From behind to front of cameras

Very rarely do directors become celebrities; whenever they do a project, it’s almost always the star that gets the lion’s share of the attention.

Thus, it was a bit of a paradigm shift when Rechie del Carmen, who has been directing in ABS-CBN for more than 10 years — she was co-director for teleseryes like Tabing Ilog, G-Mik, Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, Dahil May Isang Ikaw, Panday, Ligaw na Bulaklak, Prinsesa ng Banyera, Reputasyon, Guns & Roses, Maria Mercedes and Paraiso (her current project is Walang Iwanan with direk Jerome Pobocan) — found herself suddenly thrust in front of the camera. She became a live stand-up performer, doing shows in bars, essentially moving from behind to in front of the camera.

It wasn’t something that was planned deliberately, but rather, an idea that was born when direk Rechie found herself temporarily jobless last year. “You know how it is in the industry, napaka-unstable,” she says. “Instead of waiting for my next project as a director, I produced a show for Eula Valdez at The Crowd (a resto-bar in Mandaluyong) which is owned by my friend Cora Rodrigo. It was a successful show.”

That success deserved a follow-up. But what? That’s when it came to her. In one of their gatherings with friends, direk Rechie thought of putting up another show, but this time featuring another artist. Then Concert Queen Pops Fernandez — who has produced some shows of her own — came up with a rather bold suggestion: “Direk, why don’t you do it? Mas interesado ako to watch you. And hindi mo pa kailangan magbayad ng artist.”

At first, direk Rechie laughed Pops’ idea off. But after giving it some thought, she came around to it eventually, and got the idea of doing something like what TV host Ellen DeGeneres does in her show, where she does gags and exchanges lively banter with her celebrity guests. “Sa kapapanuod ko ng Ellen, bigla akong nagka-idea,” admits direk Rechie. “Then binalikan ko si Pops. Sabi ko, papatulan ko na hamon n’ya. I will do an Ellen-type show. Ayun! That started it.”

Her first show Playtime with Rechie D’Generous was held at The Crowd bar in November last year. It featured her performing comedic skits and other gags. (She’s doing another one on Oct. 9, which will be the fourth in a series).

Being onstage as a performer is very different from being behind the camera as a director, says direk Rechie.

“Siyempre, iba talaga pag nasa harap ka ng mga tao, performing for them as compared to being the director, na ako ang masusunod kung gusto ko ang acting ng mga artista ko… Grabe ang tensyon ‘pag nasa stage...Specially mahirap kasi bar ang venue ko.. Para makuha mo ang attention ng crowd, kailangan ng spunk! Bilang director, chill lang ako… No tensions except kung mabibigat ang eksenang kukunan.”

Anything and everything becomes material for her show. “Nararamdaman ko na lang what to talk about ‘pag malapit na ang show,” she says. “Kailangan kasi updated. Meron ding kwento ng buhay ko... pag may nakakatawang nangyari sa akin before the show, kinukwento ko. It’s a banter din with my guests. Maraming impromptu hirit… It’s the energy coming to me on stage... masaya pag ang audience nag-re-react eh. Dun nanggagaling ang energy.”

It doesn’t mean, though, that direk Rechie will give up her directorial career for this new path that she’s on.

“Directing is my passion, my bread and butter. Having gigs is my sideline. ‘Yung pwede kong gawin pag-nababakante. Ang pagpapasaya ng mga tao is fulfilling, too!”