Singaporean actors hope to adopt Filipino warmth, sense of fun

There’s not much difference between working with Singaporean and Filipino production teams—at least when the cameras are already rolling, Singaporean actor Raynold Tan observed. There’s something to be said, however, about Filipinos’ hospitality and zest for life.

“When I worked here in the Philippines, I noticed that Filipinos were more willing to have fun. The set was very lively, and everyone was cracking jokes and laughing,” Raynold said of his experience filming the Filipino boys’ love series “The Day I Loved You” last year. “The atmosphere was amazing.”

“Singapore is maybe more systematic, like we have to get this done by this time. Not to say that one is better than the other, it’s just the subtle difference we have. But in general, both sets of crews were professional,” he stressed.

Raynold, together with fellow Singaporean actors Brian Ng and David Matthew Ubaño, visited the country for a press conference announcing the partnership between their agency, TCP Artistes, and the Filipino media company Virtual Playground (VP) Global Management.

Through this “cross-country talent collaboration,” the two companies aim to expand their respective wards’ careers in Southeast Asia and beyond. VP Global will help TCP navigate the Philippine show biz and vice versa.

While Brian (“Third Rail,” “Kin”) has yet to land his first acting project in the Philippines, he has worked with Filipino production staff members in Singapore. If his interactions with them are any indication, he expects that he will have nothing but good experiences in the Philippines once the right role comes along.

“I’m impressed by Filipinos’ warmth, hospitality and openness to friendships. They have a hunger for life. They feel very strongly and love fiercely. They’re not afraid to show emotions—that’s something we Singaporeans can probably learn from Filipinos because we tend to be more reserved,” he said, adding that the Filipino professionals he has worked with were “fun and very creative.”

Hospitality

“I’m so inspired by that. From a professional perspective, I can probably add those qualities to my repertoire. I hope I can be more spontaneous the more I work with Filipinos,” Brian said.

Raynold, who had a Filipino yaya who took care of him from the day he was born until he turned 12, echoed Brian’s sentiments: “She treated me like her own kid. And that was the sense I also felt when I got here to work … Filipinos treated me like their own. We Singaporeans have a lot to learn from your hospitality.”

David (“Third Rail”) visits the Philippines at least once a year to spend Christmas with his Filipino mother’s side of the family. That’s why he couldn’t be more excited about the prospect of fulfilling his relatives’ hopes of seeing him on local television.

“Growing up, I was always told that I should go to the Philippines to work. I’m thankful to TCP for bringing me here … for future opportunities to showcase my capabilities,” said the actor-influencer, who finds life in the Philippines “pretty chill” compared to Singapore.

“[Filipinos] go with the flow and take their time to enjoy what’s in front of them,” he added. “But they’re also very passionate and supportive of each other.”

The three actors have heard a lot of good things about Philippine show biz, they said, particularly the love for horror and action movies. Given the opportunity, those two genres are something they would be interested in exploring.

“I’m a huge action buff. I have been an athlete since I was a kid. Doing high-octane stuff is right up my alley. I would love to star in an action film soon,” Raynold said. “I have also heard of the ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ (horror franchise).”

The biggest challenge they expect in their foray into the Philippines is learning Filipino. While both Singapore and the Philippines are English-speaking countries, the actors believe that learning a bit of the language can only serve them well in the long run.

“I’m more exposed to English and Mandarin so I need to brush up on my Filipino. I can understand it a little, but I can’t converse. My relatives tell me to study because I may end up doing TV work here one day,” David said.

Learning other cultures

“It’s not easy to learn a new language. It takes a lot of practice. But I know I have to start learning some Tagalog,” Brian said. “In Singapore, I use English and Mandarin. You get very different ways of looking at life, through different languages’ different words and expressions. You see the world through different lenses, and you respond differently, too.”

Just for good measure, Brian, Raynold and David said they need to start consuming more Filipino media and pop culture.

“I’m trying to watch more Filipino shows. I want to come here with an open mind because every country has its own culture and style when it comes to acting. I believe that the first step toward growth is being open to learning the way other people do things,” David said.

“I mostly watch Western films, so now I have been watching more Asian content. I want to learn and have a better understanding of other cultures. This is one of the things I have to do to bridge the gap,” Raynold said.

They also expect that their colleagues from VP Global, who include Rob Gomez and aspiring talents Dylan Yturralde, Sarah Edwards, Mika Reins and Christiana Zaleta will help them feel their way in the Philippines.

“I look forward to learning from the wonderful actors in the Philippine industry,” Brian said. “And hopefully, I can also bring a bit of Singaporean insight and perspective … bring something fresh into the Philippine market.”

“I’m open to learning from my peers, the warm and wonderful Filipino people. I’m looking forward to learning with them, having a laugh and giving joy to audiences,” David said.