By: T.Felder
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 10/27/22 – Corinna Vistan is a Filipino-American film and television executive. For over nine years, Vistan served as Creative Content Producer for theatrical releases at Marvel Studios. She has worked on blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man, and The Wasp. However, one of her most significant accomplishments was working with Apple spearheading the moving graphics on Apple TV. Her arduous work led to Apple TV receiving a twenty percent boost in digital in-home sales for the Film Captain America: Civil War.
Currently, she serves as the Head of Originals for Viu Philippines – Southeast Asia’s largest streaming platform known for Asian comedy and romance dramas. With Over 8.4 million active users, Viu looks like it’s on its way to reaching global recognition.
During an exclusive interview with THT, Corinna discusses her journey through the industry and what she hopes to accomplish in her new role with Viu Philippines.
Read below to get the full scoop:
THT: For those not familiar with your work. Can you give us some backstory on your career?
CV: In my early 20s, I actually used to be a news reporter in the Philippines, and I realized that telling stories in the narrative form was always going to be my first love. So, I packed my bags and went to film school in California! Once I got to California, I moved to Los Angeles and worked as a Union Camera Assistant, which made me want to move to the studio side of things. When I started on the studio side, I worked for a small production company called WAM Films before moving to Marvel Studios. I was there in the early days at Marvel when it was a much smaller studio, and I was fortunate to have been there as it skyrocketed to the larger studio that it is now.
THT: What was it like working on films such as; Avengers: End Game and Guardian of the Galaxies?
CV: For the movie nerd in me, working on films like Avengers: Endgame and the Guardians of the Galaxy films was a dream come true. To be part of these huge films that will impact a generation of kids growing up, the way that films like Back to the Future and Indiana Jones had influenced me when I was young, is amazing to be a part of. These films will always be appreciated over the decades!
THT: What made you want to be a part of overseeing the development of originals for Viu Philippines?
CV: I moved back to the Philippines for personal reasons, like living closer to family and immersing my son in the culture I grew up with. While I was living here in the Philippines, you could say I “stumbled” upon a purpose. This purpose was to bring the Filipino story to a global platform. I wanted to try and represent our stories as well as our voice to the rest of Asia and hopefully to the rest of the world.
THT: How do you feel about the representation of Filipinos in the film industry? What can be improved?
CV: I believe it’s not enough. There’s really so few people representing Filipinos, most recently comedian Jo Koy starred in the Universal Studios film Easter Sunday. I believe there needs to be room for more diverse stories which need to include more Filipino talents in the film industry, behind and in front of the camera.
THT: K-Love is the first original series for Studio Viu Originals. What’s the premise of the series?
CV: K-Love is the story of five Manila urbanites as they deal with milestones and struggles. They confide in each other through laughter, heartaches, and regular weekly viewings of their favorite Korean Drama shows. It’s very much a mix of shows like Sex and the City, Friends, and Jane the Virgin combined with the fascination that Filipinos (and the rest of Asia) have for Korean Entertainment.
THT: What are you hoping viewers can take away from K-Love?
CV: A lot of people can relate to these characters; since their stories are very universal. Viewers will discover that even if they don’t live in the Philippines or are not Filipino, they’ll be able to relate to these characters. The plight of women in every part of the world can be the same but what I like about K-Love is that we’re able to include aspects of the Filipino culture. I’m hopeful that people from around the world will learn a little bit about our culture.
THT: What else can we expect from Viu?
CV: You can expect a lot more stories from the female Asian perspective for sure. We want to be able to represent the Filipino voice as well as the female Asian story to the rest of the region and hopefully to the rest of the world.
THT: How can global audiences subscribe to Viu?
CV: Right now, Viu is available in 16 countries all over Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. We would love to bring K-Love and similar content from Viu to US audiences. It’s something we’re looking into as we think there’s a huge market for these stories.
THT: Where can our readers find you? Do you have social media?
CV: Yes, I am on Instagram, my user handle is @corinnavistan
