Veteran standup comedian Red Ollero, arguably the most recognizable headliner in the Philippine comedy landscape, has launched his raunchy maiden one-hour comedy special on the global streaming platform Netflix this Thursday, March 14. In this special “Red Ollero: Mabuhay Is A Lie,” he aims fast food, awkward sex, and the trouble with being not-quite-famous.

This Netflix release is a milestone for the Philippine standup landscape, making Red Ollero the first-ever homegrown Filipino standup comedian to have a comedy special released on Netflix. To bring this project to life, Red Ollero worked with comedy director Ryan Puno of SOLID OK and avid comedy fan & award-winning director Marius Talampas to create ‘Mabuhay Is A Lie,’ the Philippines’ first 100% Filipino comedy special on Netflix. Arcade Film Factory, the production house behind viral ads for RC Cola, Orocan, TNT Sim Registration, and more, backed the production.

Long-time collaborators finally pulling off a long-time dream

When the time came to create his first Netflix special, Red had only one person in mind to direct it: Ryan Puno. A writer, video director, and executive producer in the comedy studio he founded in 2018, Ryan has worked with Red since the first time Red thought of taping one of his comedy specials. In fact, Ryan himself is also a standup comedian who was doing gigs with Red when they were all starting in the scene.

Together, they crafted the look and feel of Red’s first special, which will appear on Netflix. “We watch a lot of standup,” Ryan Puno shares. “In crafting Red’s special, we felt like it was a tribute to the world’s classic standup specials —the red curtains, the carpet. Just like Chris Rock’s, Sheng Wang’s, and more. We wanted a very intimate show with just around 200 people; that’s why we shot it at the Teatrino.”

Arcade Film Factory’s next level: Entertainment Production

After cementing its name as an award-winning production house in the advertising industry in just five years, Arcade Film Factory is now dead-set on conquering a new industry: entertainment production and content. 

“Our next 5 years is our next chapter as an entertainment company,” Marius Talampas, co-founder, director, and now a producer at Arcade Film Factory for Red Ollero’s comedy special on Netflix. “Nakakatuwa kasi one of the first entertainment ventures pa lang ng Arcade, Netflix agad. So the bar is set high and excited kami kasi maraming nakapila at marami kaming inaabangan… sina GB Labrador, James Caraan, at Victor Anastacio para sa specials nila, and pati na rin mga shows and series na we have lined up for content production. We’re really excited because Mabuhay Is A Lie is just the beginning.”

Watch Red Ollero: Mabuhay Is A Lie, now streaming on Netflix starting March 14, 2024, at 4 p.m. Philippine time.