Bigfoot breaks Ground at South Road Properties
Sun.Star
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
DEVELOPMENTS in Cebu’s film and entertainment sectors are seen to outshine the call center industry, which has been growing fast, a local official said.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is optimistic of the industry’s growth following Bigfoot Entertainment’s 20-year lease of a two-hectare property lot at the South Road Properties.
“The potential of the movie industry to grow is more than the call centers since it requires high end, high volume, and high quality type of employment,” Osmeña said during the groundbreaking ceremonies at the SRP yesterday.
With Bigfoot’s expansion, he believes the move will catapult Cebu as Asia’s next “Hollywood.”
While he views putting up an international film company a “risk,” Osmeña lauded the company for being SRP’s first locator and has pledged to support its endeavors, especially one that will boost the country’s tourism and employment sectors.
Matt Lubetich, Bigfoot Entertainment chief operating officer, said that apart from choosing SRP as a prime location for growth opportunities, he also cited Cebu’s pool of world-class human resource with a high proficiency in the English language, its telecommunication facilities, infrastructure and accessibility as reasons for choosing the province as an investment location.
“Cebu is what we are and what we want. We are here to raise Cebuano’s skills. Filmmaking is a specialty craft but the workforce potential in Cebu is incredible. We have lots of hope here and we are keen on bringing Cebu to the world,” Lubetich told reporters.
To signify its confidence in the province’s local film and entertainment industry, Bigfoot will invest some $3 million to build state-of-the-art filmmaking facilities, office spaces and a hotel.
Four times bigger
According to Lubetich, Bigfoot’s new soundstage facility in SRP will be “four times bigger” than the 370-square-meter facility in Lapu-Lapu City.
The first phase of the development is the construction of the country’s first 4,800-square-meter quad shooting building, comprising four separate studios and a helicopter pad. It also includes production offices, dressing rooms and suites, camera and equipment rooms, among others.
Another facility is a fabrication and mill building, inclusive of a complete set of facilities and equipment for the construction of individually fabricated elements like props, slide sets and more.
Also set to rise are executive suites and a condotel that will serve not only its clients but the public as well.
The hotel will have 85 studio-type suites, a roof deck swimming pool, spa and massager services, gym, café, business center, park and mini-zoo.
Lubetich said the entire development will mirror that of Hollywood, USA, complete with neon lights, big colorful billboards, restaurants, boutiques and sidewalk shops.
He said construction of the buildings will start immediately after the company has secured a building permit. Phase one of the project is targeted to be completed in the next two years.
With regard to its 8,200-square-meter facility in Lapu-Lapu City, he said it will continue to exist, but major operations will now take place in the new site.
Bigfoot Entertainment, which began in 2001, is the parent firm of Bigfoot Productions, Bigfoot Production Services, International Academy of Film and Television, Bigfoot Partners and Bigfoot Sound-works. (MMM)