How the show was born

The show’s initial seed was planted in Tim’s mind back when he was living in San Francisco circa 2000. Financially strapped and concerned about nature, Tim gave up his beloved SUV for some cash to support his budding career in film and television. A backpacker at heart (though he’s grown out of it due to the rugged nature of the beast), Tim explored the streets of his neighborhood on foot. What he discovered was astounding (dramatic music). A block away from his flat he discovered a thriving world of cafes, restaurants, museums, book shops, mom and pop clothing stores, ethic grocery stores, and a Korean owned dry cleaners.

Tim knew that somehow the world is different when you actually take the time to walk.

The collaboration

Fast forward to a few years. Tim comes back to the Philippines and meets Katrina Holigores, a female mover and shaker in the film industry. The idea man and cinematographer woman build a partnership that involved a lot of meetings at restaurants that served pancakes, bacon, and hamburgers (hence the name of the company Bacon Burger Productions). But it ended down a path of vegetables and nourishing food (with the occasional pleasures of meat and bacon).

One night, while Tim was half asleep but his mouth still babbling on the phone, he shared this idea about how it would be funny to just follow a pedestrian and document his adventures be it menial or profound. Kat loved the idea and thought it had potential to be a unique television show. The original title was “Funny Pedestrian” (thank god we didn’t use that).

The people behind On-Foot

Kat used her vast connections to form the proper production team to produce this show. So the band of 3 was formed: Tim as the host and writer, Kat as the director and half-time cinematographer, and a fellow by the name of Alan Bengzon to bring in steadicam operation and other useful equipment.

Tim started from the old school of set-up and punchline, where he learned the basics of comic timing and writing. Standup comedy has been his forte for the last 7 years performing both in the U.S. and the Philippines. His subtle humor works magically well on the show. Most of the funny moments come from his naïvete and the reactions of the folks he meets.

Kat comes from a cinematography background. She was director of photography for several films abroad and in the Philippines. Though film is her first love, she learned the nuances of video and made it a viable medium for an artist of her caliber. Humble and reluctant to admit, Kat perfectly fits the role of director in the program. Her patience, hard work, and love for pork have sustained the production. Alan, a British trained steadicam operator, provides technical expertise and comic relief on the set. His out-of-left-field comments on sexy toes and hearty appetite both for food and his wife make him quite enjoyable company. His camera work makes the show look like National Geographic.

The show

On-Foot is aimed at young independent travelers; a sort of streetwise cookbook for traveling alone. When you travel on foot and interact with the locals, you penetrate the veneer of the guidebooks and maps and mine the grit of real life. Self-proclaimed traveltologist, Tim Tayag, provides a comic element while the show highlights concise information and thorough coverage of the destination via humorous pop up graphics and animation. The program explores unusual places, samples unusual dishes and purchases unusual gift items. The show is targeted to Filipinos both here and abroad who want to encounter the lighter side and offbeat experiences of traveling in the Philippines and other Asian countries. On-Foot is an indispensable resource with practical information that can be used by every traveler.