Subscription video on demand services such as iFlix and HOOQ mean business. Following the model of Netflix, they too are now tapping content creators for original local programs. iWant TV, the digital streaming service of ABS-CBN, was actually ahead of the game having launched 10 years ago. Perhaps the viewers were not ready for that kind of content consumption then, but they surely are now.
Last Tuesday, the Kapamilya network debuted its first ever original program. “Umbra: Anino sa Dilim” is an animated show that’s all about supernatural lore and creatures that scared the heck out of us as kids. The main characters are a demon called Batibat and a white lady. Filipinos love horror and now we can both enjoy and be terrified while watching this animated original with local elements that we all know and love.
Bringing the experience to a totally different level, an app is being developed and will soon be available so viewers can experience the terror of Umbra themselves through augmented reality.
This iWant TV original is expected to be the first of many as ABS-CBN and others in the entertainment industry are shifting to original digital content in response to the changing habits of Filipino viewers.
Read:Â Pinoy Digital Originals Gearing Up for a Fight
iFlix Raised Over 1B Pesos in Funding this Calendar Year
