AYA MEDEL -- NEW BOX OFFICE QUEEN
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
(http://www.newsflash.org/).
============================================
AYA MEDEL -- MAKING HAY IS NO PICNIC
Special to Philippine Headline News Online
By Alex Jimenez (Newsflash Entertainment Columnist)
Fast and furious is Aya Medel's odyssey in local
movies during the past 18 months that saw her
making two dozen films.
In fact, in the two weeks between her movies
"BABAE SA BUBUNGANG LATA" and
"SISA," she completed another film!
Definitely the busiest actress in town these days is
Aya Medel, the petite morena who splashed on the
local movie scene in the wake of the sex trip
movies that began dominating local motion pictures
since the box office slump began in 1996.
Unlike her predecessors Rosanna Roces, and Rita
Magdalena, Aya prefers to tease her male fans. She
doesn't go all the way nude but prefers to leave a
thing or two to the imagination. Also, she's
easier to cast and easy on the budget.
These days, it's far easier to risk a couple of million pesos
on a film completed in a couple of weeks than on
multi million peso blockbusters that more often
than not become box office duds.
Thus, Aya has become bankable. Wih bankability
goes the endless shooting schedules, commuting
from one set to the next. Hard work it is for her.
Often, she lacks sleep when the shoot's about to
end and the make up artist has to do her best to
keep those dark rings from showing under her eyes.
Then it's on to the next set, another script to
memorize, another director to adjust to.
It's become a breeze for Aya, who whiles her time away
between shooting set ups talking to her co-stars,
joking around with the crew or, if she is
exhausted, going off to sleep in her car.
"Madalas, isa o dalawang araw lang ang break ko sa
pagitan ng mga shooting. You know, I've gone to
far more places I ever imagined I could have gone
to during my high school days in Tabacco, Albay.
One day, I'm up north, the next day, somewhere
down south. Sometimes, I get this feeling that all
I would ever want to do ever again is just sleep
on and on and on." She rambles on, and stifles a yawn.
"Please excuse me, I'm not getting bored,
just tired. There are so many things I want to be
able to do and buy for myself. Doing movies is the
only chance I'll ever have to fulfil my dreams. I
know why I get more roles than anyone else. That's
because I'm negotiable," she admits. "My talent fee is small
compared to other lead stars. Sure, sometimes I
just want to tell them all, you better pay me what
I demand. Pero, kung magpepresyo ako, baka huminto
na ang mga offers o bumagal. Ngayon ko pa naman
pinipilit na mag-ipon."
Insiders confirm that she receives less than 150,000
pesos for every lead role, a pittance compared to others' talent fees.
Because of the constant demand for her services,
Aya, more than any other actress in town has had
the opportunity of working with many directors.
Imagine chalking up two dozen films during her
first year in the movie business. Whether it's
Mowelfund scholar Johnny Jose Cruz, action veteran
Kaka Balagtas or master film maker Mario O'Hara,
she makes it a point not only to learn from her
directors, but to do her best to please them.
Sure, the roles may not be to the caliber of other
senior actresses, but Aya is quickly learning her
ropes. All it takes is a rehearsal or two before
the take and she ends with her lines
memorized and more often than not, a perfect first
take.
The variety of roles coming her way is an express
lane lesson in the skill of acting. Yes, there are
compromises in the business, the disrobing, the
sexy scenes, the double entendre dialogues are all
part of the sizzle to draw in the crowds.
"It's all a matter of getting used to
your job. They require me to memorize, to emote.
But I also depend a lot on the director to give
me the right motivation. I like working with as many directors
as possible. Working with director Mario is really a
privilege. Few directors can be as fast and as
creative even under the most trying situations. To
top it all, he gives his actors a clear picture of
what's expected of them. He doesn't act out the
role - I have the freedom to portray it as I see
fit. Working with him, I get the feeling that he
really knows what I can or cannot do. So even when
I have difficulty believing in my own abilities, I
get much needed confidence from him. Nothing is
really too difficult for him, that is why I am
grateful for this chance to play Sisa," she
enthused.
"I really can't believe it. Bakit ako pa? There
are many other award winning actresses around.
After I read the script of SISA, I was astounded
that a master director like Mario O'Hara would
even consider me for the role," remarked a very
surprised Aya Medel.
Insiders at the production of O'Hara's "Sisa" Regal
Entertainment/Good Harvest Films' centennial
movie were just as pleasantly surprised. After nearly two
weeks of filming, everyone came to be impressed by
Aya's portrayal of Sisa.
It's not thefirst time her acting has been noticed. During
last December's Metro Manila Film Festival, she
was nominated together with no less than Nora
Aunor and Maricel Soriano in the lead actress
category for her role as an assassin in "Padre
Kalibre".
Only recently, Aya proved her mettle at the tills
by overpowering big stars Cesar Montano, Mikee
Cojuangco, Angelu de Leon and Bobby Andrews and
even Ronnie Rickets with her low budget starrer
"Tatlong Kasalanan" which teamed her up with Rita
Magdalena and Ana Capri.
Snobs may dismiss her movies as quickies, but no one
can dispute the fact that casting her in a film
is a sure way of setting the cash registers
ringing. This, the old dragon lady, Mother Lily
Monteverde, grand matriarch of Regal Entertainment
herself admitted.
It 's not enough to get good material to
get the audience to watch movies. The casting is
far more important. So it is in Monteverde's great
experiment, the two week quickie, originally
called the "pito-pito" which has proven its worth in the
industry.
In reality, a "pito-pito" movie is completed
in ten shooting days, within 15 calendar days.
The "pito-pito" formula is such a success that rival
companies Seiko, Viva and Star are studying how to
cut costs yet still come up with viable motion pictures.
Integral to the "pito-pito" formula, inexpensive
talent fees are a must to movie producers. Yet at
the same time, the stars should have the much
sought after box office appeal. After Rosanna
Roces and Rita Magdalena, Aya Medel fits the bill
perfectly.
Following the success of her film "TATLONG KASALANAN"
Aya Medel added glamour and much needed box office
boost to Joko Diaz and Ruffa Mae Quinto in Kaka
Balagtas' "SQUALA," a gang war movie based on the
story of Dick Israel and directed by Kaka Balagtas.
It was Kaka Balagtas who first launched Rita
Magdalena to stardom. This time, he had it easy
as Aya was already an established box office star when
she lent support to the film.
Right after that, she headlined, along with Mike
Magat, Mario O'hara's latest opus, "BABAE SA
BUBUNGANG LATA" which is an elegy to the old school of
showbusiness and how present day realities have
corrupted the people who run it.
With O'hara, Aya may find much needed respectability as an
actress, considering the material of "BABAE SA
BUBUNGANG LATA" and the caliber of her
co-performers, among them veteran actress Anita
Linda and respected theater and film artist Frank Rivera.
Only O'Hara can succeed in making a major
film from a small budget movie. This is O'Hara's
return to filmmaking after "MANANANGGAL IN MANILA"
in early 1997.
Aya admits that the fun and glamour of being a movie star are
seldom felt when one has to shuttle from shooting one film
after another.
"I do not shuttle from one set to another, I shuttle from movie to movie.
My manager, Jojo Veloso is always on his toes,
on the look out for new projects. So right after
one project is completed, another one is waiting
for me to begin shooting. Here in Regal, they
have tied me down to an eight-picture contract,
subject of course to the conditions I have set.
That includes accepting projects outside provided
they do not conflict with my schedules here."
"Now is the time for me to make the most of my
opportunities. I am sure, the day will come when
the deluge of film offers will slow down to a
trickle. Everything ends after sometime." She
conceded.
Making hay is no picnic, but Aya Medel is on a roll,
working hard while her star shines brightly. (aj)
(c) Copyright 1998. All rights reserved.