FILMMAKING

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PROFILE
FILMOGRAPHY
– DIRECTOR
– CINEMATOGRAPHER
– SOUND
– EDITOR
– TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
– PRODUCER
NOMINATIONS
MUSIC VIDEOS
FILMS
REELS

PROFILE

MANIE E. MAGBANUA, JR.
Short Profile (updated 2025)

Manuel E. Magbanua, Jr. Born and raised in Egaña Sibalom, Antique he completed his primary and secondary education at St. Anthony’s College from 1982 to 1993 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering at Adamson University in 1998. He got his engineering license that same year. He started his exposure in TV production as a Soundman and editor for ABS-CBN Foundation from 2000 to 2006. In 2004, he met the late music icon Francis Magalona and together they put up Filipino Pictures, Inc.

From being a Soundman and editor, he started a career as a cinematographer after taking a Cinematography workshop at UP Film Institute. His first full-length cinematography work in “Walang Hanggang Paalam” received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2010 Entertainment Press Awards. He worked as a freelance lighting director for ABS-CBN TV Series from 2011 to 2012. He is behind the creative team as an associate producer, technical director, and cinematographer of the multi-awarded TV documentary “STORYLINE” in ABS-CBN and ANC which won the best documentary awards at the New York Film Festival for TV and 4-times Gawad Tanglaw winner for Best TV Documentary. He had been associated with The Extra Mile Productions which produces award-winning documentaries and content for The National Geographic and other online platforms as Soundman and editor. Their online short features, documentaries, and video essays series “Know Your North” produced by Victory Liner, Inc. have won numerous awards at the prestigious Adobo Design Awards Asia for two consecutive years (2018-2019).

As a way of giving back to his beloved hometown, he founded Sineray-a which pioneered Kinaray-a Filmmaking in Antique. He directed Antique’s first music video for its provincial and tourism theme song, “Antique Banwa Nga Hamili” and “Kruuhaayy! Katahum Kang Antique” in 2006. The flourishing of Original Kinaray-a Music (OKM) during that time inspired him to do his first short film “HANDUM” (Dream) in 2010 which was awarded Rotary Club’s Choice Award at the 2nd Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival of that same year and Nominated for Best Short Film in the 34th Gawad Urian in 2011. His second Kinaray-a film “DUMUT” (Grudge) is part of “Kuwentong-Bayan” – a collection of 20 socio-economic-themed short films he produced under his production outfit Filipino Pictures in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 2012. His latest short film “UGBOS KA BAYABAS” is one of the films for the National Center for Culture and the Arts and Negros Cultural Foundation Production of a Sine Halaga short film collection. HANDUM and DUMUT screenplays were released in book form, the first Kinaray-a screenplays ever written and published.

Under his production house, Filipino Pictures, which he manages together with his wife Bernice Ilagan-Magbanua, he organizes and facilitates the WRITE, SHOOT, CUT, PLAY Basic Filmmaking Workshop, which has already produced 12 batches since 2008. Many of its graduates are prominent names in the filmmaking industry.

His advocacy is to write and shoot all his (personal) films in Kinaray-a and to be able to share his 22 years of TV and film production experience with aspiring Antiqueño filmmakers, unroot more Kinaray-a stories, and share it with a wider audience through motion pictures.

FILMOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR

Roots to the Peak (2026, in production) – Documentary
BDO Life: Tuloy ang Pangarap (2023) TVC, Digital
BDO Life: Tuloy ang Buhay (2023) TVC, Digital
“Ugbos Ka Bayabas” (2021, Short / 4K) – Sine Halaga – The NCCA Filipino Values Short Film Production – view Trailer Here.
BDO Life: Patahian (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
BDO Life: Pananagutan (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
“Dumut“ (2012, personal film, Kuwentong-Bayan) – Short / HD (Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor) – view Trailer Here.
“Handum” (2010, personal film) – Short / HD (Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor) – Nominated Best Short Film, 34th Gawad Urian Awards (2011) – view Trailer Here.
“Bayani Ka” (2010) – Music Video for the Homeless World Cup Team Philippines to Rio de Janeiro Brazil (Director / Cinematographer / Editor)

CINEMATOGRAPHER / LIGHTING DIRECTOR / CAMERA OPERATOR

Roots to the Peak (2026, in production) – Documentary
“Ugbos Ka Bayabas” (2021, Short / 4K) – Sine Halaga – The NCCA Filipino Values Short Film Production
BDO Life: Patahian (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
BDO Life: Pananagutan (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
“F-Word Out Loud with Anne Curtis” (2015) – Viva Communications. Inc. / Lifetime Asia (Cinematographer)
“Kuwentong-Kartero” (2014) – Knowledge Channel Population Development Mini Series (Cinematographer)
“Storyline” (2008 – 2013) – ABS-CBN News Channel weekly documentary (Director of Photography)
“KUWENTONG-BAYAN” (2012, Short Film Collection) – Short / HD
(Cinematographer for films: DUMUT, LULUAH, LELENG and BIDONG)
“Reputasyon” (2011 – 2012) – ABS-CBN afternoon TV Series (2nd Unit Lighting Director)
“Maalaala Mo Kaya: Panyo Ep.” (2012) – ABS-CBN Drama (Lighting Director)
“Liham Para Kay Marco” (2011) – Short – 1 of the 15 short films for the omnibus film “Kinse” (2010) by ABS-CBN News Channel (Cinematographer)
“Juanita Banana” (2010 – 2011) – ABS-CBN afternoon TV Series (2nd Unit Lighting Director)
“Hands 3” (2010) – P&G Tide Documentary – Philippines – (Cinematographer)
“Bayani Ka” (2010) – Music Video for the Homeless World Cup Team Philippines to Rio de Janeiro Brazi (Director / Cinematographer / Editor)
“Hands 1” (2010) – P&G Tide Documentary – Indonesia – (Cinematographer)
“Handum” (2010) – Short / HD (Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor)
“Ako Ang Simula” (2nd Version, 2009) – music video (director of photography)
“Walang Hanggang Paalam” (2009) – full length / digital (director of photography) – Nominated Best Cinematography, Entertainment Press Awards 2010
“Kidnap: Ces Drillon Captivity” (2008) – ABS-CBN documentary (Director of Photography / Technical Director)
“Pelikulang Panag-inip” (2007) – short / 35mm (director / cinematographer)
“Selda” (2007) – full length / digital (cameraman / additional photography)
“Imahe Nasyon” segment “Aksyon Star” (2006) – short digital (line producer / cinematographer / editor / graphics artist / actor)

SOUND RECORDIST / SOUND SUPERVISOR

With Love, Bridget (2025, in production) – full length (production sound recordist/supervisor)
BUGSAY: The life of Honorato ‘Tatoy’ Espinosa (2025) – full length (production sound recordist/supervisor)
Isa Ka Pungpung Nga Rosas (2024) – short (production sound supervisor)
Candè (2024) – full length (production sound recordist/supervisor)
Victory Liner’s “Know Your North” Series (2016 – 2019) – Location Sound Recordist
“Eternity Between Seconds“ (2018) – full length / digital (production sound recordist), Winner Best Sound, Cine Filipino 2018
“Amazing Food Challenge Season 2” (2014) – Unitel Productions / Asian Food Channel (Field Recording Supervisor)
“Ang Beerhouse” (2009) – full length / digital (sound design / editor)
“Pain Things” (2007) – full length / digital (producer / sound designer / editor)
“ASTIGmatism” (2004) – full length / digital (sound designer / editor)
“Sine’skwela”
“Epol-Apple”
“Mathtinik”
“Hirayamanawari”
“Pahina” (2000-2002)

EDITOR

“Ugbos Ka Bayabas” (In Production, Short / 4K) – The NCCA Filipino Values Short Film Production 2020
BDO Life: Patahian (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
BDO Life: Pananagutan (2019, Short / HD) – commissioned work, no public screening
“DUMUT” (2012, personal film, Kuwentong-Bayan) – Short / HD (Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor)
“HANDUM” (2010, personal film) – Short / HD (Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor)
“Bayani Ka” (2010) – Music Video for the Homeless World Cup Team Philippines to Rio de Janeiro Brazil (Director / Cinematographer / Editor)
“Ang Beerhouse” (2009) – full length / digital (sound design / editor)
“Pain Things” (2007) – full length / digital (producer / sound designer / editor)
“Beyond Imahe Nasyon” (2006) – documentary (editor)
“Buhay Artista” (2006) – TV series / CCP Production (editor)
“Ang Anak Ni Brocka” (2005) – full length / digital (editor)
“Boso” (2005) – full length / digital (cameraman / editor)
“ASTIGmatism” (2004) – full length / digital (sound designer / editor)
“Bihag: Into The Mountains” (2002) – ABS-CBN documentary (editor)
“Art Jam”
“Sine’skwela”
“Epol-Apple”
“Hirayamanawari”

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

“Kidnap: Ces Drillon Captivity” (2008) – ABS-CBN documentary (Director of Photography / Technical Director)
“Salam Season 2” (2007) – TV Series / digital / Knowledge Channel (technical director)

PRODUCER

“Kuwentong-Bayan” (2012) – Omnibus / Producer
“Pain Things” (2007) – full length / digital (producer / sound designer / editor)
“Imahe Nasyon” segment “Aksyon Star” (2006) – short digital (line producer / cinematographer / editor / graphics artist / actor)

NOMINATIONS

“Handum” (2010) – Best Short Film, 34th Gawad Urian Awards (2011)
“Walang Hanggang Paalam” (2009) – Best Cinematography, Entertainment Press Awards 2010

MUSIC VIDEOS

All I Want (7 Shots of Wisdom) – Video Editor
Simpleng Tao (Gloc9) – Video Editor
Bakit Nga Ba? (The Monggols) – Video Editor
Ipagpatawad Mo (Gloc9)
Keeper (The Monggols)
(Ed Maru)
(Kamandag Ng Marikina)
Lunes (Join the Club)
Distortion (Pupil)
Kruhay! Katahum Kang Antique (Dante Beriong)
Antique Banwa Nga Hamili (Various OKM Artists)
Bayani Ka (Kaya Green Band)
Okey Lang (Shamrock)
Super Proxy 2K6 (Francis Magalona, Ely Buendia)
9 to 5 (Pikaso)
Tollgate (Hale)
Gitara (Parokya Ni Edgar)
Higante (Francis Magalona, Ely Buendia)