Sam Booc: Hello, stardom!

CEBU, Philippines - “I chose not to TWINKLE because I am born to SHINE!”

Cebuana film and theater actress Masumay “Sam” Booc surmises in jest that she must have been in deep slumber when the heavens poured down the gift of height. But the petite 21-year-old is proof that at times, gems comes in small packages.

This gem of a thespian, who discovered her acting inclination by accident, knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to dream big. When asked if it’s her goal to break through the mainstream acting scene in Manila, Sam, without missing a beat and batting an eyelash shakes her head, and says, “I’m eyeing for the Oscars!”

Sam, a favorite of students for their short films, is starring in the on-going play SEMINAR along with other gifted Cebuano thespians. She was also cast as among four main leads in “Hello Forever,” a film by Australian award-winning director Peter Kirk, the principal photography of which was shot in the Philippines.

Before she takes on the world and fulfills her destiny to shine on screen and on stage, we sat down with this darling of a chatterbox on how she discovered her acting passion and more.

How did you get into acting?

After I graduated from high school, my aunt asked me to accompany her to IAFT (International Academy of Film and Television) in Mactan. She wanted to check out the school because her son wanted to enroll as a filmmaking student. When I saw the facilities which included a dance studio and learned they had voice lessons, I found that really interesting since I have always been into dancing and singing. So instead of pursuing my initial plan to enroll at the University of San Carlos and take up Accountancy, I ended up enrolling for IAFT’s Acting Program. The course was good for a year. It was a Diploma in Performing Arts. I didn't expect that the program really focused on all aspects of acting but I already paid the tuition fee, so I had no choice but to take the course. That’s basically how I started, and I’ve been pursuing acting for the past four years. I did school plays in high school, but more often as part of the production crew and not one among the actors.

What was it like studying at IAFT?

It was a life-changing experience. I learned a lot from the school especially from the mentors. I met a lot of very talented individuals from all over the world and I must say that the extensive one-year program was more than worth it.

What do your acting teachers say is your best asset as an actress?

How am I going to say this without humiliating myself? They said I'm very blunt and honest with my feelings and thoughts towards others which a lot of people find it so funny and they think it's a good thing for actors.

How did your parents react when you expressed your desire to pursue acting, and not go the traditional route of finishing college?

My parents were very supportive. They are the type who believe that as long as you want something so bad, you will always succeed and that if you force your children to take a course they don't like, they will never achieve happiness in life.

What acting technique are you most comfortable with and why?

I’ve figured out that the Sanford Meisner technique works best for me. It is more on repetition; that actors should not do something unless something happens that makes you do it and just live truthfully under the imaginary circumstances. It's a technique where “less is more” and that “acting is all about reacting.” I am very comfortable with this technique maybe because I'm a young actor and I don't have enough life experience to convey every single emotion required when you act in a scene and this helps you to get that emotion not out of experience but just by merely living truthfully in the moment of the scene and you react to it as authentic as possible.

You also underwent workshops with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic. How was that experience?

From what I've experienced in Star Magic, I learned that in the Philippine film industry, especially the mainstream, it's not all about what you know, it's whom you know. And I guess all the real artists know what I'm saying. After that experience, I wanted to pursue my acting career even more. Right after my Star Magic training, I went back here in Cebu to talk to my parents about my decision of pursuing acting which they whole-heartedly agreed to. So I went back to Manila and my parents supported me financially for a month or two, until I felt that this is my dream and I should pursue it on my own so I told them I'll support myself financially. I got a job in a call center and that's how I supported myself.

How did you land the role in the international film “Hello, Forever”?

The supposed assistant director of this film was my IAFT classmate and friend and he told me about the auditions. I went there together with my other actor-friend and we were an hour late. A lot of actors auditioned and we even saw a few famous celebrities such as Bea Alonzo come out of the audition room. I felt like we didn't have a chance anymore because first, we were late and second, celebrities already auditioned. We were the last actors and after we auditioned the producer just told us that they're going to call if ever they wanted to cast us. Three days later, the director called and told me that I got the gig and he said he was thankful that I came to the audition and that I was worth the wait. He said that they were planning to hold the auditions back in Australia because they were disappointed that they couldn't find the actors they were looking for. But then after I auditioned, they decided to continue the auditions for the other three characters here in the Philippines. I found out later that I was the very first actor that they casted for this film. They already submitted the film to some international film festivals and they are planning to release it in Australia and the US first since it's an Australian production and Isis King is from the US so hopefully it will hit Philippine theaters in the early months of 2014.

Tell us about the plot of “Hello Forever” and describe your character.

It's a story of four girls who are into prostitution due to different reasons and they met and lived in one house. They built a friendship and conflicts also ensue while they are searching for a lost baby. The film focuses on human trafficking specifically prostitution here in the Philippines. Rommy, a transvestite prostitute portrayed by Isis King of America’s Next Top Model; Michelle, once famous and became a high class prostitute portrayed by Rebecca Khoo (Australian) ; Jinky, the main lead character portrayed by Jennifer Blair-Bianco (Fil-Am); and Sandra, sister of Jinky who left the province to escape from her dad and went to Manila to live with Jinky and became a prostitute herself to pay her family’s debt, portrayed by yours truly.

What were the highlights of shooting your first full-length feature film?

It was one hell of a ride! It made me think twice if this is the career I want to have for a lifetime. It was definitely not as easy as how people see the finished product in the big screen. All the efforts of both actors and crew from pre-production to post production put together just to create a full-length film should not be underestimated. We shot for about 15 days and had pick-up shoots every now and then and as an actor you start to live in your character's world. The characters were pretty sensitive and living in these characters for weeks were mind-disturbing. Portraying the character for days and living truthfully under their imaginary circumstances made it very hard for me to pull myself back to reality because everything about the character became a habit to me. You begin to lose yourself. When we finished the shoot, I guess it took awhile for me to regain myself back. But it was definitely a great experience. I missed my co-actors that have become sisters to me and the whole crew that had become my family. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Name your acting heroes.

I have always been a fan of Meryl Streep, Daniel Day-Lewis, Natalie Portman, all the Kate's (Blanchett, Winslet, Hepburn) and right now I am very inspired by Jennifer Lawrence.

What are your other interests?

I have always been into dancing and singing and just recently I have been very interested in boxing. Basically, I have no other life besides acting. I eat, I sleep, I act. That's my life now.

You’re currently doing the play SEMINAR (remaining play dates are Sept. 15, 20, 21 and 22 at the Adnama Bldg., above The Chillage, North Reclamation Area). Why should Cebuanos take time out to watch this Broadway-adapted play?

It’s a play unlike anything they've seen before. It gets very personal and intimate and it just absorbs them in a way that they can personally feel and assimilate themselves into the characters. Plus, Theresa Rebeck's writing is a league on its own and we are very honored to be able to bring the material to Cebu. It elevates the Cebu theater experience to a whole new level.

What do you like best about your character Izzy in SEMINAR?

That she's not easy. Izzy is not a very easy character to portray and she doesn't have a lot of lines she's more on reactions and creating a whole different world to make her character noticeable. Izzy makes me take a lot of bold risk as an actor and that's what I like best about my character.

What is the major goal you want to achieve as an actress?

I just want to be recognized in the international film industry and act alongside my acting heroes and maybe if the world permits, I am hoping to get an Oscar for Best Actress. I know it's very ambitious it doesn't hurt to dream big.  (FREEMAN)