SHOWBIZ INDIE
Celebrity Actors in
Independent Films
by Khavn Dela Cruz
PRELIMINARY
QUESTIONS
If you are able to answer all four questions
correctly, you may (not) read this article. If you are able to answer three
of these questions, you may read everything except the Showbiz Indie honor
roll. If you answer 2 questions, you may only read the imaginary short epic
in the middle. If you answer only one, you may only read the beautiful
introduction after this. If you are not able to answer any of these stupid
questions and you are under fifty, you have to research the correct answers
on the World Wide Web, thus wait for the answers to be posted by the
internet component of this holy newspaper. If you are only under fifty years
old ..., never mind.
1.
Did you cry in buckets when the writer was killed by a giant pencil in Joey
Agbayani's
short film of what title?
2. Is
Kidlat Tahimik: a) a cinematic force of nature, b) an unheavenly body, c) a
hippie
catch phrase, d) a brand of G-string from Katmandu, e) all of the above,
f) none
of the above? If your answer is f) none of the above, explain why in less
than 100
words but not more than 150 on a separate sheet of yellow pad.
3.
True or False: Roxlee is Cesar Asar.
4.
Fill-in the blanks: ____________, ____________, _____________, &
_____________
are the only 4 Filipino filmmakers ever featured in the Cannes Film
Festival.
BEAUTIFUL
INTRODUCTION
Casting
a name actor doesn't necessarily guarantee a commercial hit; Juday's "My
Pledge Of Love" wasn't a top-grosser. Nor does it make a film worthy of an
award or a place in cinema history. It does, though, give the film some sort
of credibility or value; more specifically, what they call: Star Value.
Along
the years, through schools & institutions like the Mowelfund Film Institute
(with its summer film workshops), the Cultural Center of the Philippines
(with its Gawad-CCP Alternative Film & Video Festival), the National
Commission for Culture & the Arts (with its film production grants), and the
UP Film Center & Film Program, independent film, particularly the short film
genre, has blossomed in the Philippines, as evident through Raymond Red's
Best Short Film award at Cannes last year (which by the way stars Ronnie
Lazaro, Eddie Garcia, & John Arcilla).
More
than a thousand short films have been produced by these emergent filmmakers;
none of which would have been made (with the exception of most animations)
without the help of actors. Actors in independent films range from the
director himself and other members of the crew to their relatives and
friends to theater actors to professional film actors-slash-celebrities.
I've talked with a quartet from the last batch, the
Celebrity Actors (those you see in telenovelas and mall blockbusters), about
their experiences and perceptions regarding Philippine independent film and
filmmakers. I then squeezed our conversations in this imaginary short epic
entitled "The 4 Horsemen Of Generosity".
THE 4
HORSEMEN OF GENEROSITY, an imaginary short epic
CAST:
Julio Diaz as Julio, the horseman who starred in Raymond Red's 2
full-lengths
"Bayani" & "Sakay"
Lou Veloso as Lou, the horseman who starred in Manny Reyes' "Swaping"
&
Anton Juan's "Taong Grasa"
Pen Medina as Pen, the horseman who has appeared in numerous
Mowelfund
short films (Johnny Cruz's "Buhawi", Mark Meily's "Pangako Ng Bagong
Simulain", et al)
Eric Quizon as Eric, the horseman who has appeared in Filmless Films'
"Greaseman" & directed his own short films
In the
lost limbo between cyberspace and surreality called "Phonehome", Eric,
Julio, Lou, & Pen, while non-chalantly riding their 3,9,1, & 5-footed horses
respectively, began muttering pseudo-profound lines from a forgotten flick
called __________ (Cute Editor: "I also forgot.") like mad dogs from
Survivor.
EMPATHY
Eric: I
understand the plight of the independent filmmaker. I understand what he or
she is going thru: the challenges, the dreams. I share them too. I see their
vision: what they want to happen, what they want the film to become.
SHARING
Lou:
Acting is sharing yourself. If the New Bloods entering the field of
directing & the arts need you to become their model, why not? Even
photographers & painters need models. Who knows: that young director might
become a National Artist someday.
JAMMING
Pen:
Masarap kasi pag nakiki-jam yung director, kapag open. Gaya ni Raymond Red.
Kapag ganoon kasi, mas nabubuo mo ang character mo. Mas marami kasing
maaring makita ang aktor kesa sa direktor. Sa direktor galing ang basics. Sa
aktor naman galing ang mga detalye, ang transformation, yung daan kung paano
makapunta ron. Para hindi lumalabas na pilit o contrived ang acting.
UNIQUE SYSTEM
Julio:
What I noticed with independent cinema is that it has its own unique system
with its own personal rhythm & non-commercial approach. It entails
creativity in storytelling; to give cinematic life even to the most lifeless
object/subject.
NO MATTER WHAT
Eric:
One thing with independents is that they would make their films no matter
what. Even on their own. Because it's so difficult to penetrate mainstream
cinema, with conventional producers and all. Going independent is one way of
realizing their vision.
SHORT VS. LONG
Lou: A
short film is a caption of life, of events in a couple of minutes. In
commercial features, they prolong scenes & itemize situations to give a
2-hour entertainment.
OPEN VS. CLOSED
Pen:
Kapag baguhan, hindi malaki ang ego. Kung may talent, mas mainam. Nagja-jive
ang vibes niyo. Mas masarap kasi kapag mas open ang direktor at aktor sa
isa't isa. Kapag established na kasi, papakinggan ka naman, pero kadalasan
hindi tatanggapin ang ideya mo, ang sa kanya pa rin ang mananaig. Minsan
tuturuan ka pa. Kahit na hindi ka sang-ayon. Kunyari hindi integral sa role,
mahirap yon ipakita bilang aktor, ang lumalabas tuloy asiwa.
ANTI-FORMULA
Julio:
Independent films are realized even without the approval of others. Like
Lino Brocka whom one can't just order around to follow some old & tired
formula.
Being
independent is being anti-formula, more experimental, lihis. It is dealing
with concepts that have no limits & boundaries, and not giving into mere
commercialism.
SHOWBIZ INDIE HONOR ROLL (an
end-credits in progress)
For
sharing their time and God/Allah/Buddha/etc.-given talents with Philippine
Independent Cinema: Angel Aquino, Lou Veloso, Eric Quizon, Ronnie Lazaro,
Eddie Garcia, John Arcilla, Joel Torre, Ynez Veneracion, Caridad Sanchez,
Ray Ventura, Nonie Buencamino, Allan Paule, Tetchie Agbayani, Ricky Davao,
Bembol Roco, Ana Capri....
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