On May 23, ‘Sparks Camp’ creatives Direk Ted Boborol and Patrick Valencia and host “Miss Trans Global 2020” Mela Habijan detailed what the audience should expect from the First Queer Dating Show.
At the media event for ‘Sparks Camp’, which LionhearTV covered, Valencia first detailed how they conceptualized the reality dating show.
Valencia revealed, “So parang naisip namin na parang gawin nga siyang dating reality show. So parang kinausap namin si Mela, we had her talaga to host this and siyempre si Direk Ted as our director. So we conceptualized it together. So ito nga, nandito nga nabuo ‘yung Sparks Camp.”
He added, “And of course, doon na nangyari ‘yung aming casting call, ‘yung aming paghahanap noong ten campers. And finally, tomorrow mapapalabas na siya.”
Director Boborol recounted the casting process behind Sparks Camp’s ten campers.
“Yes they did casting calls sa Black Sheep, may mga nag-submit ng mga videos, and from there, aside from casting calls, naghanap din ako sa mga IG-kami…So we cast based on their unique and individual stories. So, we made sure na iba-iba ‘yung goals in joining the show.”
He then hinted at the drama and different flavors viewers could expect in ‘Sparks Camp’.
He said he made sure that a drama is going to happen in the show.
As for Habijan, she highlighted how the queer dating show would reflect the LGBTQIA+ community’s dating experience.
She thought, “At dahil may layer na ‘yun ang hirap din mag-search ng pagmamahal, kasi doon makikita mo, ano bang preferences ng mga tao. Ano ba ‘yung hinahanap ng ibang tao. Ano ba ‘yung mararamdaman mo dito, safe ka ba dito? So it’s a mixture of realities.”
She also emphasized how Black Sheep put their hearts into ‘Sparks Camp’.
“And I’m happy that Black Sheep was able to really put their hearts out into mounting Sparks Camp. Kasi kailangan talaga natin ilabas ‘yung realidad ng kilig at pag-ibig ng LGBTQIA+ people. Kasi kagaya nga ng sinasabi ko, ‘yung pag-ibig ng heterosexual people and we celebrate them, sana ‘yun din ‘yung maramdaman nila kapag nakita nila ‘yung iba’t ibang uri ng kilig, pag-asa, pagkabigo ng queer dating.”
As for Sparks Camp, the Philippines’ first queer dating reality show, under Boborol’s direction, begins on May 24 via Black Sheep’s YouTube Channel.
