Introducing The Next Big Filmmaker: Emir Khan Bautista

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

Streaming giant platforms such as Vimeo, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu are all doing their bit on helping new and exciting filmmakers showcase their fresh talents — a huge reminder that cinema is definitely not dying! Au contraire, the movie world is thriving with the emergence of budding directors with their attention-grabbing short films.

One fine young talent I stumbled upon was the gifted videographer Emir Khan Bautista, who is currently working with Vancouver’s top Filipino-Canadian photographer, William Orsua, owner and CEO of Soul Mate Productions. I was so impressed with Emir’s work at Soul Mate Productions, so I decided to do some research on his works.  Please bookmark this article and re-read it three to five years from now because this up–and–coming filmmaker may be the next big thing in filmmaking! Let’s get to know this young creative! 

Tell us more about yourself. Who is Emir Kahn Bautista?

“I am Emir Kahn Bautista, 37 years old, married, and a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ateneo de Zamboanga. I am a registered nurse and currently a film director here in the Philippines.”

“I started my interest in photography. I proceeded to follow my passion for art as my outlet of expression, focusing on life events, celebrity photoshoots, and advertising. In the year 2011–2012, I took a 16-week short film course in Directing and Cinematography from Hollywood caliber programs of NYFA (New York Film Academy) in New York, U.S.A. I have worked as a freelance filmmaker/photographer with one of the major TV networks of the country (ABS-CBN productions) and recently worked with GMA TV Network as a professional consultant for photos and videos for shows like KMJS, AHA, and SONA. The last project we produced for CNN was DOST Science Documentary that aired for two seasons. I was also employed as the Program Director for Filmmaking at Philippine Centre for Creative Imaging (PCCI) and was in partnership with Events Finest of Fernwood Gardens as their official photographer and video supplier for over nine years and now a fresh graduate of Film Art in Film Directing at Langara College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

What drives you as a person, as a filmmaker, as a husband, and as a father to three children?

“Being a father to my three lovely daughters with a deep love for storytelling and cartoons is no joke. I began to develop my interest in voice acting through our daily night routine of bedtime stories that started my curiosity towards making my own characters for my films. I am so much of a people person and enjoy the company of many kids. I enjoyed collaborating ideas with kids, especially with my eldest daughter who also has an imaginative mind and likes fantasies. Some of the projects I worked with are ‘Paano maging superhero (How to be a superhero)?’ an animated short film, ‘Elon’s way,’ ‘Coffee meets Kaiju,’ and ‘Interscape.’ I am more than ready to direct my mainstream Sci-Fi movies and I’m currently building my work as a director.”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

What are the toughest aspects of making a film today?

“Number one is health scare which is COVID. I remember we needed to move one week of shooting dates because of infections that caused a lot of time and resource adjustments. Second is distribution; though it’s a big market of distributors, we need to find the right people to help you move forward with your film career. And the most critical part is finding your audience. What’s next!”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

What projects are you working on next? 

“I am writing a feature film titled ‘Fairy Grandmothers,’ a comedy/drama about a young entrepreneur seeking great Canadian opportunity through Student Pathway. While looking for a house and a part-time job, she meets three Filipino senior citizen immigrants who work as full-time cleaners in big shopping malls. The three grandmothers talk about life, love/sex, and career. The lead protagonist will be up for the best adventure of her life by learning to live like the 80’s Filipino style dating game.”

“Also, we are writing a sequel to our Sci-Fi short film, ‘Interspace: Unconscious Minds of the World.’”

“We are also gearing to create amazing corporate, lifestyle, advertising, and heart-warming stories with William Orsua of Soulmate Production. 2022–2023 will be an inspiring year for me as a filmmaker.”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

Were there any funny anecdotes from your filmmaking process?

“The Immortals’ look was an accident. One of the Immortal actors came in just a plain shirt and pants. Due to a last-minute shoot, we cannot afford to delay it anymore. During the post-editing, we tried to do a composite and change his skin tone to a more powerful look. Surprisingly, it turned out great.  Checking our deadline, we proceeded to composite everyone and make them into amazing immortals.”

Where do you see the film industry going in the next one year?

“Entertainment is everyone’s relaxing pill. It will be amazing as ever. The strong diversity made it more accessible and available for everyone to cheer. Let’s enjoy this for the next few years to come.”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

Who are your filmmaking influencers?

“I am a big fan of Steven Spielberg and Marvel/DC filmmakers. Canadian Filmmakers Jonas Quastel, who did a lot of Sci-Fi films, Katrin Bowen for her deep execution of her stories, and Cinematographer Danny Nowak for his creative visual eyes. Philippines has a lot of great directors that inspire me like Lav Diaz, Brilliante Mendoza, Ricky Lee, Paul Soriano, and Emmanuel Dela Cruz, and filmmakers like Harlene Bautista, Luis Pedron, Arjanmar Rebeta, and Ella Mage. They have different specialties I know I can fuse and blend in my next film writing.”

Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista

Please tell me more about your experience studying at Langara College.

“We have standout teachers because of their sheer dedication to us (students), especially when they are teaching the importance of collaboration among peers, teaching both technical and valuable information about films. As a director and collaborator, it helped me work with different creative people. Also, the school helped me appreciate the value of listening and adapting. As the program reached its end, I was able to have a better understanding of its value. On the other hand, I learned new technical skills like assistant camera work, gaffing and gripping, and fine-tuning my visual effects application. Plus, you always made sure that we understood sound and sound mixing since I knew it was my weakest.”

With Vancouver’s top Filipino-Canadian photographer William Orsua, owner and CEO of Soul Mate Productions. Photo courtesy of Emir Khan Bautista.

What skills set are you trying to acquire?

“Filipino filmmaker doing a Hollywood feel film. Isang Filipino film student gumawa ng mala-hollywood na short film.”

“It was very clear during my first months here in Langara that I want to combine both Filipino and Western Styles of filmmaking.  I am happy and glad about the output I learned during the entire process. Filipino talent is world-class.”

What’s a movie you’ve seen recently that you liked?

“Two of Netflix’s big hits: Korean hit Squid Game and Money Heist. I enjoyed the films, but what I love the most is the stories behind the rejection and failures before it hit big on television worldwide. Squid Game got rejected for a year as no one wants to see this kind of dark games and Money Heist was cut to a second season because there is not much interest from the local viewers. In the height of the pandemic, these two films ruled the world of streaming.”

Name a movie that has had an impact on your life and why.

“Two of my favourite animated films are Finding Nemo and Lorax.  I may start with Finding Nemo; this story is about learning to trust and let go. This film made me stronger both as a kid, who needed to be very careful with my decision to gain my independence, and as a father to three daughters to learn to understand and respect my children’s interests and pride. Finding Nemo is my biggest inspiration in writing and telling stories.”

“Lorax, on the other hand, is a highly political animated film that tackles corruption, power, and greed. This gives a strong framework on how the system works in one innocent community.”

“All these films have strong subtexts that help me develop my story writing skills.”

Please share tips with young students out there who want to go into filmmaking. 

“If I KAHN do it, they KAHN do it too. Nothing is impossible for people with a strong will to achieve their goals. Finding the right people can lead you to the right career path. Always keep the ‘What’s Next?’ attitude.”