Zoren Legaspi Mamanyika is the best in Shake 12 episode

ZOREN LEGASPI is debuting as a film director in the “Mamanyika” episode of “Shake, Rattle & Roll 12”. “I started with GMA-7 as second unit director of ‘Atlantika’ ni Dingdong Dantes,” he says. “Then I did two seasons of ‘Fantastik Man’ and one season of ‘Fantastik Kids’. I also did several episodes of the horror anthology ‘Wag Kukurap’, so I felt ready na ko to direct for the big screen when I was offered to do ‘Mamanyika’, which is the first episode in ‘Shake 12’. I’m glad to now be a part of the most successful horror franchise in local film history.”

He is glad that the feedback after the film’s premiere night last Sunday is all positive. “Everyone congratulated me and Mother Lily herself told me sa lahat ng episodes, the one I directed ang pinakagusto niya. Concept nila ang story at marami akong binago sa script without informing them anymore. I’m glad nagustuhan naman nila the changes that I made. I’m lucky my cast is good, from Ricky Davao and Jackielou as the parents, Shaina Magdayao as the eldest sister, Rita Avila as the ghost who possesses the killer doll. Medyo nahirapan lang ako, dun sa bata who own the doll, Elija Alejo, as she has played nothing but pa-cute roles before and this is her most demanding role to date. Kung minsan, nakaka-take 6 or 8 kami, but with the help of Shaina na madalas kaeksena niya, naging okay naman lahat ng eksena niya. Nahirapan din kami doon sa doll. At first, we used a mechanical doll, pero ang hirap, so what I did is a I chose a small child at dinamitan namin like the doll. I gave her a personal workshop to get what I want from her and naging effective naman.”

Zoren's longtime partner, Carmina Villaroel, offered to support him and appear for free as the nurse in a mental institution where Rita Avila is a patient. “But before she reported sa set, I told her, honey, easy ka lang sa shooting ha, nirerespeto ko roon. Kasi I directed her once sa isang affair, ang trato niya sa’kin, para lang kaming nasa bahay. E, sa set ng ‘Shake’, I felt I was able to prove right on the first day of shoot that I know what I’m doing para respetuhin ako ng mga artista ko.”

Has he always wanted to direct? “I grew up in Chicago at 15 pa lang ako, kamera na ang hawak ko doing audio visual presentations for the Pinoy community there, so I really have an eye for what’s cinematic. When I joined local showbiz in 1989, kahit nag-aartista na ako, kating-kati rin ako magdirek. In 2011, I aim to direct a full length film. Ang problem lang is we have ‘Labi ni Mister, Lab ni Misis’ ni Carmina, which is a daily show kaya while shooting ‘Mamanyika’, lagari ako sa taping ng show at sa shooting ng movie.”