Whatever eminent status Rory is enjoying now as one of local film industry’s respected women directors, is the result of years of hard work and determination to pursue and improve her craft. Like most directors, Rory honed her skills on TV before venturing out in films. Armed with a degree in Broadcast Communications from the University of the Philippines, she started as a production assistant in Love Lea (with Lea Salonga) on Channel 4 and did Viva Telesine before working as assistant film director to Laurice Guillen.
"It was on the set of Laurice’s Kapag Langit ang Humatol, starring Vilma (Santos) and Richard (Gomez) where I met Charo (Santos)," Rory shares.
Rory became a resident director for ABS-CBN. She was given her first big break in the Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode which featured Gardo Versoza, Jennifer Sevilla and Lani Mercado. That inspired Rory to pursue a career as a film director. She went on to direct more episodes for MMK, as well as for Star Drama Theater.
Rory was also the megman behind the hit soap series, Esperanza, which topbilled Judy Ann Santos. Rory directed the actress in the more recent TV project, the fantasy-series Krystala. She will handle Judy Ann anew in the latter’s forthcoming soap series with Piolo Pascual, which will have Jerry Sineneng and Trina Dayrit as the other TV directors.
Expectedly, ABS-CBN’s film outfit, Star Cinema, also gave Rory her directorial debut for the big screen, the romantic-comedy, Basta’t Kasama Kita, which starred Aga Muhlach and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres. The film marked Rory’s first time to work with a first-rate actor like Aga. But Basta’t Kasama Kita was followed with other projects which eventually brought out the good working relationship between Rory and Aga. They are reunited in Star Cinema’s latest blockbuster offering, Dubai, which also stars Claudine Barretto and John Lloyd Cruz.
"The first time I worked with Aga, I was intimidated because of his stature," Rory grants. "Prior to Basta’t Kasama Kita, I met him several years before when I was still an assistant director. In Sa Aking mga Kamay, it was a director-actor relationship. But by the time we did Kailangan Kita with Claudine Barretto in Bicol, we were already comfortable with each other."
In Dubai, Rory and Aga took their relationship to a different level and became much closer as friends. "While filming in Dubai, we would talk even in the wee hours about anything and everything, family, love, career. Malalim si Aga. I guess that’s also the reason he’s a very good actor."
Rory informs more than 60 percent of the film was shot in Dubai, to mirror the plight of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and give audiences an idea about the life of an OFW in the Emirate. One scene in the movie had Ana Capri detailing the sordid and miserable life experienced by her ex-boyfriend, played by Aga.
The biggest challenge for Rory in Dubai is directing the car chase in the sand dunes, which took her three afternoons to shoot with the three lead stars. The footage was shown for less than a minute in the film. They even had to return to Dubai early this month to reshoot the final scene which was truly heartwarming.
Just like her previous projects, Rory uses the grandeur of nature as her scenic backdrop for the film. "I’m an outdoor person," Rory offers. "I like to capture nature and its beauty, and make the actors blend in. It’s really different when you’re directing a film. You get a different kind of fulfillment."
For her dream projects, Rory expresses her desire to do a project in South Africa or work with Superstar Nora Aunor in a full-length film. "She (Nora) was the one who told me, ‘Magiging director ka,’ when I directed her in Star Drama Theater before," Rory shares. "My filmography has to include projects with Vilma and Nora. I’ve already worked with Vilma in Anak, so I’m hoping for a project with Nora in the future."
Rory regrets she was not able to work with the late directorial great, Lino Brocka, whose work, Gumapang Ka sa Lusak (a compelling drama starring Eddie Garcia, Charo Santos, Christopher de Leon and Dina Bonnevie which hewed closely to the life of the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos), stands one of her favorite films to date. Rory says she also looks up to award-winning director Marilou Diaz Abaya. "Karnal was also very good," Rory maintains.
Despite the long slump of Filipino movies, Rory feels she is fortunate to get the good projects from an organization which believes in quality work without compromising aesthetic aspects.
"Olive (Lamasan) and I are very fortunate in getting good projects from ABS-CBN," Rory asserts. "We were at the right place, right time and right company. To the day I die, I will say that."