Gina touches the heart

MANILA, Philippines -  “I think I’m cool. I think I’m steady,” Gina Alajar describes herself as director. “Hindi na ako masyadong nagagalit.” Child stars Chlaui Malayao, Zymic Jaranilla, Judie dela Cruz, Jemwell Ventinilla and Steph Yamut of GMA 7’s Yagit can attest to it as direk Gina mans the set of the Kapuso Afternoon drama series, which airs weekdays after The Half-Sisters.

Gina’s latest TV assignment brings back happy childhood memories since she entered the local tinsel town as a child star before graduating to a dramatic actor in important films such as Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, Salome, Moral and Mulanay: Sa Pusod ng Paraiso. The latter had given Gina the grand-slam Best Supporting Actress distinction.     

“With the (Yagit) kids, I prepared myself,” she shares. “They’ll go home at 12 midnight. They have a cut-off. Unlike (before), I would be awakened at 3 a.m. to shoot (some scene). I give them leeway because basically they are new, even Chlaui, who has done commercials, is new to TV. I expect much from them but with leeway. I’m willing to help (them).” But what makes Gina’s work easy is the series of acting workshops given to kids by Ann Villegas and daughter Sweet.

“We tape Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with coach Sweet. There’s workshop on Tuesdays and Thursdays for them,” she recalls. “Whatever (scene) we’ll shoot the next day, (the kids) are practising it during the workshop. Work is fast and Ann knows what my requirements are. My job is easier with the kids.”

Gina adds that her being a young, doting grandmother helps in understanding the child stars’ language and in dealing with them. Since the lady filmmaker was there from Day One of the auditions, Gina can assure everyone of their potential. “My consideration is if people will embrace the child and if they will say, ‘Ay, gusto kitang maging baby. Gusto kitang yakapin,’” she shares.

The latest reinterpretation of the ‘80s drama will revolve around the mother-and-daughter relationship of Eliza and Dolores (played by Chlaui and Yasmien Kurdi, respectively), says Gina. Eliza will look for her dad, while another character named Jocelyn (Judie) dreams of becoming a star. The kids would meet in skates (“trolley”) as compared to the usual kariton (cart).

“There are so many talents — maraming magaganda, tisoy, tisay na mga bata (good-looking, fair-skinned kids), who want to become stars,” says Gina. “All of them (whether kids or adults) see a career in showbiz until someone tells them they cannot. They have a dream at hindi mo naman maaalis yan sa kanila.” As to quote the tagline of the popular artista search, aspirants have to “Dream. Believe. Survive.” Direk Gina says she hopes that showbiz wannabes have the talent, which is always the bottom line whether they possess striking good looks or not. Their talent in singing, acting or dancing should be developed. “Mag-aral, mag-workshop at seryosohin,” she advises. Gina knows this by heart since she has been there and done that.

Asked who encouraged her to try her hand in directing, Gina replies, “Tito Douglas Quijano gave me the idea of branching out into directing. Then I said, ‘No, I don’t like.’ And he said, ‘But you can.’ I said, ‘Wala akong alam.’ It’s not really that hard to convince me, especially when you challenge me. I have that thing. Once you challenge me, I’ll give it a try. If I passed it with flying colors, then I would consider doing it again.”

Gina’s directorial debut was a GMA 7 telecine and another network commissioned her and other fellow actors to do drama anniversary specials. The past years have seen Gina doing more behind-the-scenes work for TV.

“It’s frustrating when you cannot get what you want from an actor,” she says. “It’s frustrating when you know an actor is lazy — he has just memorized his lines and never bothers to know where his character is coming from and what he is feeling at the moment, especially when the actor has the potential. When actors are committed (and) when you give them instructions, they listen. If they don’t know how, they ask. (And) I show them.”

The collaborative atmosphere on Gina’s set makes everyone happy and relax. If things do not go her way, Gina thinks of those people who have mentored her as an artist.

“When I get (trapped) in a situation, I always hear him (Tito Lino Brocka) saying, ‘When you don’t know what to do, just go back to the basics. Don’t complicate matters. Don’t complicate things.’” And perhaps it gives Gina a clear perspective of a scene that tugs at the heart of televiewers.