She was only 28 when Viva Films’ Vic del Rosario asked her to direct her first movie in 1998, I’m Sorry My Love, a romantic comedy starring Judy Ann Santos and Onemig Bondoc.
"I didn’t like to direct then because I really love what I’m doing as a film editor," she says. "But Boss Vic said it’s time for me to move on and I’m glad I accepted the challenge because it opened new doors for me."
So how did she foray into films? "I was taking up masscom at UP when I was asked to do my practicum in 1991 as an apprentice to Ike Jarlego Jr., a noted film editor and director. I fell in love with editing and I became his assistant. I also gained a lot of experience working with other editor-directors like Toto Natividad and Boy Vinarao. Because I got busy with work, I never got to finish my college course. I didn’t complete my thesis. When I finally completed it some years later, I was told I still have to take three additional subjects that have been added to the curriculum, so I never got to graduate."
She has been making one blockbuster after another since then. Last year, she did one of Star Cinema’s biggest hits, the Judy Ann-Piolo Pascual romance, Till There Was You. She is now back in the same company with a new romantic comedy, Mr. Suave, based on the hit song of Parokya ni Edgar, and the launching movie of comedian Vhong Navarro.
"Actually, there’s already an existing script written by Dindo Perez even before the song came into the picture. When Star Cinema decided to launch Vhong, they taught it best to use the Mr. Suave hit song because it will surely help the project. But when I read the script, I found its humor quite high brow. And because it’s about a man’s sexual inadequacy, the treatment is also rated R. I told them we have to make it more ‘masa’ and make it for general patronage. So we asked Earl Ignacio to revise the script and incorporate the sentiments conveyed in the Parokya ni Edgar song. We’re very pleased with what we came out with because the character of Vhong as a market-vendor who is appealing to women but who freezes and stiffens up when they’re already coming on to him became more hilarious and accessible to the viewers."
Did she have a hand in choosing Angelica Jones as Vhong’s leading lady and in getting other comedians like Long Mejia, Brod Pete, Debraliz, Dagul, Mahal, Joy Viado, Caloy Alde, Sammy Lagmay and Tuesday Vargas to support him?
"Those were management choices. For the leading lady, we actually considered other actresses with bigger names like Kristine Hermosa and Rica Peralejo, but in the end, they chose to give a break to Angelica who is getting a lot of feedback for her comic exposure in The Buzz. She turned out to be very good as a seductive con artist who gets to cure Vhong of his sexual inadequacy. I also enjoyed working with Dagul and Mahal because I was the one who directed their life stories for Maalaala Mo Kaya. Vhong is really lucky to get very good co-stars to help him out in his launching flick as they made it even more funny. Kaya lang, we didn’t have much time for bonding because we have to rush the movie for its playdate. It has to be released while the song is still hot and before Gagamboy, the filmfest entry Vhong did with Regal Films, is shown. I haven’t been sleeping very much since the start of this month because we were shooting almost everyday. Then, from the set, I’d still go to the lab to do post-production work."
She also tried doing a telenovela, Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw, for GMA 7.
"It’s very taxing. I didn’t know what I was getting into. When Judy Ann Santos first learned about it, she told me: ‘Ano, unang sabak mo sa TV, soap agad?’ In films, if I get to shoot three to five sequences a day, happy na ko. But here, we have to tape more than 30 sequences a day. Na-culture shock ako and after my first day, I was banging my head on the wall. But having a good and cooperative cast made my work easier. I said then I won’t do soap again but next year, dahil sa tindi ng pangangailangan, I want to do another again. I want to build my own house kasi now that I have a child."
Her daughter is named Liam, almost two years old. She prefers not to reveal the father’s identity. "But my child now inspires me to work harder so I can give her a better future. I already got an educational plan for her."
Although she is a director, Joyce is not spared from the ugly rumors that usually hound only movie stars. A rumor currently circulating about her is that she had a fight with Dexter Doria over a handsome prisoner in Muntinlupa and she vowed never to work with her again. How true is this?
"That’s not true I’ve never met Dexter. To dispel the rumor, I even wanted to cast her in my soap with GMA but she was already in the cast of another show. Ang cheap ng tsismis na ‘yon. Ask Robin Padilla if it’s true because they say it happened on the set of his movie, Hari ng Selda, and he’d say it’s not. I won’t quarrel with anyone over a man."
Is it true she also rejected the invitation of the Directors Guild of the Philippines to be a member? One story we heard says she told DGPI officer Jose Javier Reyes: "I don’t need the guild."
"I never said such a thing, although it’s true I declined to be a member. But two years ago, I really wanted to join their guild, but one of them, Romy Suzara, objected because I made a negative comment about his film, Sutla. Hindi naman totally negative ang sinabi ko but the way it was edited in the show that interviewed me, much of what I said was taken out and it appeared I was so against the film. Nag-sorry naman ako sa kanya and they said I can be a member, but next year na lang. But after they had a rift among themselves and some members resigned, I was kind of disillusioned as I feel all directors should be united at hindi watak-watak especially now that the industry is down."
She is noted for doing nothing but commercial hits. Doesn’t she aspire to come up with an award-winning quality film someday?
"I do. As a matter of fact, I already have a material in mind. It’s a sexy movie about the sexual awakening of two women. The problem is it’s not at all commercial and they find the ending too heavy. Mabigat daw sa dibdib. Producers are scared to gamble on projects that do not have much commercial appeal. But the next movie I’ll do with Aga, Regine and Judy Ann in the cast, I want to make it not the usual pakwela romance but a serious love story. I just hope Viva will allow me to do it."