What makes ‘cool’ director Ricky Davao fume on set

It’s a welcome thing,” said actor-director Ricky Davao when Inquirer Entertainment asked for his views on the passing of the Eddie Garcia bill, which was created to protect and promote the welfare of industry workers.

“Many of us are hoping for this to happen. It took a while before all the important provisions were discussed. It’s important that there has to be a mutual understanding and acceptance from all the parties involved—from the producers to the film workers, us included,” he said during his recent visit to the Inquirer office in Makati City.

In February, the Senate approved on second reading Senate Bill (SB) no. 2505, which was named after the actor who died in 2019 in an accident while shooting a TV series. “People are talking about it. It’s taking a while for the bill to get passed because, I guess, some of the producers still have concerns. Everyone has to understand the process. It’s not so simple to shoot something,” explained Ricky, who has been directing TV shows since the late 1990s.

“Planning takes time, and when you think you’re ready to execute it, you realize that it’s not foolproof; that you will not be able to stick to your plan 100 percent. There will always be unforeseen factors along the way. Like when you’re finally ready to go to your set location, then you encounter traffic, or the weather becomes unbearably hot, or you discover that there’s a truck ban in the area but you have big props and equipment,” Ricky added.

Focus

“There are so many problems. It’s good that we now have rules and regulations for all these, especially now that we’re only given 14 to 16 hours to work. This means no more chikahan, that we should all be focused on our tasks.”

When asked whether he considers himself a strict director, Ricky said: “I’d like to think I’m a cool one, although I also have my pet peeves; I don’t like noisy sets. For me, it’s an insult to the artists, especially if you were already repeatedly told to keep it quiet. This is important, especially when the camera is already rolling. I always tell people on my set that professionalism is important, but just like in every industry, may pasaway.”

As a director, Ricky said he finds fulfillment every time he is able to extract great performances from his actors. “It gives me a certain high, and this ‘high’ is priceless. Sometimes, I feel jealous because I’m also an actor. I’d say, ‘Pwede pala ‘yon?’ Through the years, I’ve learned that each actor has his own take on something. They are never the same.”

Proud dadRicky, who has been working behind the camera since 1996, said he dreams of being able to direct a full-length feature one day. “I’ve done pitches to various producers, but they always say, ‘It’s too heavy for a first film for you,’ or ‘It’s too expensive.’ I guess I have to work on how to make my pitches interesting.”

Incidentally, Ara Davao, Ricky’s daughter with actress Jackie Lou Blanco, is now starting to make a name for herself as an actor. She is now a cast member of the action series “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.” This thrills Ricky no end, especially since Ara is receiving positive feedback from the audience.

“I watch her and critique her. There were times when I’d say, ‘You should have done this instead,’ and she would just smile at me. I also realized that you cannot make actors act the way you do it, because they have their own way of doing it. The main focus is understanding the material at hand,” said the proud dad.

Professionalism“What I always tell her is that we, her parents, have somehow managed to create a good image in terms of professionalism. Quoting (the late National Artist for Film) Lino Brocka, who was the guest speaker of the first workshop I’ve ever attended, I tell Ara, ‘If you want to become a great actor, first and foremost, you have to be a good person.’ That has become my mantra ever since. Being a good person means being a good listener. It also means being a giving person. An artist should be really giving of his time, his knowledge and his whole self,” he told Inquirer Entertainment.

Ricky was the celebrity storyteller of the Inquirer Read-Along session on Tuesday morning. The actor read the story “5 Seconds Only” by Hannah Lyn Creencia, for the session held in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philippines Inc. and McDonald’s Philippines.

Ricky will be seen in the upcoming GMA 7 series “Engkantadia Chronicles: Sangre,” and in the movie (tentatively titled) “Kito Kita,” along with Paolo Contis. On stage, he will be part of the restaging of the musical “Silver Lining.” INQ