Manila Bulletin
Entertainment
Celebrities
Director Lester Ong optimistic about success of PH action films abroad
Entertainment
Celebrities
Director Lester Ong optimistic about success of PH action films abroad
Director Lester Ong optimistic about success of PH action films abroad
Published Mar 5, 2023 02:30 am
Director Lester Ong
Filipino director Lester Ong believes that local action films will be successful in the international market with the full support of producers and networks. “Three to five years from now, I think we will be at par with many countries when it comes to doing action films. It will happen as long as the producers and the networks will give us the chance to work, improve and deliver,” said Ong during an exclusive virtual interview recently. Ong added: “Kasi meron naman tayong improvements. And the progress is always there. Even the streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video or Viu, if they would give us the chance to showcase our talent, we will succeed.” Ong, 49, is the director behind the popular Kapamilya series “The Iron Heart” (now on Book 2) starring Richard Gutierrez and the Amazon Video Prime series “One Good Day” starring Ian Veneracion. Asked about the biggest challenge in making action films, Ong answered: “Budget pa rin. But we want to achieve more with the little that we have. Wala naman tayong magagawa kung puro complain tayo sa budget. So eto lang ang budget Then what’s the best we can do? Yan ang sinusubukan namin i-maximize. We cannot match the budget of other countries. But for our actors and performers, we can match them.” Ong said that there is still a demand for action films in the country even though producers focus on making drama and rom-com movies. “Hindi naman nawala sa atin ang demand for action films. Pero halos walang lumalabas na action movies sa Pilipinas. So na focused ang Pilipino sa paggawa ng rom-com at drama. Doon tayo napunta. Halos pa-isa isa lang ang lumalabas na action. But the Philippines is capable of doing action series that is at par with the international market.” Ong said that he’s lucky to have worked with professional actors who do not give him headaches or problems. “So far I’m very fortunate that the actors I’ve worked with are extremely professional. Maliit lang ang industriya at alam natin sino ang mga professional at sino ang hindi,” he said. Ong considers Veneracion and Gutierrez as good examples of professional actors. “Sumikat na sila ngayon as dramatic actors pero if you will trace back their origins, let’s say si Ian, during the 90s, he used to do a lot of action movies. “Ian has been doing action films, ganun din si Richard. Pero iba na ang style of action na uso ngayon worldwide. Nag-undergo sila ng several training workshops. And as we go along, as we shoot, ina-adjust natin ang delivery ng action and acting nila. “There’s a new way of doing it if you watch my action films or series. There’s also a different way of pounding it, editing it. Before we went into actual grind, we prepared. And as we grind, we constantly collaborate with them. “Our goal is to constantly attempt at least to be at par with the international market. So ang mindset namin, when we created the series, it’s for the international market,” he added. A former national athlete, Ong admitted that he’s a big fan of martial arts before he joined showbiz. He traced his roots in the entertainment industry. “I used to be a Chinese martial artist in wushu. I used to train in the school of Jet Li for several years. While competing, I was able to meet people who were into wushu and showbiz. “Some of them are actors, some are stuntmen. So when I retired from competition, I was convinced by my friends from other countries to join showbiz. I acted with them as a stuntman, as an actor. So I learned a lot from them. This was the early 2000. I started as a stunt actor, then as a stunt choreographer. Then naging director na. “I came from a family of martial artists. So when you’re a martial artist, you will gravitate towards action films. I also watch Jackie Chan movies. Sa local naman, idol ko si FPJ,” Ong said.
Director Lester Ong and the cast of ‘One Good Day’
Notable contributions
Born on July 25, 1974, Ong is a Filipino athlete of Chinese descent who also has notable contributions as a film director, entrepreneur and vlogger. Ong represented the Philippines as a national Wushu athlete, competing in various local and international competitions where he has won every possible medal an athlete can. His mastery of the sports later led him to the film industry where he has been known as Direk Lester and has directed Panday, Lastikman, Imortal, La Luna Sangre, Indio and Bagani, to name a few. As an entrepreneur, he ventured into another one of his passions, food. He founded RBX Rice in A Box, Wangfu Chinese Café and Kyu Kyu Ramen 99, all with a mission to provide world-class quality food products that are affordable for every Filipino. In 2020, he launched his YouTube channel, Thrive N’ Survive, where he shares his advice to start-up entrepreneurs as his way of giving back to the community who has shown support in his businesses. In 2020, he launched his YouTube channel, Thrive N’ Survive, where he shares his advice to start-up entrepreneurs as his way of giving back to the community who has shown support in his businesses.
Lester Ong (Facebook)
Martial arts training
He was born as the youngest of the five children to a third-generation Chinese-Filipino couple. At an early age, he already developed a passion for sports. He started Wushu or Chinese Martial Arts training at 8 years old and during his primary and secondary education at Philippine Cultural High School, he played for the school’s varsity basketball team and varsity player for track and field. Being raised in Binondo and by micro-entrepreneur parents, it wasn’t only his passion for sports that was developed early. From a young age, he has already been exposed to their family’s business. He started his studies in Chiang Kai Shek College then transferred to Philippine Cultural High School for elementary and high school. In college, he pursued A.B. Philosophy at De La Salle University and graduated in 1995. Ong played for his college’s varsity track and field and won a silver medal in UAAP. While in college, he was also training for Wushu. He has trained in Beijing Sports University and became a part of the Philippine National Wushu Team.Int’l competitions
Ong has brought honor to the country by winning the international competitions he had joined. In 1991, he won a bronze medal during the SEAGames held in Manila, Philippines. This was followed by three gold medals and one silver medal in the 1995 Southeast Asian Wushu Championships in Hanoi, Vietnam. In the same year, he also won another gold medal at the World Wushu Championships held in Baltimore, USA. In the following year, he won another gold medal in the 1996 Asian Wushu Championships. After a brief break from the national team, he again won a gold medal in the 2005 SEAGames held in Manila, Philippines. In 1997, he worked as a stocks broker in Angping and Associates Securities, Inc. While working in the corporate world, he sidelined as a stunt actor, which provided him not only an extra source of income and an avenue for him to still be able to perform martial arts.
Lester Ong (Facebook)
Studio Three-Sixty
“Sobrang ipinagmamalaki ko na makagawa ng action content para sa region natin – isang bagay na sa tingin ko ay kritikal sa growth ng industriya. Maswerte ako na makatrabaho si Ian na hindi lang isang batikan na aktor, pero isa ding magaling na martial artist at athlete. Tunay na professional na ibinigay ang kanyang buong tiwala sa Studio Three-Sixty,” said Ong. Studio Three-Sixty is a content production house based in Manila. It is headed by a band of passionate storytellers with over five decades of combined experience in television, film and marketing. Individually, they have worked on some of the country’s biggest and most complex productions on television. This time, they are combining their strengths in creating compelling content for the big screen, and for emerging digital platforms. Studio Three-Sixty’s mission is to tell stories that entertain and inspire, to create narratives that provide relief and hope. Their agile creation platform gives them 360 access to the region’s best creative and production talent to deliver the best content for its intended audience. Despite the achievements, Ong stayed humble and hard-working. “I don’t see myself as successful. I’m still in the pursuit of excellence. Pero siguro galingan lang natin sa lahat ng ginagawa natin. Kung anong meron tayo, let’s make the most of it. Kung meron tayong nagawang maganda ngayon, then bukas galingan naman natin. Ganun lang naman. Cycle lang,” Ong added.