Independent production company NDMstudios celebrated its 25th year with the launch of a limited-edition figurine of its original character, Direku. President and CEO Nijel de Mesa described the character as “some sort of a mascot” that will also be featured in original content on the studio’s recently launched streaming platform.
“He always tries helping people but then ends up comically unappreciated or at the short end of the stick,” De Mesa said of Direku’s animated version. Only 500 copies of the figurine were produced, making it a rare collectible.
The event drew prominent entertainment personalities, including Arci Muñoz, Inah de Belen, Kim Rodriguez, Richard Quan, Robert Seña, Nico Locco, Anthony Ocampo, director Rahyan Carlos, Josh Yugen, Ynez Veneracion, Gene Padilla, Moymoy Palaboy, Chichirita, and Arnold Reyes.
De Mesa also discussed NDMplus, the studio’s premium global streaming platform launched in October. He noted that the platform was first launched in Singapore, an early move that paved the way for partnerships with major content brands, including FOX, AMC, Crunchyroll, Sony, Shudder, and Roku.
“We’re very proud that we’re the only streaming platform that was able to make this kind of partnership,” De Mesa added.
The executive attributed the platform’s success to faith, recalling a meeting with a key partner where he immediately saw the potential for a long-term collaboration. He also emphasized the challenges of building the platform, which operated for five years without a return on investment and established offices in Taipei, Japan, and Singapore before its official rollout.
“We wanted to create a home for the outcasts, the misfits, the dreamers, the visionaries—the rebels and the iconoclasts—stories that other companies might reject and say, ‘walang kikitain diyan.’ For us, it’s the opposite; we don’t give up on stories,” De Mesa asserted
“As for the NDMplus catalog, we’re proud to be the first global streaming platform to launch with 70 fresh original titles. Now, we’re finally transitioning into monetization. It was extremely difficult to build, and Arci really took a leap of faith with NDM,” De Mesa added.
On Arci Muñoz’s role in the company, De Mesa described her as “a great co-producing partner and creative director, and now serves as vice president for global relations. She’s literally everywhere—and honestly, she has that ‘universe standard.’”
For the platform’s future, NDMplus plans to continue producing monthly content while managing operational costs. The company is also expanding the MDM Plus Experience, offering concerts and musical productions that Prestige subscribers can attend for free.
