[Fans Corner] An analysis of ABS-CBN's career plan for Angel Locsin

I had been meaning to blog a portion of my discussion with Angeladik which you will find at "Angeladik's Corner."  Tonight, I will focus on her analysis of Angel Locsin's career in ABS-CBN.  Feel free to comment in this blog "Angeladik."


Credit: "Angeladik" at Angeladik's Corner

I read an article about Aga Muhlach that the tentative playdate for Huling Sayaw is Feb 2011 so it's supposed to be a good playdate. I am wondering if there's another Star Cinema movie showing during the Valentine month or perhaps a GMA movie?  In the past they've not exactly directly clashed with the same opening dates but nevertheless there's been an overlap.

We all know the Valentine playdate is one of the best or at best a February playdate. It's supposed to be better than right after the MMFF playdate LMA got was that in 2009?  It's been awhile so hopefully the inclusion of a bed scene is not a deterrent to watch the movie since we all know these types have to be done tastefully to allow Angel's younger fans to watch.

Movies of this sort are not exactly expected to cross the P100M mark.  Besides if ever this is a come on for the male fans.  We all know too Angel doesn't exactly do something more than what they're actually looking for.

So an inclusion of a bed scene if it's needed here should be something that wont create a deterrent for some fan groups to watch.  Fans have always questioned if these are meant to really draw more viewers or not.


About planned careers, if we notice Viva talents at ABS-CBN look to have a clearer timetable when it comes to their projects so Idol getting an earlier showing or even PHR Kristine series is no surprise.

The reason mainly is because Viva is an investor at ABS-CBN so they actually produce or co-produce series for ABS-CBN and that frees ABS-CBN of some of the production financial burdens.  At the same time Star Magic talents get to work without them needing to spend for their projects...a good exchange deal.

So when Viva like you point out often Nicks sound off they're pulling certain talents it becomes a cause for worry for ABS-CBN since it's like a big investor pulling out their capital investment and its not only their talents actually.


For example Cristine Reyes is a relative newcomer can't even be considered a star yet but she has her own show even if acting wise she's not proven anything yet.  As long as Viva wants to build her up and thinks they can find good use for her she will always get to star in her own series something some lesser Star Magic talents can only wish for.


We are aware Erich Gonzales has been around but she waited quite some time to get acting breaks and even now she's been relegated back to support even if she shines mainly because she's the better actress in Magkaribal.


It's all the business and political landscape at ABS-CBN.  If we notice when it was ABS-CBN I believe who's mainly a reason for the choice of Angel's new manager.  They have a say here. Even if she's not with Star Magic, it's obvious ABS-CBN wants to control where Angel's career direction goes although they're so preoccupied with their Star Magic favorites.

Mainly ABS-CBN takes Angel for granted because when they got her she was already the big star of GMA and they paid good money to get her out of there.  Mainly because Angel being at GMA's not been exactly good for ABS-CBN.  Nevertheless its clear they have a career plan for Angel even if its not exactly the way fans want it...the seeming lack of support a big star should be getting.

Why fans are not about to have their way is mainly because spending more for Angel might mean affecting the territories assigned for investors like Viva or their homegrown Star Magic favorites.


For instance making Angel a bigger star ABS-CBN am sure is fully aware of can actually be easy since they saw it for themselves with lesser resources at GMA so why not capitalize more on a very lucrative talent?

That means less room for investors like Viva being less interested or say the Mega daughter investments.  Of course Star Magic wont allow that to happen again following the Juday experience unavoidable then because ABS-CBN was just starting out and they needed the only real young star then with an ABS-CBN contract.


Having said that ABS-CBN sees the market where Angel wont necessarily overlap as much their investors and their own other investments.  So if we notice Angel's lined up again in a genre where no one else can actually do and here Angel excels and can get attention even on international scale.

That said, ABS-CBN chose Angel's new manager to make sure they actually keep Angel.  Besides there's a very lucrative international market out there and here Angel wont be in competition with the other young actresses and whoever manages their careers.


It's getting clearer by now that those handling the careers of other young stars want Angel out of the way.  Angel's always tough competition because we all know then how Angel made GMA fly higher then until they didn't know what else and how to sustain her popularity by exploiting her more than nurturing her.

It's obvious too ABS- wants to explore what else Angel can do and the very click chemistry Angel created with Sam in "Only You" is clear enough what else Angel can do.  Yet we all know ABS-CBN didn't pursue this potential .

Why?

Because that meant Angel joining the rom-com bandwagon something some quarters am sure don't want Angel being around.  Well it's clear there's uneasiness when it comes to Angel being a potential competitor.

So the better to confine Angel in less popular genres where Angel need not step on others' territories.  Clearly it's working for ABS-CBN because they can still have everything.


As fans all we can do is be content on what ABS-CBN has in store for Angel since ABS-CBN is not about to loose its investors or change the landscape of the careers of their homegrown Star Magic talents.

Imagine the image it creates for ABS-CBN if they don't sustain the careers of the traditional Star Magic favorites or if they allow Angel to eclipse them?  It's not exactly good for the Star Magic image and the only reason its allowed in the case of Sara Geronimo is again because of the Megabucks investments of Viva at ABS-CBN.

If Sara where not with Viva then it wont be hard not to suppress her career.  That's the reason talk has been circulating Viva might put her back to GMA. There are many tests actually for that. One of them is Richard Gutierrez finally doing a movie with Anne Curtis even if it has Claudine Barretto along.

If Richard's movie, which is by the way Viva co-produced, does well it's a consideration for putting some Viva talents back something ABS-CBN doesn't want happening inspite of Bea Alonzo who's been worse affected by Sara's success with John Lloyd Cruz.


With all this happening in the background, Bea gets tested doing a co-starring family drama role just to make sure how far her well nurtured career has gone so far.  For the meantime it wont harm if JLC gets to do a TV series with Angel since this might up his versatility as an actor and exposure wise actually get him some international coverage since Angel's getting some following already after her iEmmys.

A safe next movie to test him in the same romcom genre is to pair him in the same genre this time with someone easily associated with romcom in Toni Gonzaga.  A move perhaps to free JLC of just Sara in this genre.  It's all testing waters for the new projects obviously.


While Viva is experimenting Anne at GMA, ABS-CBN appeased them by having Sam Milby this time and with the current ABS-CBN favorite Coco Martin getting to star with Sara in a TV series and eventually it might be a movie.

Noticeably Viva along with the Mega daughter as investors can shift TV networks freely and it's just a matter of time depending on how successful the current Richard's movie is if Sara finally does one with him at GMA.


In the meantime when will Angel get her turn once more with her contemporaries starring in a movie? Obviously even if it happens it will be in a less popular genre for sure.  Something for the fans but not to make Angel any bigger.  The least ABS-CBN wants is having another Judy Ann which pointed out was unavoidable for them then.

ABS-CBN wants to keep Angel obviously and this is their strategy to make her ABS-CBN dependent.  As long as they keep the movie box office records in check by not giving Angel a movie that has the Box Office Queen potential for her.  ABS-CBN, they know can keep her as exclusive as they want at least locally and that's the key for them.

In the meantime fans like us are gearing up for Imortal which hopefully finally airs in October.  Angel stars with JLC something she said she's been looking forward to.  Giving her some perks but keeping her in check success wise is the ABS-CBN strategy.  Of course more international success gives ABS-CBN wise ROIs (return of investment) so why not?