The scene being shot shows a very deglamorized Ate Vi, with hardly any makeup. “We want her to look very ordinary,” says Director Jeffrey Jeturian. “We won’t even use any filters to photograph her.”
Does Ate Vi mind? “Not at all. Matagal na kong naiintriga ng indie films. Noon ko pa gusto subukan ito. This is something new for me. Sawa na ko playing the usual roles, so this is definitely a different challenge for me. As an artist, I want to experience how they do it. I really buy DVD’s of indie films at parang so casual sila mag-shoot. Marami ng nag-offer sa’kin ng indie films, pero hindi ako convinced. Until the script of ‘Extra’ came. It’s a tribute to the small people in the industry. Nine years old pa lang ako, artista na ko, so I know what they go through sa set. E, ngayon, 37 na ko...” the people around her laugh. “Hindi kayo naniniwala? Sige, magwo-walk out ako,” and she stands up, laughing. “Ever since, nakikita ko ang life ng mga extra and I thought, ano kaya kung ako naman ang extra. It’s my 50th year in the industry at tamang-tama, I’m making this movie about the people in it, a tribute to them.”
Is she familiar with the works of Direk Jeffrey? “Oh yes, una kaming nagkasama, production assistant pa lang siya in ‘Alyas Baby Tsina’ and ‘Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig’. I’ve seen his movies ‘Sana Pag-ibig Na’ with Ate Nida (Blanca), ‘Pila Balde’ and ‘Tuhog’. I’d really want to work with him dahil artista niya rin ang anak ko, si Luis, in ‘Be Careful with My Heart’, na pinapanood ko rin.”
Did she really get an offer from Direk Dante Mendoza? “Yes, kinausap niya ko. Gusto mo ba gumawa ng movie with Ate Guy and Coco Martin? I said yes, but as usual, I want to read the script first. E, he never sent me one. Tapos bigla na lang lumabas na inayawan ko, tinanggihan ko kasi ayokong makasama si Ate Guy, which isn’t true.”
Atty. Joji said she and Direk Jeff have long been dreaming of working with Ate Vi. “But of course, we have to look for a good project that will be worthy of her. At dumating nga itong idea ni Ferdie Lapuz on a movie about extras. And I really want to thank Gov. Vi for being so gracious to work with us kahit na ang budget ng Cinemalaya, in which this is an official entry, is only P3.5 million. This is really a small project that aims to be big. She has given us her schedule. We’ll shoot the film for 10 days and we have to finish it by February so we can do the post-prod in March, then I’ll send it to the Cannes International Filmfest. Our dream is for us to walk the red carpet in Cannes with Gov. Vi.”
After shooting her first scene, where her lines were punctuated with Tagalog cuss words she delivered with such persuasion, Gov. Vi was taken to the conference room where she met the rest of the staff like Lee Meily as cinematographer, Vincent de Jesus as scorer (he also appears as an actor), and the other members of the crew. She also met the other actors who’ll appear with her in the movie, all nameless bit players. “We want you to meet Gov. Vi para hindi na kayo ma-starstruck sa kanya sa shooting,” says Atty. Joji.
The only name actors who’d appear with Ate Vi are Cherie Gil as the actress who’d punish her in their scenes together and Pilar Pilapil as the diva who’d intimidate her she won’t be able to deliver her lines. Director Marlon Rivera of “Babae sa Septic Tank” will play the director who’d humiliate Ate Vi on the set. There’s a big name actor from ABS-CBN and a big name actress from GMA-7 who’d appear in cameo roles, first time for them to work together, but we’re not yet at liberty to name them.
