At the media conference for Bata Pa si Sabel on November 9, which LionhearTV covered, Director Reynold Giba recounted his transition from ABS-CBN to sexy genre films.
Giba noted that he used to work as a senior writer for Rated K before he reached out to Director Brillante Mendoza for an apprenticeship.
“Bago ako napunta ng filmmaking, bago ako napunta kay Direk Brillante Mendoza. I’ve been with ABS-CBN actually– for twelve years– twelve years to thirteen years. I’ve been a Senior Writer for Rated K for eleven years, so for twelve years, before I decided na– I would go into filmmaking.
“So kinontact ko si Direk Brillante kung pwede akong mag-apprentice. That was 2019, tapos simula noon dire-diretso na ako.”
He listed some projects he worked on under the mentorship of Mendoza, such as Sisid, Virgin Forest, Alapaap, and Bata Pa Si Sabel.
“Ang una naming pinagsamahang movie is ‘yung–una kong isinulat is ‘yung– una kong sinulat for him actually, is ‘yung isang movie na dito ipapalabas, Coco and Julia. Tapos nasundan nga, ang una naming project with Viva ay Sisid, Virgin Forest, tapos itong Alapaap actually, ako din sumulat noon, tapos itong Bata Pa si Sabel.”
He clarified that he didn’t undergo a significant adjustment in his shift to sexy genre films since they’re two different disciplines.
“Siyempre siguro mahirap, tsaka iba naman kasi ‘yung–kumbaga iba ‘yung discipline sa TV writing tsaka ‘yung sa Film writing. So in essence, hindi na ako nag-adjust kasi parang iba ‘yung discipline niya sa TV writing at sa Film writing. Tsaka naumpisahan na–dito ako nag-umpisa, so parang hindi ako masyadong nahirapan na gumawa ng mga content na babagay sa Vivamax.Â
“Kasi kumbaga ito rin ‘yung simula ko bilang isang screenwriter kumbaga sa pelikula.”
However, Giba cited that his experience in the news and public affairs program helped prepare him to tell realistic stories under the sexy genre.
“Hindi ko nakita siyempre noong nasa ABS-CBN ako, kasi focus ka sa TV work mo tapos ang programa mo pa is di naman drama or di entertainment talaga, kung di news and current affairs, so ibang-iba.Â
“Nagkataon lang, ang maganda lang, noong ginagawa namin ni Direk Brillante sa Center Stage kumbaga, pati ‘yung mga kwento sa Vivamax, familiar ako kasi ang ginagawa kong istorya sa Rated K, life.
“Kumbaga, parang totoong kwentong tao, so ina-apply ko din kumbaga ‘yung discipline na ‘yun kung papaano tumakbo ang isang storya sa totoong buhay at para gawing isang pelikula.”
Bata Pa si Sabel stars Micaela Raz, Stephanie Raz, Benz Sangalang, Chad Solano, Rash Flores, Angela Morena, Gardo Versoza, and Julio Diaz.
The Vivamax movie will premiere via Vivamax Plus on November 28 and streams via Vivamax on December 2.
