Woman Under the Influence: Antoinette Jadaone

MANILA, Philippines - Three years is kind of a long wait. In an industry that thrives on instant gratification, sustaining your momentum is particularly important. After the success of Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay, which earned the titular actress her much-deserved Best Actress award, Antoinette Jadaone had a few stops before finally making her second film. She’s worked on films such as Kung Fu Divas and Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo, and co-wrote the screenplay of the Vilma Santos-starrer Ekstra. But in between, she’s been cooking up several films of her own. Three years later, Jadaone is releasing three new films just weeks apart from each other.

Still in the middle of finishing one, we caught up with her to talk about some serious filmmaker stuff. Kaibigan, usap tayo.

SUPREME: You’ll have films by the end of the year, That Thing Called Tadhana, Relaks, It’s Just Pag-ibig, and Beauty in a Bottle! Four if you count English Only, Please (an MMFF entry directed by Dan Villegas). So, alin dyan ang official follow-up sa debut film mo?

Gone Girl talaga ang official 2nd film ko.

ANTOINETTE JADAONE: Three films after three years. Of course, di naman sabay-sabay na nagshoot yan, right?

We shot Relaks, It’s Just Pag-ibig last year, way before Yolanda hit Samar. Beauty in a Bottle started rolling last May 2014, but we stopped shooting in July. During the break, nakapasok ako sa Cinema One Originals. By the time Beauty resumed, pre-prod na ako for That Thing Called Tadhana, then nagsabay na ang shooting ng Beauty and Tadhana. Nauna matapos ang Beauty, and as of this writing, may two shooting days pa ako for Tadhana.

With each film, kakaibang Antoinette Jadaone ba makikita namin? Explain using 50 words or less lang on each film.

Iba-ibang genre lang, pero yung seksi, matangkad at maputing Antoinette Jadaone pa rin ang makikita n’yo dito.

Focused on love yung Tadhana and Relaks (part ba ito ng trilogy?) and very pop culture yung Beauty and Lilia Cuntapay. Is this mainly because laking ’90s ka?

Laking 2000s na ako. Hindi ko na nga naabutan ang Batibot at Polly Pocket.

What were some of the things you learned since you’ve shot your three new films? Update ng skills, ganon.

I think I know how to handle my actors better now. Dati kasi nasa-starstruck pa ako, bilang fan talaga ako ng showbiz at mga artista. Dati, hindi ko pa maisip ang sarili ko bilang director. I’ve been a script continuity supervisor since I graduated, so ‘yung utak ko, madalas, utak-scriptcon at utak-P.A. Kailangan ko mag-adjust nang bongga na pagdating ko sa set, hindi na dapat standby area ng artista ang inaasikaso ko o continuity notes. Director ka na teh, ikaw ang kapitana, umayos ka, wag ka nang masyadong nagtsi-tsinelas sa set, akalain nila PA ka. But as in my first film, ganon pa rin naman: we get by with a little help from our friends. At sobrang grateful ako na I found a mentor in Direk Joyce Bernal. Kasi kahit hanggang ngayon, kung maka-consult ako sa kanya, ‘kala mo thesis adviser ko siya. At kahit na masakit siya gawin, iniiyakan ko pa rin, mahal ko talaga ang pelikula. My heart is in the right industry.

“Maindie” yung tawag usually sa films na ginagawa mo. Ano naman ma-contribute mo sa maindie debate bla bla?

Maindie ba mga ginagawa ko?!? Pang-Hollywood ‘to no! Char.

Sabi ni Pepe Diokno, very Pinoy daw sense of humor mo. Agree ka ba o talagang nagmamaganda ka lang? Follow up, what constitutes the essence of “Pinoy humor”?

Laking Batibot, Funny Komiks, Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata, at Joyce Bernal ako, so I guess ‘di ko maikakailang Pinoy nga ang humor ko. Pinoy humor is seeing the smiley face in everyday kagagahan.

Invite mo naman sila tangkilikin films mo...

Guys, nood kayo! Oct. 29 Beauty in a Bottle starring Angeline Quinto, Assunta de Rossi and Angelica Panganiban, from Quantum Films and Skylight Films. Nov. 12 Relaks, It’s Just Pag-ibig, co-written and co-directed with Irene Emma Villamor, from Spring Films. Nov. 9-18 That Thing Called Tadhana starring Angelica Panganiban and JM de Guzman, from Cinema One Originals.