Suggestions for GMA News TV

The first free-to-air news channel on VHF TV promised to revolutionize news viewing, and while GMA News and Public Affairs is the undisputed leader in Philippine news, GMA News TV has a lot to learn from international news channels.

Set design. GMA News TV should take a cue from international news organizations like CNN, Al-Jazeera and BBC. Why not use the news department as a backdrop for some of the news programs and hourly newsbits? All items on the studio must find use and not merely serve as a décor.

Lower-third and over-the-shoulder graphics. Most of GMA News TV lower-third and over-the-shoulder graphics are a bit amateurish. There are too many colors; the graphics look like crayon-themed. Minimalist look is in. This is how CNN and BBC do their lower thirds. Use colors that complement each other or are monochromatic. Increase font sizes of headlines and decrease the font size of the news ticker. Better to use the down-style instead of all caps for headlines. Finally, flush left looks more professional than center-justified text.

Programming. Most of GMA News TV is documentaries. But news programs aren’t always documentaries. Here are alternative programs that can be aired on the TV channel.

• Business news. A program that discusses the current goings-on in business. The program should include an analysis of stock trends, profitable business opportunities, and other business and economy news. A summary of the day’s business news could also be included on State of the Nation. Hire business analysts or have Vicky Morales, who started out as a business correspondent for GMA Network News anchor the daily news program. On the other hand, Mariz Umali could serve as business correspondent. 
• Weather news. Aside from a daily summary, GMA News TV could also have a thirty-minute weather program. Weather news should not only include the Metro Manila weather report but also the weather in other key cities in the Philippines, in Asia and around the world. While rainfall, wind and tide forecasts should be included in the daily news reports, a discussion of other weather systems around Asia and the world may also be included in the program. The weather report on State of the Nation should include 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 12:00 AM temperature, rainfall, wind and tide forecasts for Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao. There should also be a three-day or five-day weather forecast for Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao plus sunrise and sunset times. In addition, for those traveling abroad, weather in key Asian and world cities. Nathaniel Cruz could serve as chief weather correspondent and senior meteorologist, but he can’t handle all the load himself. Thus, for this boosted weather report, train some GMA reporters in weather reporting or hire additional meteorologists. 
• Sports news. Boxing and basketball are not the only sports in the Philippines. The reason for the low sports IQ of many Filipinos is that they do not get exposed to other sports. A daily dose of what’s happening in the PBA, UAAP, NCAA, NBA, FIFA, NHL, NFL as well as news from other sports like athletics, swimming, F1 racing, can be discussed in this thirty-minute or one-hour show. Sports should also be covered on State of the Nation. Let Mark Zambrano handle this news program and be GMA’s sports correspondent. 
• International news. A lot of important foreign news is not being reported on Philippine TV. A one-hour daily round-up of foreign news deserves to be on GMA News TV. A section on international news should likewise be present on State of the Nation. Mariz Umali or Pia Arcangel can anchor. 
• Entertainment news. Luanne Dy can anchor a news program ala-Entertainment Today. It should have both local and international entertainment news. 
• An English late-night broadcast. Revive Review Philippines and make it a daily news program. Make it an all-English broadcast with Joel Reyes Zobel at the helm. Or, if there will be a female anchor alongside, Mariz Umali could partner with Joel Reyes Zobel. This can essentially be an English version of State of the Nation, only more summarized. 
• A morning news and lifestyle show. Unang Hirit takes its format from Today and Good Morning America, but a morning news program on GMA News TV should be perkier and meatier. Isabelle Daza, Solenn Heussaff, Drew Arellano, Mikael Daez can anchor, while Pia Arcangel and Chino Gaston can anchor the news section. 
• A replay of CBS Evening News. There used to be a replay of the CBS Evening News on QTV. Perhaps, this can be revived. The newscast can be aired back-to-back with News-to-Go.
• Programs like Amanpour and Anderson Cooper 360. GMA has several well-respected news reporters and anchors who could serve as anchors for programs like Amanpour and Anderson Cooper 360. Kara David could anchor a program ala-Amanpour, while Howie Severino could helm a show like Anderson Cooper 360.
• State of the Nation. Instead of being an “improved” version of 24 Oras, State of the Nation should present itself as a newscast that has a different culture. Less focus on minor news items like minor robberies, local crimes and traffic accidents. Greater focus on news items that matter: politics, business, weather, science, international news and sports. Section dividers should be used for separate sections of the program. Tap special correspondents for the special sections: Mariz Umali to report on business and economy, Mark Zambrano to report on sports, and Luanne Dy on Philippine and international entertainment.

Most news programs on free TV employ a tabloid-style reporting. GMA News TV should avoid this. While it should reach out to the masses, perhaps GMA News TV should also educate them to inspire them and motivate them to overcome poverty.

Temptation of Wife: A Review

Tonight, viewers witnessed the pilot episode of the Philippine remake of Temptation of Wife. The original Korean series was well-loved by Filipino viewers, so to a certain extent, many are expecting this remake to be better or at least at par with the original. However, the news of major changes to the story sent shockwaves to fans who wanted the remake to be as faithful as possible to the original. When the first teasers were released, many frowned upon them because they failed in comparison with the glossy teasers of a TV program on ABS-CBN. But today, Temptation of Wife proves that while it is a retelling of the original hit, there is so much promise to this old tale of friendship, betrayal, love, and revenge.

Cinematography. The TV series uses a multi-camera setup and employs many long, steadicam, and tracking shots, and the staple extreme close-ups in Philippine TV dramas. While some scenes could have employed more non-traditional camera angles and shots, when the show uses these non-traditional strategies, they are effective in expressing the emotions and meanings intended. Such examples include the long shot of the Salcedo Mansion and the University, and the bird’s eye view perspective on Marcel and his mom Stella (Cherie Gil).

 

 Marcel drives his convertible to school.

 

 The Salcedo Mansion.

In addition, there were scenes that employed a shallow depth of field, in effect, putting focus on the subjects and blurring out everyone else in the background and the foreground. Aside from camera work, locations were carefully selected to showcase a distinction in social class, or to help reinforce the meaning of a particular scene. Nevertheless, the show has its flaws. At times, camera work seemed dizzying. There were also scenes where cinematic techniques such as master shots and long shots seemed inappropriate and in turn made the scenes look static. Commendable, though, was the show’s use of high-definition film cameras that made the show look crisp and glossy.

Music. The original Korean hit is probably well-remembered for its perky and highly-emotional instrumental music. The remake retained the original music and added some really good ones. The vocal track used as a background to a pivotal scene involving two of the leads, Angeline Santos (played by Marian Rivera) and Marcel Salcedo (portrayed by Dennis Trillo), was very emotional. The song, sung by Kyla, sounded a bit like Mariah Carey’s My All or Regine Velasquez-Alcasid’s Sa Aking Pag-iisa, though there’s not much surprise there because she has has a vocal timbre similar to the two divas.

Sound Editing. For the first time in a local soap opera, the characters’ voices are not drowned in and by the ambient noises. The actors’ dialogs are crisp and audible, and there is a clear distinction between the background sounds, background music and the dialogs. There is also a depiction of distance and depth. Thus, sound editing is truly remarkable.

Screenplay. While it is an adaptation, there were several changes made to the remake, much to the dismay of the show’s original fans. Many of these alterations to the original story were made in order to adapt the show to a more emotional Filipino society. Thus, flashback scenes involving the childhood of Angeline and Heidi Fernandez (Glaiza De Castro), which were not in the original, had to be injected in the remake to provide a more Pinoy flavor to the series. However, there are many drawbacks to having used this device in the pilot. The use of flashbacks made the first part of the pilot episode seem to drag a bit, striking a sharp comparison with the pace of the second half. In fact, the entire episode could have survived without the entire flashback.

 

Young Angeline combs the hair of young Heidi in a flashback scene.

Nevertheless, the pace of the second half is commendable. The writers managed to narrate the story spanning days, weeks and months in minutes. Aside from the pace, the use of several narration and literary devices is likewise praiseworthy. For example, the breaking of several wine glasses and the falling of linens in the opening scenes as well as the fireworks display at the end reinforced the meaning, emotion and drama of the succeeding scenes. While the revenge plot is one that is tried-and-tested, since there will be departures from the original Korean, these changes must be done to improve the quality of the story. Thus, writing should be very consistent so that the plot will not be convoluted, as is the case in many Philippine TV dramas.

 

Glasses break as if warning the crowd of an impending tempest between the leads, Angeline and Heidi.

 

Angeline faces Heidi at a party while linens fall in the background.

Fireworks at a New Year's Eve Party as Angeline reveals she is carrying Marcel's child.

Wardrobe and costume design. The show takes a cue from the Korean original with regard to the characters’ fashion sense. Angeline dresses simply and is often in a school uniform. Rich bachelor Marcel, on the other hand, is shown to be sporting vests, polo shirts and bow ties, making him look like an Ivy League scholar. Stella Salcedo (Cherie Gil), is also simply dressed, though, she is more elegant than Angeline because her clothes are so much more expensive. And in a similar fashion, social class distinction is portrayed by how each of the character is dressed. A standout character is Romeo Salcedo (Raymond Bagatsing), who sports retro fashion. At times, his fashion sense makes him look awkward, but it pretty much jives with the personality Bagatsing portrays.

Though simply dressed, Cherie Gil embodies class as Stella Salcedo.

Acting. As expected, commendable performances were delivered by Trillo (as Marcel), De Castro (as Heidi), Gil (as Stella), Bagatsing (as Romeo) and Rivera (as Angeline).

Angeline fondly remembers Marcel's courtship in some flashback scenes.

In particular, Rivera effectively depicted the innocence and frailty of the show’s protagonist, Angeline. She carefully and powerfully musters all the innocence within her to appropriately portray her role of a simple woman who eventually vows vengeance against those who wrong her.

 

Heidi attempts to digest the fact that Marcel may not be the man for her.

De Castro is also highly commendable for her role. While she is not new to portraying antagonistic roles, her character, Heidi, is a cut above all the anti-hero roles she has portrayed as she has never been this convincingly evil or tempting. And though the child actors appeared only very briefly, they were very effective. There is also a striking similarity in the facial features of the young Heidi (Mary Joy Gula) and De Castro.

Editing. In terms of continuity of scenes, Temptation of Wife has little areas of opportunity. The show uses fades and wipes or even a change in background music to depict a change in scene or a switch to a flashback.

Direction. On the whole, the show is really only as good as its director. So far, for a first episode, it seems as if Temptation of Wife is the best that Dominic Zapanta has handled.

While Temptation of Wife shows great promise because of a good first episode, it does have its share of opportunity areas that need to be addressed in order for the show to be consistently good, and for it not to fall prey to a decline in quality in succeeding episodes.

Temptation of Wife (The Philippine Remake)

GMA Network will be airing a remake of the hit Korean TV drama, Temptation of Wife.

Primetime Queen Marian Rivera, will be top-billing the adaptation. She will be Angeline, a role first played by Korean superstar, Jang Seo Hee, who bagged the Dae Sang in the 2009 SBS Drama Awards for her outstanding performance in the TV drama.

Marian will be joined by Alessandra De Rossi, who takes on the role of the antagonist, Heidi; Dennis Trillo, Angeline's husband, Marcel; and for the first time on GMA, Rafael Rosell, who will star as Nigel.

Here are some fanpics I created in anticipation of the Philippine remake.

The last picture is based on the cover of the original soundtrack.

Amaya: A Show Like No Other

The tale of Amaya, the most powerful ruler of her time, is a beautiful—and to a certain extent, poignant—story, set amid the pre-Spanish colonial period. It weaves an intricate plot with elements of suspense, action, drama and comedy, against the majestic culture, tradition and history that many Filipinos have either unimagined or forgotten.

Amaya is the tale of a binukot—a “kept” princess born out of the love of a nobleman and a slave—who herself turned into a slave because of the untimely death of her father. Amaya vowed revenge against the ruler who killed him, not knowing at first that it was her fate to do so, as she was born with a twin snake. And in the course of eight months, television audiences witnessed how she graduated from being a slave, to becoming a shaman-in-training, to becoming a warrior. While she eventually exacted revenge upon her father’s murderer, she realized that the true enemy was not him but her father’s wife.

Without a doubt, the cinematography of Amaya is probably one of the best in Philippine dramas to date. Aerial shots are used in almost episode, putting emphasis on the beautiful sceneries and big-scale fighting sequences. At times, tracking shots are used, although there are scenes where they could have been employed but have not. In tear-jerking scenes as is typical with soap operas in the Philippines, the camera focuses on the facial expressions of actors, zooming in on their faces to emphasize the emotions portrayed.

The background music of Amaya involves the use of traditional Filipino instruments. Amaya’s main theme is energizing; it evokes a sense of excitement and thrill through its upbeat tempo. At times, the characters in Amaya express their emotions in the form of songs; our ancestors are music lovers and songs are the highest form of emotional expression. There are some background songs that sound as if they were recorded using MIDI instruments instead of the real McCoy. The show could have also resorted to using a gamelan or kulintang ensemble, if not for a full orchestra, for some of its background songs. Nevertheless, Amaya’s music is overall exciting and beautiful.

While Amaya boasts of a good cinematography and beautiful music, Amaya’s main strengths are its screenplay, acting and design. The script is generally unpredictable; fans have tried to guess the course of action of the plot without success. The story is intelligently-written, though at times the story suffered because of loopholes in subplots necessitated by its extension. Nonetheless, on the whole, the plot is solidly composed. It is also consistent with Philippine pre-Spanish history written in history textbooks used in school.

The characters themselves were well-written. Many of the characters were nonlinear; one character may not be typecast as “bad” or “good”, as their actions were relative to the circumstances surrounding them. For example, Rajah Mangubat, the fierce ruler who killed Amaya’s father, Dat’u Bugna, was also shown to be a loving husband and a wise ruler revered by his subjects. The chief shaman, Hilway, at times showed altruism and wisdom, but at the same time selfishness and ego. Other characters like Marikit, Binayaan and Mantal, are nonlinear, too. Lamitan, on the other hand, is a character shown throughout the series as the polar opposite of Amaya; but in reality she possesses intelligence, confidence and power that Amaya herself has.

The characters are well-portrayed as they are well-written. Performances from Gina Alajar as Lamitan, Glaiza De Castro as Binayaan, Ayen Munji as Lingayan, Angie Ferro as Hilway and Sid Lucero as Bagani are among the most unforgettable. They fit their roles to a T. It’s a visual feast to see how these actors act; in fact, Lamitan is currently the most hated woman on Philippine television. But, if there is one other person aside from her who deserves credit the most for a magnificent portrayal, that person would be Marian Rivera. She showed audiences that she is capable of evoking countless emotions—from a frail princess who cried like a princess on her father’s deathbed, to a fierce warrior who looked Lamitan in the eye as if she would consume her whole. As Amaya’s story spanned years, her portrayal of the lead character likewise showed development and maturity. Even if this show was conceived for her, to date, not one actress could match Marian’s portrayal of the title role.

Amaya is historical fiction. Thus it is not surprising that costumes, sets, and even artifacts used in the production were researched and crafted meticulously. Even the finest and the most trivial details were studied to give the series a genuine pre-colonial feel. Ancient traditions were portrayed as they are documented in history annals and archives. It's nice that all those empirical and vague concepts you learn in your History class find embodiment and physical form through Amaya. In fact, as religion, culture and tradition are interwoven into history, it is understandable that several mystical elements find their way to the story. Ancient beliefs such as a giant snake named Bakunawa engulfing the moon during an eclipse, powerful amulets, and special abilities such as calling on the spirits for help and walking on water are effectively portrayed in the show. History tells us of many supernatural tales that many hold true even today. When Amenhotep IV, Egyptian pharaoh, dreamed of the one god named Aton, he abandoned the polytheistic ways of the empire and worshiped him only, even changing his name to Akhenaton to show his change of belief. His nephew and successor, Tutankhaton was renamed Tutankhamen after Akhenaton's death. Constantine the Great, at the Battle of Milvian Bridge, saw a cross in the sky with the inscription, in hoc signo vinces (in this sign, conquer). That changed the course of the losing battle and also helped free the Christians from oppression. Or how about Joan of Arc's vision from God that she should lead the French troops so that the dauphin may be proclaimed King of France during the Hundred Years' War? Supernatural events plague history. Some are explained by science, but most are, well, supernatural.

To top it all, Amaya showcases values often forgotten or belittled by Filipinos today. It upholds love, friendship, loyalty and nationalism. For me, Amaya makes a call to many Filipinos who have often looked down on our heritage to be proud of our rich past. We are a country rich in culture and tradition, civilized even before the Spaniards came. We can look back at our past to inspire us to move forward into the future. And we can learn from Amaya so we too can become heroes in our own right.

A TV program entertains. A good TV program informs. A better TV program entertains and informs. An excellent TV program entertains well and informs much.

Amaya, for me, is an excellent TV program. One of the finest we've had in a while.

Survivor Philippines: Palau

Survivor Philippines returns with an explosive new season. Set in the island of Palau, the second season of Survivor Philippines promises more challenges and more excitement.

Here are the castaways for the second season. Photos courtesy of the Survivor Philippines official site.

Echo Caceres
20 yrs. old, Call Center Agent
Bicol




Louie Ang
24 yrs. old, IT Technical
Pasig




Justine Ferrer
29 yrs. old, Businesswoman
Kalookan




Suzuki Sadatsugu
21 yrs. old, Student/Model
Tondo




Tara Macias
19 yrs. old, Korean English Tutor
Cebu




Charles De Vera Fernandez
21 yrs. old, Businessman
Dagupan




Carol Gementiza
45 yrs. old, public school teacher
iloilo




Marvin Kiefer
18 yrs. old, Model
Cagayan De Oro




Amanda Colley van Cooll
25 yrs. old, Construction Worker
Mindoro




Cris Bolado
39 yrs. old, Basketball Clinic Instructor
Quezon




Maya Segovia
32 yrs. old, Military Officer
Batangas




Shaun Rodriguez
Government Employee
Zambales




Troy Perez
27 yrs. old, Mentalist Magician
Manila




Jef Gaitan
22 yrs. old, Print And Commercial Model
Laguna

Vlad Nesas
24 yrs. old, Professional Model
Las Pinas




Mika Batchelor
25 yrs. old, Chef And Restaurant Owner
Palawan

Darna Tops TV Ratings!

Darna premiered last Monday with a whopping 44.1% on AGB Overnight Ratings for Mega Manila and 47.6% on TNS.

Its winning streak has continued for the entire week and has toppled ABS-CBN topraters May Bukas Pa and Tayong Dalawa.

Marian Rivera as Darna

Philippine Primetime Queen Marian Rivera returns to the small screen as the greatest Philippine heroine of all time--Darna.

Clad in a red and gold suit, Marian Rivera--who plays the dual role of Narda and Darna--will only be the second actress next to Vilma Santos to play the role of Dyesebel and Darna, both Mars Ravelo creations. Marian also joins the ranks of Gina Pareño, Rio Locsin, Nanette Medved, Anjanette Abayari, Regine Velasquez and Vilma Santos in the portrayal of perhaps the most sought-after role in the Philippines. Angel Locsin last donned the Darna suit in 2005.

Darna premieres this Monday on GMA Telebabad. In the meantime, enjoy these exclusive pictures of Darna.

First, the protagonists:

Marian Rivera as Narda





Marian Rivera as Darna







Mark Anthony Fernandez as Eduardo





Robert Villar as Ding




Now here come the antagonists:

Nadine Samonte as Babaeng Impakta



Ehra Madrigal as Babaeng Lawin



Margaret Wilson as Babaeng Linta



Francine Prieto as Babaeng Tuod



Iwa Moto as Valentina, Babaeng Ahas



Paolo Contis as Cobra



Darna and Valentina





Darna with Babaeng Impakta, Babaeng Lawin, Babaeng Tuod and Babaeng Linta



Darna with Valentina and Cobra



Finally, two fanart images I made: