Joel Lamangan works with newcomers in Silab

The simple story of a belt used by veteran and multi-awarded director Joel Lamangan as a technique for his actor Jason Abalos, then may not be interesting for most people. For Jason, however, it will always be unforgettable and a source of inspiration through the years.

Direk Joel was Jason’s first director in the latter’s teleserye debut, Vietnam Rose, shown in 2005, the year after the actor joined Star Circle National Teen Quest.

“That time, even up to now, I did everything myself,” Jason shares. “Ako ang PA (production assistant), driver, ako lahat. We always segued from teleserye taping to shooting a film. Lagi akong pagod.”

One day, direk Joel asked someone on the Vietnam Rose set, “Ilabas mo ang sinturon,” apparently instructing someone to bring out the belt. “I thought hahampasin niya ako para magising ako,” Jason recalls. “Wala kasi akong energy. I asked him crying, ‘Direk, bakit po?’

“I thought, hahampasin niya ang kamay ko. Then sabi niya, ‘Hawakan mo.’ Naghilahan kami sa belt. Binuhay niya ‘yung pagkatao ko that day. Ginising niya ‘ko. Mayroon siyang mga paraan para maibigay ng isang artista ang dapat gawin sa eksena.”

After the take for Jason’s scenes, direk Joel commented, “Grabe ka. Napagod ako sa ‘yo. Ang lakas mo pala.’ ‘Yun pala ‘yun. After that, hindi ko talaga nakalimutan ‘yun and I always shared it to others every chance I get.”

Jason gets to work anew with direk Joel in the forthcoming sexy drama, Silab, with the original story written by the award-winning Raquel Villavicencio. Jason plays the husband of new actress Cloe Barretto. Forming a love triangle with them is newcomer Marco Gomez. The film was bankrolled by Len Carillo of 3:16 Media Network.

Supporting his new co-stars did not prove to be a tough undertaking for Jason. “Surprisingly, ‘yung dalawa napakahusay,” he says, referring to Marco and Cloe. “Karamihan yata one take lang sila. Hindi rin kami nahirapan gawin ang movie. Maganda rin na nasa lock-in kami, so no distraction sa akin. ‘Yung isip at puso namin focused sa paggawa ng pelikula.”

Jason believes Marco and Cloe will reach even greater heights in their acting career in future projects. “Malayo ang mararating ng dalawa,” he beams. “Pwede silang mikipagsabayan kahit kanino. Buong buo ang guidance sa amin ni direk Joel throughout the shoot. Feeling ko, hindi kami talaga mahihirapan sa mga eksena.”

Jason believes Silab was a God-given project for him to work again with direk Joel anew. “When I did Vietnam Rose with him nearly two decades ago, I knew I wasn’t prepared for so many things then,” Jason grants.

“That’s why I wanted to make a movie with direk Joel. Then this project came. After our shoot here sa Silab, he approached me and said, ‘Sobrang proud ako sa ‘yo.’ I think this movie was the answer to my prayers.”

Meanwhile, Vienna, Austria-born and raised Marco is truly grateful in working with direk Joel. “When I first learned that Cloe and I would play the leads, I was really pressured,” Marco admits. “Direk Joel told me what to do in certain scenes. I was also very thankful to Jason. He helped me a lot in how to deliver the lines correctly or how to do the right angle.”

Silab will be streamed online starting July 9, ahead of another film by direk Joel, Lockdown. He started 2021 with a controversial project, Anak ng Macho Dancer, that launched the career of Sean De Guzman.

For her part, this is not Cloe’s first time to work with direk Joel. She was previously in the cast of Anak ng Macho Dancer, where she made her screen debut in a minor role. This time around, in Silab, Cloe enjoys stellar billing with Marco and Jason.

“Takot akong masigawan,” admits Cloe, who is now studying in the US and at the same time, attending to her sick dad (Ronaldo Nicolas). “With direk Joel, I learned how to mingle with other people.”

Cloe cannot be thankful enough when she was compared by direk Joel with multi-awarded veteran actress Jaclyn Jose, who was a daring, young newcomer then in director Chito Roño’s Private Show (1985).

Going sexy in the movies became Cloe’s stepping stone to get into the mainstream. “Kahit ako nagulat din ako,” Cloe says. “Ibinigay ko naman lahat when I heard that comment. Sobrang sarap madinig kapag galing kay direk ‘yung ganoong magagandang bagay.”

Direk Joel had nothing but praise for Cloe. “Mayroon siyang ibubuga at tinatago sa larangan ng pag-arte,” he says. “Mahusay siyang artista at hindi siya natatakot na gawin ang mga bagay na kailangan sa eksena.”