Bigfoot Entertainment
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film and television production and distribution |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Michael Gleissner |
| Headquarters | Miami Beach, Florida , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Michael Gleissner (Founder) |
| Products | Feature films, TV series, reality programming, educational projects, community initiatives |
Bigfoot Entertainment serves as the American parent entity for Bigfoot Films, Bigfoot Productions, Bigfoot Production Services, Bigfoot Partners, the International Academy of Film and Television, New Cebu Films, and Fashion One Network. Functioning as an autonomous film and television production and distribution enterprise, it is engaged in the development, production, and financing of diverse media content such as feature-length films, TV series, reality programming, educational projects, and community initiatives. The company’s main studios are situated in Cebu, Philippines, while its corporate headquarters are based in Miami Beach, Florida, United States.
Background
Established in 2002 by German businessman Michael Gleissner, Bigfoot Entertainment specializes in funding and producing feature films, documentaries, and reality television. Its projects have been filmed at Bigfoot Studios located in the Philippines as well as on-site across various regions including the United States, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The studio complex houses six sound stages alongside a post-production center, originally constructed in 2004 to support Bigfoot’s production requirements. Additionally, the company secured franchise rights for Fashion TV across Singapore and the Philippines.
In 2008, Bigfoot extended its operations by obtaining a 25-year lease that expanded its facilities, marking it as the first international film studio established in the Philippines. This studio complex encompasses sound stages, an underwater filming tank, editing suites, sound mixing rooms, and Foley studios.
Bigfoot is also the founder of the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT), an international institution providing competitive education under the guidance of industry experts. IAFT is headquartered in Mactan with additional offices located in Los Angeles.
In April 2009, through its subsidiary Bigfoot Films, the company distributed Hui Lu to over 700 cinemas throughout China. The movie was filmed in Hong Kong with post-production work completed at Bigfoot Studios in Cebu.
April 2010 saw the launch of Fashion One by Bigfoot—a 24-hour fashion television network operating out of Hong Kong.
The company owns the Majestic Crest Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles—a historic venue acquired in 2010 that is used for showcasing independent films as well as its own productions.
In September 2010, Bigfoot expanded by acquiring stakes in Miami Film School (Hollywood, Florida) and Palm Beach Film School (West Palm Beach).
By November 2010, Bigfoot had purchased Ascendent Pictures and created Bigfoot Ascendant Distribution to manage theatrical releases, home entertainment formats, video on demand services, foreign sales representation, and domestic television sales.
Facilities
Bigfoot’s main production operations are based on Mactan Island in Cebu, Philippines, with its regional headquarters for Asia-Pacific located in Hong Kong, China.
Among its facilities is the Underwater Studio dedicated to underwater filming projects; this includes a specialized insert tank, underwater camera equipment, a marine platform, and capabilities for building sets on location.
The company also runs Cleverlearn, an educational branch providing online English language instruction and exam preparation. After obtaining licensing agreements with television series such as The Apprentice and Baywatch in 2006, Cleverlearn introduced Movielearn—a program that employs DVDs from these shows to teach conversational English skills often not addressed in traditional classroom settings.
Community Engagement
Bigfoot Entertainment founded the Bigfoot Asia Pacific Foundation (BAPF), a charitable organization dedicated to enhancing IT education for disadvantaged youth by providing technology grants and training programs for educators. So far, assistance has been extended to 33 schools, and there are currently 22 Bigfoot Learning Centers functioning within public high schools throughout the Visayas region of the Philippines, with intentions to broaden this network.
In recognition of its educational impact, BAPF was honored with the Mayor's Special Award during Cebu City's Charter Day Celebration in 2004. The following year, Bigfoot Global Solutions was acknowledged with a special commendation from the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Produced Works
- Feature Films
- The Dogwalker (2001)
- 3 Needles (2005)
- The Curiosity of Chance (2006)
- Falling for Grace (2006)
- Shanghai Kiss (2007)
- Hui lu (2007)
- Midnight Movie (2008)
- Within (2009 film)|Within (2009)
- Irreversi (2010)
- Midnight Movie: the Killer Cut (2010)
- The Girl With No Number (2011)
- Deep Gold (2011)
- Documentaries
- USS Cooper: Return to Ormoc Bay (2006)
- 9000 Needles (2011)
- Television Series
- Nautical Angels (2005)
- Fashion TV Asia (2006)
- FTV Model Awards (2006)
- Hollywood Boot Camp (2007)
- Blue Lagoon (2010)
- Screen Test (2011)
- Diving Asia (2011)
- Underwater Action (2011)
- Model Yoga (2011)
- Model Workout (2011)
- Eco Fashion (2012)
- Corsets to Catwalk (2012)
- Front Row (2012)
- Fashion Frontline (2012)
- Fashion One Correspondent Search London (2013)
- Design Genius (2013)
- Educational Programs
- New Concept Mandarin Chinese (2009)
- Cleverlearn ESL Video Series (2009)
- The Filmmaking Series: Directing (2010)
- The Film Making Series: Screenwriting (2010)
- The Film Making Series: First Steps To Cinematography (2010)
External links
- Philippine film studios
- Film production companies of the Philippines
- Television production companies of the Philippines
- Entertainment companies of the United States
- Companies based in Lapu-Lapu City
- Companies based in Miami-Dade County, Florida
- Mass media companies established in 2002
- 2002 establishments in Florida
- Philippine companies established in 2002
- American companies established in 2002
- Privately held companies of the United States
- Privately held companies of the Philippines
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment