray, making her possible bisexuality a normal character element, not a novelty.
"We're not interested in doing something if we cannot espouse a few messages in it. Yun yung gusto namin maging brand ng BL namin, na it's woke. It's still BL but it's a woke kind of BL. Importante yun, e," Intalan said.
Somewhere in the report, Intalan says: More importantly, it tells a story of how love and relationships have changed - and, perhaps, made more challenging - because of the pandemic.
What Intalan did not say: "Gameboys" tells the behind-the-scenes story of how shooting/filmmaking "has changed - and, perhaps, made more challenging - because of the pandemic."
Sa intents pa lang, panalo na talaga ang "Gameboys". E hindi, the team also inadvertently re-defined shooting/filmmaking, thus making them reluctant pioneers and trailblazers in the industry.
Bravo!
PS: Most of the quoted materials/reference come from GMA7 News Online's "How online BL series 'Gameboys' injects Pinoy flavor, resourceful flair in the genre" published July 3, 2020.
This also appears on therobinreport.online
score 9/10
robinmagno 20 July 2020
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5920288/14525
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