GoDaddy and AXN Launch New Reality Show PROJECT GO

GoDaddy and AXN just launched a new reality show designed for entrepreneurs called PROJECT GO. They are doing this in partnership with Common Ground, #CanB, Esquire, Female Network, Manila Bulletin and Rappler. This is a chance to make their ideas a reality and earlier, they announced the 4 finalists who will vie for the title. Businesswoman Maggie Wilson is also the host of the show. The Tung Brothers (of popular sardine brand Ligo), Rappler Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor Bea Cupin and Tina Shieh, the Marketing Director for of GoDaddy for Asia will be mentoring these guys and gals. It airs every week on AXN Asia, this is part of their commitment so help people succeed online.

Among hundreds, the lucky groups are: MINDOCEO, STAFFZ, LOOP STORE PH and AO Innovations Tech.

MINDOCEO

An on demand tutoring service, where students help other students to support education. Noelle Mison says "We have the help of GoDaddy Tools and we got to really enjoy camaraderie with the other contestants. We all had to shift to digital, the website builder was pretty useful in the show. It also taught us how to survive online. In the next episodes, you will see how we all grow. You will see how we learned from our mentors. Initially, we did the tutorial sessions on location, but it became nearly impossible when the pandemic happened. We had to do it online now and we had to utilize the platforms to make your our idea a reality. Project GO is about empowerment. It gets us equipped for our own communities. It's not like Sharktank, not a cut throat competition. They fostered growth. Our standard is quality education, we don't do this for money, and we really want to help children because we know how it feels to be alone. To succeed globally, we need to support each other. To identify what needs to be given support, to look at education from a different view and find out how we can improve it.  We are a social business, we need to give back to achieve greatness, to contribute to our own communities."

LOOP Store PH

Is a collection of ecologically responsible products. They provide solutions that would make packaging and other items be sustainable and biodegradable.

Pocholo Espina says "We learned that product packaging really mattered, when people started posting more about it, there was brand engagement even in the pandemic. This pushed more innovations for what we have. You've got to keep going. Initially, our mindsets during the pandemic was to wait it out til its over, but we are motivated now to do it rather than wait. There might be a little drama which will keep us on our toes, you have to see that in the show. LOOP Store had to close down last June because of the pandemic. In the past months, we had to re-learn how to open our store online. Now everything is easily accessible.We also got to use an actual domain and use resource that was already there. It can be accessed and be just a search away. All you need to do is get started. Since a lot are online now, you have to invest learning the platforms. Project Go is not a competition, it's all about empowerment, we didn't get to be pit with each other. A lot of our own standards come from our own environmental stand. We are not about just selling alternatives, not just an item, but to educate you and teach that your actions will have long term effects. We need to consider fixing basic infrastructure, we are cutting off even now with the internet connection that we are using; and that won't work with global markets. There needs to be more support with government and private entities, cut bureaucracy, feed ideas so they won't get discouraged. We need to be inclined in getting more of that in the country.

AO Innovations Tech 

 AO Innovations makes full face masks for frontliners at subsidized rates. They utilize thier business to further push advocacy, and implement it with innovation. They quipped "It was exciting for us because we get to funnel our interests on our very own website. It is very important for us because our business is very dynamic. To pursue our dreams, to follow through, to make better with our families and our community. The GoDaddy team was so nice to give us tools that we could use to improve our products and services. In the next episodes you will see drama, you will see it all and will learn from what you will get to watch. I think Project Go as a contest is totally different, it is tech based, but it recognizes us beyond the product. We are for innovation and inventions, we want efficiency, to give our best every time and made it our standard. We believe we have come with a product that is current and answers a lot of things that are needed during the pandemic."

STAFFZ

This team offer back end solutions to SMB's so they could get career opportunities for those who need it most. Pearl De Guzman says "Ultimately, we really enjoyed the consultations we had with our mentors. There are a lot of opportunities online and with GoDaddy. With their tools, you can put up a website even from scratch. It made it easier to market the product. We have different stories, different branding, and you will see how we have all grown when the final pitch is up. All our clients are based online now too, the audience is also using social media groups, Facebook marketing, industry trends, to explore business opportunities outside your brick and mortar ways. You can also work on making your website on top of Google search results. Off cam, we are really close, despite having them as competitors, you'll get unbiased opinions from other contestants if what you are doing is not good and you will hear feedback right away. We need to have more opportunities for people that need it. For us, to succeed means to understand our customers first. To foster that relationship, so we could reach an even larger market."

Again, Project GO can be seen every Thursday at 8:25 PM on AXN. It can also be seen via AXN Asia and GoDaddy Asia’s YouTube channels, so you really won't miss it. Learn from industry experts and see who among these Filipinos will win Php 1 Million to make their dreams come true!

WATCH LIST: PH Showing Slated February 19

Alessandra de Rossi stars the movie WATCH LIST, a very powerful international film that has gained the nod of several international film festivals and won he hearts of cinema fans worldwide. It’s directed by Hollywood based American-Indian film maker Ben Rekhi which he also co-wrote with Rona Lean Sales. It’s a story about a woman recovering from drug use. Her husband got killed and stands now as breadwinner and protector of her kids which Rekhi dubs as “A very human story as it talks about how a mother would go the lengths to protect her children.” Together with Alessandra, she stars here with Jake Macapagal, Art Acuña, Lou Veloso, Jess Mendoza, Angeli Abayani, Micko Laurente and Timothy Mabalot. 

It’s a little disturbing to see how it talks about matters close to home. The drug campaign by the government, politics, poverty, the who enchilada of things that are so taboo to talk about in the country. All of which may or may not be fiction. 

Working also with Ben is Executive Producer Anjay Nagpal who is also co-executive producer of the film Joker. Aside from that, he also has international cinematographer Daniella Nowitz and world class production designer Ericson Navarro. The film has already participated in Deauville American Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Bahamas International Film Festival and won Most Disturbing Fiction Film Award at Tournai Ramdam Festival in Belgium. 

Ben says “I’m excited to be here, to finally be able to see the release of it in the country. I spoke to Alessandra and she apologized she couldn’t come. I came across a photo of a woman who held her husband dead. I called the journalist and she told me stories she was covering and I couldn’t believe and understand it. I came to Manila and there were a lot of emotional things, I have never felt this before, I felt there was a higher presence that was compelling me to do this. I realized more and more to make this film. Yes there were challenges, but the community was welcoming to tell me about it. Wether the film was in English, Tagalog or Hindi, they were all good in English so it was east to communicate. The cast and crew were very supportive, sometimes the universe conspires this to happen and I have worked with talent in the US and I think Alex can win an Oscar one day. They are crazy talented. Early on I partnered with Reality Entertainment and Erik Matti suggested to me these actors including Art Acuna.  I have done films in India, shooting outside the US meant it just got a lot of talent elsewhere. Shooting in the neighborhoods itself like the violent places was an intense labor of love. Truth was the guiding principle, living in these circumstances made me a foreigner have to do tremendous amount of research. We shot this over 16 days and a lot of post production. A year at most. Originally I wanna pick someone older for a role, but I found the most talented people and it will break hearts to see talents like these (Micko). The Oscars and Parasite film makes it possible do hybrid style movies to open doors of conversations, everything is possible. I was here for 6 months and haven’t explored the country except Caloocan City’s 2nd Avenue. This is my fifth film, but I’m most proud of. Not knowing what people would want, but regardless hope this connects to an emotional level.”

Micko Laurente says “Finally, I am so excited to see the film in the Philippines. I just heard now that he watched my previous movie. It was very memorable for me (Bambanti) and I miss Alessandra a lot, when I learned there was an audition about it, I was happy just to see she was the Mom playing the role. Thank you for making me a part of it. In all the films I made, he’s one great guy. He picks the angles, the shots, he knows how to attack it before we do it on set. He’s not like a local director who screams at his actors. He’s very cool, even if he’s running out of sunlight, he was very calm about it. I have worked with Alessandra in two other films, when we did this she was funny, but when the work comes, she’s on cue to work with me and do it fast and efficient. I don’t usually do bad things so we get along quite well.”

This will show on theaters starting February 19, and is released by Reality Entertainment.

Andrea Brillantes and Khalil Ramos for The Ghosting

It looks like Reality Entertainment is giving us another reason to be afraid and wonder as they bring us this mystery-horror film called The Ghosting. It stars budding superstars Andrea Brillantes and Khalil Ramos.

The movie is set in an asylum and Andrea had to spend some time there. Pretty rough as you may understand but they had to do this for immersion’s sake. Khalil has definitely gone strides in making his mark as a quality actor after doing several indie films. You can say this is a little bit of everything, liken to the sudden disappearance of Grace Elizaga with the Solante urban legend. Khalil’s character Ken will to save her before it’s too late. Will they be able to do this without getting in danger? I doubt!

The Ghosting will be shown in cinemas on August 28, 2019. This is Directed by Joey de Guzman for Reality Entertainment.