During filming, switching from acting to directing and vice versa can be extremely perplexing at times. It occurred to Bela Padilla, who in addition to playing the major role in the upcoming Vivamax original film 366, also wrote the screenplay and directed it.
Zanjoe Marudo and JC Santos also appear in the movie, which is “about love, suffering, and starting life and love afresh.”
During a video conversation about her process as a director and actress at the same time, Bela said, “Meron ka dapat on-and-off switch.” I had to ponder up until the very last second of everyone’s direction because I was always the one being cast in the lead role or having co-actors with me on site. I had to be ready to go into action before the assistant director could.
It was difficult for her during the initial takes. She actually made a mistake while filming. She said, “Si Zanjoe is still my kinunan. Yung unang eksena ng buong pelikula. Dahil yun nga naninibago ako, nakalimutan kong sumigaw ng sound and camera, dumiretso ako sa action na hindi nag-roll yung sound and camera, hindi ako kasama sa eksena at sa sobrang kaba ko siguro or dahil yun nga.
Because, I suppose, as an artista, “ang hinihintay mo lang palagi yung action, dapat hindi mo na naririnig yung sound tsaka camera na salita,” she said, “while you’re on set. You ought to be in the zone, Parang. Of course, as a director, you have a lot on your plate. As a result, I would occasionally get the thought, “Onga pala, teka lang, I’m not just an actress on set today; I’m also directing this, so we had to redo that take, and I had to tell sound and camera.
Bela had been urged to try directing by numerous people for about five years, but she wasn’t ready at the time. “When I initially heard about it, I didn’t want to do it because so many benefits were still on the way. I was given a lot of movies and TV shows to watch. The acting tasks or jobs that were offered to me were always given priority, she said.
But it was the COVID-19 epidemic that gave her the idea to become a director..
“I’d say Angelica (Panganiban) is one of the strong people I’m connected to; I can see that in her, and she exemplifies that strength. And I believe that 366 is what they mean when they say “isa yun sa mga bagay na gusto ko sanang makuha ng mga tao.” For you to genuinely be able to love other people, self-love is crucial, she continued.
Bela is dating Swiss man Norman Bay, who makes a brief appearance in the movie 366, and they are together. She currently resides in London and will return to the Philippines to promote the film next month.
366 will air on Vivamax on April 22.
IMAGE SOURCES: 366 FB PAGE
