Leah Callon-Butler, the director of Emfarsis and the writer and director of the documentary film “Metaverse Filipino Worker” discussed with media reporters, including BitPinas Contributor Michael Lance Domagas, the importance of education and community support for Filipinos entering web3.
- The interview happened at the premiere of the documentary film on November 20, 2024, at the SM Aura Cinema during the YGG Play Summit.
- The film Metaverse Filipino Worker is available on YouTube beginning 8:15 on Jan. 22, 2025:
In Focus: The YGG Play Summit, hosted by Yield Guild Games (YGG), took place from November 18-23, 2024, in Bonifacio Global City, Philippines.
- The event united gamers, developers, and investors to discuss the future of blockchain gaming.
The following interview highlighted the potential rewards of entering the web3 space but cautioned against diving in without learning the risks.
- Moreover, an additional interview conversation was also included emphasizing Callon-Butler’s view through the lens of the Metaverse Filipino Worker (MFW), and her focus on showcasing real stories from the community.
Interview: The Metaverse Filipino Worker
Kristian Eric Javier, Field Reporter, GMA News: In your words, what is a Metaverse Filipino Worker (MFW)?
Leah Callon-Butler, Documentary Film Director, Metaverse Filipino Worker: The MFW is on the same track but at the same time completely opposite to the overseas Filipino worker.
Both of them need to go outside the Philippines to find good work, decent-paying work—not just work, but also learning opportunities, skills development, and the opportunity to be part of a valuable industry.
But the difference is how they get there. An overseas Filipino worker has to go overseas. They’re going to take some kind of transport to get there, and they pay a very high emotional tax in terms of leaving their families behind and living a lonely life overseas.
The MFW also has to travel. They do it with an internet connection, a computer, a laptop, a phone, and a crypto wallet, so they don’t actually have to leave the country. I think if we can have more Metaverse Filipino Worker, that’s ultimately going to positively impact the Philippines overall.
The Purpose of the Documentary
Javier: Why exactly did you do this documentary? What was your initial goal to do this?
Callon-Butler: I’ve been into crypto since 2016, and I’ve always been interested in stories of adoption, specifically how the technology is actually improving people’s lives. I think there’s a lot of negative stories about crypto out there, and we need to be able to show both sides of the coin, so to speak.
But sometimes I feel like these positive stories, really coming from members of the community—just real, everyday people—don’t see the light of day.
So, for me, it’s really important to get to share those. I guess I’m in a privileged position to be able to do it because I actually can.
These people are my friends. I’ve known them for years. I guess where other people would need to do due diligence on a story, I’ve lived it. So it’s my goal to be able to show that to the rest of the world.
Connection to Previous Work
Javier: You mentioned earlier about your short film. Was this documentary a response to or connected to that short film?
Callon-Butler: The first episode actually features Spraky, Pot, and Ken, the co-founders of Axie University, who were in the original film from 2021. I thought it was really important to give a bit of an update on their lives in terms of where they are now. It hasn’t been easy for people who’ve stuck with crypto.
Most people know that it goes in cycles—there are ups and downs. Those people who choose to stick around for the downtimes are very much committed to this technology and this industry long-term, and that’s not easy.
The Axie University founders, Spraky and Ken, are great examples of people who saw value in this industry over the longer term. So even when token prices plummeted and the core market was down, they still saw value in this space and rewards beyond the token prices.
I think they recognized that this was a growing industry and it was going somewhere other than just speculation. They’re reaping the rewards of that, and I think it’s important to show the success they’ve had and also balance that with what they’ve had to sacrifice to get there.
The Success of the Documentary
Javier: Your documentary is a success, right? I can see a lot of people here. How does it feel right now?
Callon-Butler: I am very overwhelmed because, you know, I’m a guest in this country. I’ve decided to make it my home. I love the Philippines. I’ve been here since 2018. But I’m very passionate about sharing stories of the Philippines with the rest of the world, especially stories about positive impact. To have the opportunity to show amazing stories like this one within one of the best cinemas in the whole of Metro Manila, with such an incredible crowd of amazing, influential people, it’s really overwhelming. I’m so grateful to squeeze so many people here tonight, and all the positive feedback has just been amazing.
Characteristics Filipinos Should Have to Venture Into Web3 and Blockchain
Michael Lance Domagas, Contributor, BitPinas: What do you think are the characteristics Filipinos should have before venturing into the web3 and blockchain industry?
Callon-Butler: I think, anyone who’s interested in crypto [should be knowledgeable about it]. If you are just diving into it and you don’t take time to learn, then that’s a dangerous place to be in.
Crypto would have many potential rewards and I think it’s an industry that has a lot of opportunity for a lot of people, but you need to know how to navigate it. This is really like anything—you need to educate yourself to be able to understand how to optimize your activities and improve your knowledge of the space.
The best thing for Filipinos is that I think some of the communities in the Philippines are the most established, helpful, and wonderful that you’ll find in the whole world. That was why I fell in love with the space back in 2020 and 2021. I saw so many Filipino communities, whether it was online in Discord, on Facebook, in church, or in other types of groups.
Even web2 gaming groups like people who play DOTA or Counter-Strike—they start talking about web3, but they use that as a platform to help each other.
I think that hand-holding is really important because when you get into crypto, there’s so much to learn, and having a friend on your side who can say, “Hey, I’ve been there before. Watch out for that,” or “Here’s an opportunity where you should actually delve into it a little bit more, read a bit more, and educate yourself,” really helps you along the journey.
I think the communities here in the Philippines are more robust than anywhere I’ve seen. I’m biased, though.
Misconceptions and Negative Connotations in Web3
Domagas: In our world of blockchain and cryptocurrency, and even web3, there is a negative connotation of it being a scam. [What’s your take on it?]
Callon-Butler: Like I said, it’s a space that will test you quickly. It’s really important that people know what they’re getting themselves into. It can be a dangerous space, with everything from volatility, scams, hacks, phishing, and other risks.
But it’s a great opportunity to learn; obviously, I’ve dedicated my life to this. And I believe if people make the time to educate themselves, they won’t regret it.
But some people don’t want to put in the effort to learn. They like the easy gains, which I think is probably the issue with the media. We see a lot of things, they report the quick gains, like tokens that go 12,000x, and people dive in because of FOMO. It’s not the smart way to go about it.
Opportunities in Building Web3 Skills
Domagas: There should be a more responsible way of telling stories about this.
Callon-Butler: Yes. But also not solely focusing on investing, there are so many ways to promote web3 that are not just about growing something into easy money.
I mean, Metaverse Filipino Worker is very much about whether you have time, effort, or the opportunity to build skills. What if you learn something that could contribute to a new industry with a high demand and a low supply of talent? There are people around the world who have a specific need for these skills and Filipinos are developing them.
Domagas: There’s still a demand for this technology.
Callon-Butler: 100%. The real opportunity. Like if people spend time building skills, that’s where the opportunity is going to come from because they could work in this industry.
This article is published on BitPinas: Interview: Leah Callon-Butler on Metaverse Filipino Worker Documentary
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