Sabi ni Direk (Part 1)

Joyce Bernal goes back to directing for TV in GMA’s much-awaited “Marimar!” Here she talks about her past experience with the Mexican telenovela, making it different the second time around, and collaborating with direk Mac Alejandre. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. Revisiting MariMar Direk Joyce shares that during the height of Marimar’s fame in 1996, when she was still staying in a boarding house, their landlady would not serve them dinner unless Marimar’s episode was already finished! “Kasi siya 'yung nagpapakain din sa amin. So hindi kami pwedeng kumain hangga’t hindi tapos si Marimar! Wala munang gagalaw – pati 'yung mga kasama niya sa bahay, hindi pwedeng kumain! Ceasefire muna!” direk Joyce recollects with a laugh. Since most of her projects have been movie-based, she embraced the opportunity to work for TV again, especially when she heard that it would be for Marimar. This is her second collaboration with GMA, her first being Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw in 2002, starring Richard Gomez, Christopher De Leon, and Alice Dixson. “Actually, I really need to work with other people. Tamang-tama itong binigay nila sa akin. Talagang gusto kong gumawa sa ibang produksyon – actually, ang balak ko lang talaga is for movies, na gagawa ako sa ibang producer aside from Star Cinema (Her most recent project was Paano Kita Iibigin, with Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual). Natatakot kasi (ako) sa soap, lalo na pag may effects! Matagal kayang i-shoot ‘yun, tapos ang hirap! 'Yung mga may lumilipad, may mga magic? Ayoko ‘yan, natatakot ako! Tinawagan kaagad ako ng GMA. Sabi sa akin, ‘Okay ‘yan, wala namang effects ‘yan! At saka si Marimar (naman) – bagay sa’yo 'yung character! Malandi ka, e!’” direk Joyce shares animatedly. Direk Joyce imparts that she didn’t witness the auditions, because when she came into the project, everything was almost ready. “Pagdating ko doon, handa na ang buffet, kakain na lang ako! Medyo buo na. Nanood na lang ako ng Marimar, tapos character preparation na lang kami – look, workshops, dance, at nag-session pa kami nina Dingdong. We had like five to six sessions with the two of them. Meroon din kaming part na Marian lang muna, (tapos) Dingdong lang muna.” The second time around What makes this Marimar different from the 1996 version? “Sync na kami ngayon – dati hindi sync, e! Hindi na nahuhuli 'yung dialogue, o nauuna!” jokes direk Joyce. On a serious note, she explains, “Medyo pinakita namin ‘yung back story – ‘yung relationship ng father at saka ng young Marimar, kasi ‘yun 'yung pinaka angkla nung story – si Marimar will soon become mayaman; 'yung change niya, ganoon. Although in a day or two lang yata mangyayari, buo 'yung story na ‘yun.” “Then 'yung conflict, dinagdagan namin – si Angelika, parang may past sila ni Sergio. May mga dinagdag na conflict, pero we retained most of the major characters. Tapos 'yung iba, (we) tweaked nang konti 'yung character. Pero of course, in-adjust namin sa (kung) ano ang Pinoy. In-update nang konti, although 'yung basic love story ni Sergio at Marimar, ganoon pa rin. Hindi nagbabago.” “Si Marimar lang, syempre – si Marimar doon sa dati, medyo (mas liberal) siya, e – gusto, pahalik nang pahalik! Dito, mas conservative nang konti. Although 'yung look, 'yung medyo kita 'yung cleavage, ginaya, pero hindi kasintulad nung (pagka-todo) (noong kay) Thalia. (At saka) ito, feeling ko, better (siya) storywise.” Partners in crime The other director for this series will be Mac Alejandre, whom we’ve come to know for his Dramarama projects such as Muli, Kung Mahawi Man Ang Ulap, and the soon-to-be-aired Tasya Pantasya. “Feeling ko, mas forte ni direk Mac ito, e – soap. Alam niya ‘yan, e. Turf niya ito. Kung baga nakikinig ako kay direk Mac. Magkaiba kami ng thinking: Direk Mac is very aware of ratings, and then what is commercial sa TV. Ako, alam ko commercial sa movies.” Some of Joyce Bernal’s box office hits include Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw (2000), Booba (2001), and Don’t Give Up on Us (2006). “Hindi pareho ang movie at TV. So nakikinig ako sa kanya. And then he contributed a lot, lalo na sa workshop ng dalawa. Parati akong naka-depende sa kanya. Pag may ideas ako, sasabihin ko sa kanya. Sasabihin niya, ‘Okay yan!’ Parang siya pa nagpu-push sa akin. Kasi hindi ako masyadong sanay sa TV – hindi ko alam kung ano ipu-push ko,” direk Joyce says modestly. She continues, “Sinabi ko sa kanya, 'yung collaboration naming dalawa is okay lang na mag-suggest (siya) sa akin. Actually, ayoko talaga 'yung (may) unit 1, unit 2 -- 'yung ako 'yung main director, tapos siya 'yung (second unit). Pero sabi ko, it’s just a term – it’s not my show – it’s our show. I can say na 50-50 kami ni direk Mac. Hindi 70-30, hindi 60-40.” To find out what direk Joyce has to say about the cast, visit iGMA again to catch part 2 of this feature!