A love story that fades slowly

MANILA, Philippines – After curating the one-of-a-kind Buhayani Independent Film Festival and ToFarm Film Festival, direk Maryo J. delos Reyes goes back to the familiar drama territory as he oversees GMA 7’s Someone To Watch Over Me. Premiering on Sept. 5 after Descendants of the Sun, the inspirational drama is a far cry from his previous projects Magkano Ba Ang Pag-Ibig? and Pari ’Koy, which direk Maryo described as traditional drama and secular domestic drama, respectively, in past interviews.

“It is a romantic story that fades slowly but along the way struggles to maintain the theme — the heart remembers whether you grow old, forget memories or fade from this world,” said the director during the grand presscon of the show, starring Tom Rodriguez, Lovi Poe and Max Collins. The culprit in creating conflicts is the early-onset Alzheimer’s disease that Tom as TJ Chavez suffers from — not the usual protagonist’s hubris (self-pride) that leads to a tragic ending. Competing in TJ’s attention are Joanna Mercado (Lovi) and Irene Montenegro (Max).

“First is how to make the story interesting because the (disease) is already negative,” direk Maryo pointed out one of the challenges he and his team are facing in telling this special kind of love story. “How do you make it interesting? (You know) to make it remarkable and noticeable and to have the story substance… Second is how to make a well-researched story about the disease... what we know from Alzheimer’s is, it manifests (or shows its) effects when you grow old and that the brain cells deteriorate — (ito ay) tulad ng ibang sakit, tulad sa puso, ito naman ay sa utak — mawawalan ng function ang utak, the memory inside the (storage) bank fades. And third is to make it entertaining and captivating for the audience.”

Those are the challenges direk Maryo has to hurdle, content- and story-wise. As a wont, he is also up to give his stars “something to bite on and at the same time for them to provide exhaustively what I have asked them (as for the roles they are playing). And so far, we are still studying (and finding ways) on how to present the story (revolving around the disease) in a most interesting way.”

What does he require his actors to bring in every taping day?

“As of now, they are giving what (their roles require). So I don’t see any reason (to ask more from them),” answered direk Maryo. “It is basically being honest about what they feel about their emotions.” He expects his stars to act their characters “within the confines” set by the story. “You cannot let them go overboard. There are limitations. There is no absolute freedom. (It) has its own limitations even if we are free.”

For Tom, direk Maryo wants the actor to tone down his energy, particularly when his TJ begins to succumb to Alzheimer’s. So far, the director is all praises for the acting ensemble.

To depict the medical condition clearly, direk Maryo is working closely with researchers and resource persons to thresh out its telltale signs and real-life complications. 

“I’m reading about Alzheimer’s. You can Google it. You can have one whole chapter or more chapters. It is something fresh and new which I haven’t encountered. I have to research on it... It is a continuous research.” Again, it is a struggle for the director to strike a balance between being scientific in presenting Alzheimer’s and placing it within the compelling bounds of drama. “Yung emotion nagbabago, yung fi-ne-feed mong data ay dapat totoo,” he said. That’s why he doesn’t mind re-shooting some scenes.

Direk Maryo also shared that his personal experience and “homegrown knowledge” about the disease should not reflect in the drama since the topic is delicate. He wants to treat the TV series quietly, devoid of telenovela histrionics like shouting and fighting. “I want to go into deeper emotions (and go for) quiet delivery of characters but deeply-rooted and felt.”

“What is important to me is to tell the story in the best way I can,” direk Maryo said on competition among TV dramas. “So competition will always be there. I will give my best every time I tell a story.” This is every director’s best weapon in dealing with TV ratings and winning viewer’s nod, especially when another drama from another network almost tackles the same theme.

Although it touches on Alzheimer’s disease, Someone To Watch Over Me will remind the young — who have consumed foreign cultural products through the Internet — about Filipino values.

“Perhaps, respect for the sick (is one),” said direk Maryo. “(Another is) like what Max has said, the patient may forget you, but you will still remember him because you can relate to him. Then, respect for elders and understanding (about the situation). In every (journey with any) disease, two parties are affected — the sick and the caregiver.”