MIKHAIL RED has produced some notable films namely Birdshot, Eerie, and Dead Kids, and now he has decided to expound his craft and venture into the realm of esports through his upcoming film Friendly Fire.
With the likes of Loisa Andalio, Coleen Garcia Crawford, Yves Flores, Bob Jbeili, Harvey Bautista, and Jan Silverio leading the helm, and with esports talents and shoutcasters like Mara Aquino and Alodia Gosiengfiao making an appearance, perhaps we might see a film that truly captures the heart and soul of working and the grinding in the esports industry.
And to fully support his cause to highlight the struggles of being in the esports scene, Mikhail Red needed to dig deep and learn more about the industry.
The phrase 'No man is an island,' is applicable when it comes to the esports scene, and the same can be said with Mikhail Red when directing Friendly Fire. The film will be released in PH cinemas starting October 23.
SPIN: In making this film, did you consult an esports personality or organizations? If yes, what were the important things that you learned from them?
MR: "We drew from personal experience - my brother (who is co-writing and editing) and I grew up in the rise of gaming and internet cafe culture. We also interviewed some pro players and managers of FPS games like VALORANT, we got to talk to team NAOS. We also had real pro gamers make cameos in the film."
"We had very insightful discussions with Alodia (Gosiengfiao) who is also appearing in the film while being a collaborative co-producer. Our sound camera and VFX teams are also avid gamers and it was easier crafting the technical and creative aspects with them since they could really relate with the subject and milieu."
"And finally we even got to feature a proudly Filipino made game, Secret6's "Project Xandata", and had discussions with their development team and access to their assets and game engines helping us craft an authentic experience for gamers and audiences."
SPIN: May I know what is your favorite video game and why?
MR: "I've played so many different genres of games, some competitive like DOTA, CounterStrike, in internet cafes with friends after school. I also play a lot of looter shooters and MMO's like Destiny and Star Wars: The Old Republic."
"But the game with the most playtime is probably Diablo 2, I've played since OG Battle.net days and have continued with the franchise in D2 Resurrected and Diablo 4. I'm such a big fan that I even have an upcoming collab project with Blizzard Entertainment coming soon!"
"Outside of PC and console, I also play a lot of Magic: the Gathering. I was once part of the national team that competed for the World Magic Cup in France."
SPIN: What were the challenges you had in making this film?
MR: "It was challenging trying to create an underdog sports genre film but focusing it on computer games instead of a physical sport. It was tricky to find the balance of making it accessible to non-gamers, make the sports genre beats still feel familiar and entertaining while still having the heart and soul of a gamer's pro journey."
"We were lucky to have access to an actual game and game engine, Secret6's "Project Xandata", a Filipino made game! We could create visually exciting sequences with a real game engine and mechanics."
"It was also a film that was very technically challenging to mount, capture, and edit, especially the climactic international tournament sequences because of so many complex moving parts, character and player perspectives, in-game footage, countless VFX shots, all while recreating a live stadium environment."
"It was exhausting yet exciting and fulfilling as a filmmaker, I was very lucky that I had a strong team in production and post production. We hope the audience sees what we were able to create. We want to show that local Filipino films can tackle diverse genres!"
SPIN: What were your inspirations in making this film?
MR: "I grew up playing a lot of video games, spending time with friends in internet cafes after school. I've always wanted to make a movie about gaming, the nostalgic internet cafe culture of my youth and also finally try the sports movie genre as a filmmaker because I've always been a fan of movies like "Karate Kid" or "Mighty Ducks." "Friendly Fire" combines all those elements and is a very personal and fun project for me.
SPIN: What made you decide to pick Project Xandata as the game to be used in this film?
MR: "I heard about Project Xandata from friends in the community and tried it out on Steam. I was hooked because I also played a lot of Destiny which was similar in mechanics as a 3-v-3 shooter."
"When making 'Friendly Fire,' we knew we wanted to feature a game that was a shooter so the perspective was relatable to entry level gamers and even non-gamers so they could understand what was happening on screen while still being highly competitive and action packed."
"3-v-3 also makes it easier compared to 5-v-5 games or MOBAS where it would be too complex to handle so many perspectives and in-game footages, and confusing for non-gamers to follow the action. We want a large audience to be introduced to the world instead of alienating them."
"The decision was to make it exciting yet streamlined. With Project Xandata, we also had the chance to promote a proudly Filipino made game showcasing the talent of our local developers, while also having access to the engine and elements makes it easier for our post production team to combine our cinematic elements and craft a genuine and seamless experience translated on screen."
"We are very thankful and proud to collaborate with Secret6."
SPIN: How was it working with Mara Aquino and the other esports talents?
MR: "Working with Mara Aquino was a blast! She helped us a lot with her very vibrant and energetic performance as the main host of the climactic Project Xandata international tournament. She would pump up the crowd and give a very authentic energy to the setting."
"We also featured a lot of shoutcasters, commentators, streamers, and pro players, helping us craft an exciting and genuine experience that really helps the audience immerse in the colorful, exciting and high stakes world of pro gaming."
"We can't wait for the Filipino audience to experience something different, a new and exciting genre, a modern take on the sports drama that will take people on an adventure in the world of competitive esports!"
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