After an extended absence, actor Brandon Ramirez returns to Manila, stepping back into the spotlight as a producer. He candidly shares his heartfelt nostalgia for the vibrant world of show business, where the thrill of creativity and the buzz of the audience have always ignited his passion.

During an interview in Quezon City recently, Brandon promoted the movie 'Unconditional' starring Allen Dizon and Rhian Ramos, which tackles love and identity. It's the first project produced under BR Productions, which Brandon formed last year.

Brandon shared his journey into the world of film production. His storytelling painted a picture of the challenges and triumphs he faced, making us feel the thrill of each moment he recounted.

'Unconditional' was pitched to him in October 2024—three months of planning to prepare everything.

'When I read the script, it's different. It has several twists that will make you think. We're pitching it to Netflix, Brandon said. He's thrilled now that the movie is showing nationwide.

'Excited ako. I'm curious to see how people would react after watching the movie. I've been thinking about producing movies for quite some time now. We were supposed to shoot a film with Allen Dizon and Carmina Villaroel for a different project in Canada. However, it did not push through, so I decided to produce 'Unconditional,' Brandon added. 'I decided to promote the Philippines in the movie, so we visited Siargao and Coron, Palawan. We stayed there for several days.'

'Unconditional' came at a time when the entertainment industry was facing declining box office returns. However, Brandon had a different perspective.

'In everything you do, there are risks. But we studied the project first. We have a well-executed project, with a strong director and talented actors. We have a good recipe for this movie. It has to start there. Money is just a bonus. I'm passionate about producing this project. I think that's important,' Brandon said.

Line producer Dennis Evangelista discussed his collaboration with Brandon.

'He's hands-on when it comes to producing a film. As for details and marketing, he ensures that everything is in order. We have a big budget for this. Our budget is similar to a mainstream project,' Dennis remarked.

In the 90s, Brandon starred in action and drama films and television series. He hopes to produce an action movie soon. 'Ideally, I planned to make an action movie. Maybe in the future. I'm into screenplays, so I plan to write an action movie.'

Watching the finished film, Brandon said director Adolf Alix delivered a quality film. 'I was impressed with the movie. The stars portrayed their parts well. During the premiere, people were crying while watching the movie. The movie captured the emotions of the people.

'After watching the movie, I want moviegoers to feel the importance of self-love, regardless of their gender. We need to accept ourselves and not try to prove anything to anyone. No one deserves to be judged. We live our own lives and mind our own business, as simple as that,' Brandon added.

Aside from streaming platforms, Brandon also revealed plans to enter 'Unconditional' in several rainbow film festivals worldwide. There will also be screenings of the movie abroad.

Brandon said he has established his production outfit in Manila. 'If our project succeeds, I will continue producing.' The hunk producer said he also wants to try making movies similar to those being exhibited in Cinemalaya.

A mechanical design engineer in the US for 25 years, Brandon admitted he misses the local entertainment industry. When he settled in the US, he said his family advised him to audition for showbiz projects. But he said he wanted to try another field.

'At some point in your life, you want to do something meaningful. You need diversity. I was also involved in the arts and community abroad. Producing a film, regardless of the outcome, you were able to help people, especially those who are unemployed.

'And then I met someone in the US. She's from Pampanga. We were together, but we separated. Two years later, I met an Irish woman and we got married. We have three boys,' Brandon said.

Now in his 40s, Brandon noticed some changes when shooting a film. With everything being digital, Brandon said that scenes could be shot on several takes.

'Before it has to be shot once. If not, you will be cursed by the director. Now it's okay to shoot a scene even up to 10 tries because it's digital,' he said.

Brandon noticed that the stars of the present generation are open to social media, which he thinks loses their mystery.

'Noon hindi mo makikita yung ibang artista na palakad lakad kung saan saan. Now you see the stars doing TikTok. (Back then, you wouldn't see other artists walking around everywhere. Now you see the stars doing TikTok.) Everybody's doing it. There are both advantages and disadvantages to being on social media for movie stars.

'But I don't want to do TikTok. It's okay to create noise on social media. It's not necessarily wrong. But movie stars should not be overexposed. Nawawalan ng mystery yung tao. If they keep seeing you so much, maybe ayaw ka na nilang panoorin sa sinehan or television. (The person loses their mystery. If they keep seeing you so much, perhaps they don't want to watch you in the movies or on television anymore.)

'Nakikita ka na nila masyado eh. (They see you too much.) Before you don't see Fernando Poe Jr. anywhere, but when he has a movie, it's a blockbuster. It's because you only see him in the film,' said Brandon.

'Unconditional' is now showing in theaters nationwide.