The microdrama rule: Go big, but stay in frame
Big emotions, contained movement. This is one important rule actors venturing into microdramas quickly discover.
At first, these two elements may seem counterintuitive. Emotional intensity instinctively leads to physical expansion. But in this new digital format, where framing is narrow and pacing is relentless, it all makes perfect sense.
Still, this takes some getting used to, even for—and especially for—longtime actors who are accustomed to the buildup of conventional runtimes and the freedom of a landscape setup.
The most drastic adjustment, many agree, is the blocking. With a 9:16 aspect ratio, every shot is practically a tight portrait. As such, it takes actors longer to enter the frame, and when they do, there’s an almost uncanny sense that they aren’t really blocked, but stacked. And oftentimes, even normal dialogues are shot with the stars so close together they might as well be filming a kissing scene.
“Limited ang blocking kaya dikit-dikit talaga kayo. Sobrang lapit ng mukha niyo sa isa’t isa, na minsan awkward siya, but then you watch the scene after and it’s just right,” Ryza Cenon, lead star of Viva Movie Box’s “Inagaw na Anak,” tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
Afternoon soap on steroids
This is especially tricky when you consider that microdramas are like afternoon soap operas on steroids. Since every episode caps at three minutes, the scenes are laid out pretty much like a supercut of confrontations and climaxes. Everything is fast and over the top. Get a little too carried away and you’re already out of frame.
“May mga fight scenes, sampalan, sigawan, pero wala kang masyadong magalawan,” says Louise delos Reyes of “She’s Not My Sister.” “You always have to be aware of where the camera is, and be careful that you’re not being blocked.”
Without the luxury of negative space—where actors can move about and make big gestures at the height of emotions—the energy is mostly channeled through the eyes and voice. You need to be able to access emotions quickly and at will. And if you’re expecting subtlety, nuance, or that “mata-mata style” that many equate with good acting, you won’t find it here.
“Kahit mga expressions gaya ng pagbuntong-hininga kailangan malakas at exaggerated,” Delos Reyes adds. “But it’s also fun because I get to revisit my telenovela roots.”
An attractive prospect
Meanwhile, Rhen Escaño of “Akin Ka Lang” draws a sharp analogy. “Think of it like the radio dramas our lolos and lolas listened to back in the day,” she points out. “I’m a fan of the ‘mata-mata’ acting, where there’s little dialogue. But you can’t do that in microdramas. If you’re used to giving 100 percent, here you have to give 150.”
But is it all worth it? If we’re talking prestige, film and television still obviously command a bigger premium. Microdramas are still mostly seen as platforms for acting newbies. But while Cenon, Delos Reyes, and Escaño have already established careers, microdramas remain an attractive prospect—if only to quench their thirst for learning or tap into an audience they wouldn’t normally reach through traditional media.
“I have been learning a lot exploring these new formats,” Delos Reyes says. “Almost everyone is on their phones now, so we can reach a bigger market. Now, even people waiting in hospitals and banks can watch us. Or those stuck in traffic.”
Escaño didn’t intentionally seek out microdramas, but she now gets their appeal. One time, she stumbled upon the viral vertical web series “The Kaplan Heiress,” and before she knew it, she had already finished it. “Mapapatigil ka talaga. Bakit ang intense?” she says. “So I got curious and eventually got hooked.”
And frankly, from a practical standpoint, the emergence of microdramas can only mean more jobs and opportunities for workers in the industry. “It’s good for the business,” Delos Reyes adds. “Celebrities come and go, and it’s not always you have projects.”
Holding on to tradition
Besides, the pace at which technology evolves—and its effects on media and entertainment—is so fast and all-encompassing that resisting it would be a surefire way to be left behind.
“We can’t really avoid these changes. From radio, we now have streaming services, for instance,” says Escaño. “We must go with the flow and look into what works and what the people like now. That’s how we grow and discover new things.”
But while they readily embrace these new ways of storytelling—and despite ever-dwindling attention spans—they still hold fast to tradition. Cinema and television, they agree, have been an indelible part of Filipino culture that continues to bind people in a landscape where entertainment consumption is becoming increasingly individualistic.
“We should adapt, but continue fighting for local cinema,” Delos Reyes says.
“Let’s not forget our films and put in the effort to go to the cinemas,” Escaño says. “Experiencing joy and sadness together while watching a film in a theater is something we have to take care of. I don’t want to lose that.”
