March 29, 2014

Movie Sharing: Ekstra

Last Sunday, while having our siesta and making crochet, Mommy and I watched Vilma Santos’ Indie movie – Ekstra.

Photo Source: MADHOUSEMNL
This movie showcases a whole-day work of Loida (Vilma Santos), a single mom that wants to provide her daughter a better future. She is a part of the unsung heroes of movies and teleseryes – bit players or commonly known as Extras. She is already considered professional since she appeared in many movies and teleseryes as part of the crowd or played as a double. She also loves her job and brings her own costumes in the needed roles. Unfortunately, even she has prepared for the costumes, she still needs fightt for the role that needs extras like maids, farmers, walkers, etc.

On the set, when Eula Valdez was not available, she was chosen to play as the double. Her head was covered with sack to hide her identity and then tied on the chair. She was slapped by Cherie Gil and burned with a stick of cigarette. After the scene, Cherie Gil made an apology for hurting her. Loida just smiled and responded: “Its part of the job.”

While in the taping, her daughter keeps on texting her about the tuition fee she needed just to get the final exam.

Just in time to answer her worries, Loida was chosen to play the role of a lawyer. In this case, she will got a higher pay for having dialogues. During their camera rehearsal, she worked well. However, when the camera starts to roll, she buckled and missed most of the blockings resulting to how many takes. The director got angry with her and humiliated her in front of actors and actresses. She cannot answer back since she was just an Extra. Without any dialogue, her eyes started to shed tears and speak up.

At the end of the day, or should I say morning the other day, they got their earnings. She got 4000 pesos, 500 pesos short of what her daughter needed for tuition fee.

With this movie, I learned how hard to work as extra in movies or teleseryes. They are really considered as the unsung heroes or movies and teleseryes. Just like what Loida said: “Aanhin mo ang isang eksena kung puro bida lang? O walang gma taong dumadaan sa likod? O walang mga nakaupo sa restaurant? Walang waiter? O walang ibang kumakain? ….Crowd ang bumubuo ng eksena.”

By the way, here is the trailer:

Have you already watched this movie? Care to share your views?