Direk Mac Alejandre before he took ‘flight’

For Someone who took industrial pharmacy in college, it’s really a wonder that director Mac Alejandre ended up directing TV shows and movies instead.

"I’ve always been attracted to showbiz and my first job was as an entertainment writer for Midday Magazine and some newspapers," he reveals. "I also took filmmaking lessons at the UP Film Center under Nick Deocampo and I spent two years with Mowelfund Film Institute studying film under Raymond Red. I then worked as assistant director to various filmmakers like Mel Chionglo, Joey Reyes, Chito Roño, and the late Ishmael Bernal. I also assisted Ricky Lee in putting up his scriptwriting workshops. He’s very close to Nora Aunor and when ABS-CBN asked her to do a drama series for them, she requested that I direct it. Of course, they didn’t like the idea at first but Nora insisted on me. She asked them to test me and if they didn’t like my work, then they don’t have to pay her. As my audition, Charo Santos asked me to direct an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya with Nora in the lead role. They liked it well enough that her sister, Malou, offered to manage me. After that, they also asked me to direct for their other shows, like Star Drama Presents and Mr. Kupido."

He was 25 when he started directing. He also branched out to directing TV commercials and his very first, the Goodbye, Carlo commercial for Pure Foods Hotdog, won Ad of the Year. "I became so busy directing TV shows five times a week that I collapsed on the set and ended in the hospital. In 1994, I decided to move to Viva TV and they made me direct their drama show, Spotlight, Mikee Cojuangco’s show and their soap opera on GMA 7, Ikaw Na Sana. It was also Viva Films that gave me the chance to direct my first full-length film, Campus Girls. But I will always feel grateful to ABS for giving me my break as a director. At Viva, Boss Vic del Rosario asked me to concentrate on directing youth-oriented films, mostly starring Donna Cruz, like Dahil May Tanging Ikaw, Habang May Buhay, and Okay si Ma’am’ where Geneva Cruz met Paco Arespacochaga at doon sila nagkaligawan. I also directed Angelu de Leon in Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig, Ang Lahat ng Ito ay Para Sa Iyo, and the film version of Ikaw Na Sana. By that time, I was already tired of doing bagets movies and I asked Boss Vic to give me a serious drama with sex and violence in it. Ayaw niya, so I decided to shy away from movies and concentrated on doing TV commercials for almost three years."

He was doing about 30 commercials a year for all major advertising agencies. "Late last year, Boss Vic called me again and asked me to direct the launching movie of Katya Santos, Sukdulan. It was a project I really liked and Katya turned out to be very good in the role of Raymond Bagatsing’s unfaithful wife. It was shown early this year and did very well at the box office, so I got an offer from Seiko Films to direct Diana Zubiri and Francine Prieto in Liberated, which was also a hit."

Now, he gets to direct his first action-fantasy film about a superhero, Captain Barbell, an entry to the Metro-Manila Filmfest. "Actually, I wasn’t the first choice to direct it but Quark Henares. But for some reason, he backed out and Boss Vic asked me if I’d be interested to do it. I said yes right away because I’ve seen all the three previous Captain Barbell films starring Bob Soler, Dolphy, and Edu Manzano, and I like the idea of coming up with my own version. So we sat down and they asked me what my vision is for a Captain Barbell project. I told them I want it to be primarily a love story because I want to give it more heart. So this time, we have a love triangle involving Ogie Alcasid as Enteng, the janitor in love with Regine Velasquez as Cielo, the schoolteacher who is in turn in love with Bong Revilla as Captain Barbell, not knowing Bong is the alter ego of Ogie. I also wanted Captain Barbell not to be just another superhero but someone with human qualities who’ll fall in love and get hurt because he realizes he has to sacrifice his love for Cielo to pursue his mission of helping the oppressed members of society. I also want the villains, to be played by Albert Martinez, Rufa Mae Quinto and Jeffrey Quizon to be all victims. Like Enteng, they are given magical superpowers and it’s up to them to use it for good or bad.They choose the latter, unlike Enteng as Captain Barbell who opts to do good. Viva already had a script and they’ve already cast the project when I was called in, so I just asked RJ Nuevas to revise the existing script and incorporate my inputs."

The moment direk Mac agreed to do the movie, he immediately realized he was under enormous pressure to finish the film at the soonest possible time because the filmfest screening committee had a deadline.

"The first thing I did was to have a serious talk with Bong Revilla. As a top action star, I know he’s used to being directed by macho directors. I asked him if he’d comfortable with a gay director like me. He asked me what I plan to do and when he heard my side, he totally agreed with my ideas and respected me as his director. And I can never really stop praising him because, for a big star, he’s so humble. No superstar airs, he comes to the set on time and already prepared for the scene to be shot. In the flying scenes, he’d be hanging up there in the air for several hours while harnessed on a crane and you’d never hear him complain. Before we shoot a scene, I’d explain to him in detail the attack that I want to do and he’d listen patiently. Then we’d rehearse for about six to eight times before the take and he just complied without a whimper. After the take, he’d asked me if he was able to do exactly what I have in mind and when I’d say no, he’d even ask for a retake. Actually, it’s my first time for me to work with all my stars in this film and, initially, I was afraid that their egos might get on the way of my directing style. But in fairness to all of them, they cooperated with me and there were no hitches at all on the set. I’m really amazed at how they all wanted to contribute para mas mapaganda ang movie. Imagine, Ogie even volunteered to write three new songs for the film: the Captain Barbell theme song, the love song Sa Piling Mo, and the touching Awit ni Belen, which is Snooky Serna’s theme song. Even the technical people from Romy Vitug as cinematographer and Jordi Francisco as musical director to Dodge Ledesma as special effects director and Danny Gloria as film editor, all of them coordinated with everyone to make sure we come up with a good film."

Viva Films is said to be very pleased with the finished product they are now commissioning him to direct Regine in the next remake of Darna. "Bong also wants me to do the prequel for his Agimat. Viva likewise asked me to direct their new discovery, Sarah Geronimo, in her launching movie na parang Princess Diaries to be filmed in Europe, and I also have offers from Seiko and Regal Films to make new sex dramas for them. 2003 has really been a good year for me, but I expect 2004 to be even better."