REEL
What were you doing when you learned Birdshot would be the Philippine entry to the Oscars ?
I was on Facebook and Twitter when I saw someone tweet about it . I kept refreshing , and I saw the news slowly spread online . I would ’ ve fallen in shock , but fortunately I was already lying in bed .
How does it feel to represent the Philippines with your art outside the country ?
It feels great , especially after the long journey we ’ ve been through to complete Birdshot . We ( the entire cast and crew of Birdshot ) all made sacrifices and we were all patient with the process . Knowing that our film is well received here and abroad and being the representative of Philippine Cinema for the Academy Awards is just a dream come true , everything after that is just a big bonus .
Coming off the heels of your first film , what lessons did you carry forward onto Birdshot ? Has your approach to filmmaking ( or storytelling in general ) changed ?
Rekorder was a micro budget feature that was produced through Cinemalaya and private investors . With limited resources , I had to find a way to cleverly combine form and substance to reduce costs . The film was about piracy , voyeurism , apathy and the bastardization of cinema , the perfect treatment was to utilize portable digital and video formats to tell the story , it was also a very cost-effective way of shooting a first feature .
For my second film , Birdshot , I wanted to try something different , the classical , more conventional approach to the filmmaking process . I was patient with the project and I aimed for a well-crafted film — it took us two years to complete the film through international financing and pitching . Without a local grant , festival deadline , or time constraints , we were able to polish the film and push the technical standards and production value — we released the film when we felt like it was truly ready . The story focuses on a parable-like narrative that required a more traditional sense of film language . I was very clean , precise , and meticulous with every detail — fitting for a tale of tragedy and beauty , violence and grace — the objective was to create a spectacle .
For Neomanila , I wanted to finish the film in a much timely manner since the subject matter is very current . I was able to win a grant from QCinema and I partnered up with Waning Crescent Arts and TBA ( who also co-financed Birdshot ). We were able to finish faster with less resources , I felt that as a filmmaker I ’ ve developed better decision making skills under pressure . I took a grittier approach for Neomanila , using handheld shots to replace tripod shots or controlled motion shots like in my previous films , but I still maintained my trademark aesthetic , giving importance to film language and deliberate shot sequencing . For my fourth film , which is a horror film , I plan to be even more technical with my approach . I will need to work carefully on the storyboard , ensuring that the scares and tension are amplified by my visual storytelling , composition and camera movement .
Let ’ s talk about the making of Birdshot . What lessons did you learn shooting your sophomore film ?
I learned that to properly make a film with a dynamic cinematic feel to it , I would need at least 20 shooting days . I learned that sound is very important in conveying emotion and creating spectacle , in fact we spent a month just polishing the sound . I learned that when shooting exterior shots for a “ western ” themed film , your greatest enemy is the movement of the sun . I learned that it will take you at least two years if you plan to go through the international financing route , in fact we were very lucky that we won a significant amount of funding in our first submission attempt , it usually takes longer than that to complete financing . I learned that the best way to make big and well-crafted films and to sustain your filmmaking career is to partner up with a studio that trusts your vision — that is every filmmaker ’ s dream . I am very lucky that my next films are backed by studios .
There ’ s an old Hollywood saying about never working with children or animals , but you managed to accomplish both brilliantly in Birdshot . Can you tell us about the challenges you faced in directing someone who wasn ’ t just young but a newcomer as well ?
Work with the best . I worked with the best young actress we could find . We got her from a pool of more than a hundred aspirants . I also worked with the best trained dog we could find .
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