MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Metro Manila has now spent two months in quarantine, which means many Filipinos have been stuck indoors for over the total count of 60 days, or 10 weeks, or hundreds and hundreds of hours; and in that time, we’ve been consuming more content than ever.
Amid the noise, the content creators from Linya-Linya produced a short film with a quieter message: a reminder to breathe.
The film opens with a breathing exercise, before Linya’s beloved characters show up, mirroring a reality we know all too well now: trying to stay awake while binge-watching a show well past midnight, reaching out to our friends for a semblance of normalcy, or trying to balance out being productive and taking care of our own mental health.
Created in collaboration with Highball Studios, Studio V, and Hit Productions, the 4-minute short film titled “Kalmahan Mo Lang: Isang Paalala sa Pahinga at Paghinga” (Keep Calm: A Reminder to Breathe and Rest) takes a different approach to the barrage of COVID-related content in the news, reflecting the reality in our heads, and giving the video a very personal tone — an ode to our collective loneliness.
The adobo magazine team got in touch with Linya-Linya Creative Director Ali Sangalang who talked to us about empathy, getting serious, and the art of showing vs. telling:
What inspired the creation of the film?
The past few months have been really tough for a small brand and business like us. Due to ECQ, we’re unable to sell products as our physical stores are still closed. Despite this, we knew that we can still do something for our community. After all, Linya-Linya is not just a shirt brand — we’re content creators aiming to connect to fellow Filipinos, bring joy, and provide inspiration and hope. Lalo sa panahon ngayon. Ang gusto lang naming iparating sa mga kababayan natin: Hindi kayo nag-iisa sa pag-iisa. Magkakasama tayong lahat sa pagsubok, at magkakasama rin natin itong kakayanin at malalampasan.
The film felt very much like a meditation exercise – what creative decisions were made to ensure this tone and theme remained throughout the video?
The easy route was to just imitate meditation apps, and just dictate what we wanted the audience to feel during the pandemic. However, we knew that it would take more than that to create a genuine connection to Filipinos, and touch the hearts of the people. I decided to consult a psychologist and friend, Cherie Ann Lo, and she advised that aside from the breathing exercise, it would help if I let the viewers feel how I feel, instead of imposing it to them. Kumbaga sa poetry: show, don’t tell. So from there, based on my actual experiences of anxiety during these times, I told a short story using poetic Filipino lines.
Why do you think this type of messaging and content is relevant right now, considering the current pandemic?
One word: Empathy. We knew how the people feel because we are also experiencing the effects of the pandemic ourselves. Tulad ko: Even if I am with my family, and I talk to friends, I still feel alone at times, especially since the lockdown and quarantine.
As content creators at Linya-Linya, we don’t come up with posts just to get viral (lalo na, totoong virus ang kinakaharap natin!). Given all the challenges we’re facing, we knew what the Filipinos need right now: a virtual hug or a digital pat on the back. An affirmation that what they’re feeling is real, and it’s okay. That they are not alone, and we are all in this together.
What challenges did you face in producing this film during quarantine?
While doing the film, everyone from the team were under community quarantine — all 27 individuals, stuck at our own homes. It’s a good thing that for this project, we were able to partner with friends from Highball Studios, Studio V, and Hit Productions. Ang gagaling nila at ang sasaya katrabaho. Although we weren’t able to meet physically, we were able to pull this off in over a month via e-meetings, e-mails, and calls.
Have you noticed a change in your following or your followers’ behavior during quarantine? How do you think this is reflected in the content people consume?
Yes. Before the pandemic, 90 percent of our content were just witty and humorous posts. We had to adjust our content mix because we noticed that majority of the audience are now more responsive to serious, inspirational, and motivational posts. Totoo naman: We are a fun-loving people, but we are emotional and sentimental, too. Alam din natin kung kailan magseseryoso, lalo na sa sitwasyon ngayon na napakaseryoso.
