“DEJA”, an original composition written by Roland Villanueva Jr. and performed by Zero Band, is making waves in both radio and television via the first ever Musical Short Film rendition being shown over Sky Cable’s Community Channel 28 (Sonata Presentation).
Directed by Charlie Villanueva, head of Ancillary and Production Operations Division of Sky Cable Zamboanga System, Deja’s Musical Short Film is gearing towards local media domination in music and stands ready to step into a new wave of MTV production called “Musical Short Film.”
Any eyes isn’t trained on this kind of music presentation might be in the process of being redirected to this sudden peculiarity of musical drama about two individuals who are on the verge of breaking up a relationship, hence, the title – Deja -- a Chavano word that means “leave”.
Zero Band consists of Marion Estrada (Vocals), LL Dart Castillano (Bass), Camilo Tan (Guitar) and Robert Villanueva (Drums).
Edwin Bernardo, operations manager of Sky Cable, who is also the production manager of the Musical Short Film Deja, said he is fully supporting Charlie Villanueva, also director of photography of the said musical short film, on his digital filmography ventures.
“In fact, a short movie is on the drawing board and we intend to produce it this year,” Bernardo said.
Role performers of the musical film Deja are Maria Jid Morfe and Camilo Tan, both new-comers in the film industry and are without any experience and proper training in acting.
Deja is shot and filmed most at Lantaka Hotel by the Sea, courtesy of Allan dela Cruz, the hotel manager, and Marba residence in Tumaga, Zamboanga City.
Charlie Villanueva looks at establishing digital film making, whether short of full-length, as a new industry here in Zamboanga.
“Deja is our opening salvo to digital filming here. It kicks off to establish the digital film-making industry in Zamboanga City, where there are many talents but don’t have the opportunity to express their talents. So, they resort to going to other places and, in fact, excel in the field they have chosen. This happens because there is no avenue where to exhibit their talents and their works here in Zamboanga,” Villanueva said.
ZERO, the new band with a new musical video trend, courtesy of Direk Charlie Villanueva of Sky Cable Zamboanga. (Cheng Ordonez)
Filipino Cable Corporation under the Lopez Group of Companies is not just into cable system nowadays. From cable it transformed into telephony, then data processing and the Internet through broadband; and now Sky Voice, a new system of communication mostly used for calls abroad. The Zamboanga system ventures into digital filming.
“Truly, it's SKY’s world right now, and we just live, venerate, and play ‘digital’ tag in what we do right now,” the young and promising film director who trained and became a member of the Philippine Motion Pictures Directors Association headed by Direk William G. Mayo, and under the Film Academy of the Philippines.
Catch Deja is an inspiring musical short video that will soon become locals' own instant cottage industry.
With Villanueva and Sky Cable, Deja sets the trend for original music and feature local guys without experience in the industry; so long they are persistent and work hard under the tutelage of Direk Charlie’s twelve o'clock, or, at least, eleven o’clock shadow.
This writer wrote the Musical Short Film Deja January, this year.