New kids on the block

“I’M HAVING so much fun with this. I guess it can be seen in the finished product,” said director Mark Reyes, who just can’t stop talking about his latest project—the TV adaptation of the 1980s hit film “Bagets.”

Inquirer Entertainment chatted with him during the recent preview of the “Bagets” pilot episode at the Podium in Ortigas, Pasig City. Reyes talked about how it’s like doing a remake of what he described as a “cultural phenomenon,” as well as being a parent to over a dozen kids.

Is it tough working with young and new actors?

They are all neophytes when it comes to acting but they are all eager to learn. During the story conference, we told them, “You’re now carrying the name of ‘Bagets.’ This is something to be taken seriously. If one of you screws up, it’s going to affect the entire team.”

Is there a technique on how to direct first-time actors?

Each generation differs. I thought I would get more headache from this group than the batch of Bobby Andrews in TGIS. These kids have more respect for authority. There was no prima donna.

How truthful is this to the original “Bagets?”

Cheska Iñigo and Raymond Lauchengco (members of the original cast) are working closely with the kids. They tell them how it was back in their days. When Cheska saw the pilot episode, she said, “Yup, you got it!”

How did you chose the cast?

This is a joint venture between Viva Entertainment and TV5. The network recommended Rico (de la Paz) and Eula (Caballero). AJ (Muhlach) and Aki (Torio) are from XLR8. AJ is the brother of Aga so we thought it would be good to continue the tradition. Johan (Lourens), Martin (Velayo), Julian (Calderon) and Lucas (Zamora) were only some of the people who auditioned.

Did you require the new cast to watch the original “Bagets?”

When they already had a sense of their characters, I let them see the original. I saw the film a long time ago, I made it a point not to watch it when I started the series para ’di ako ma-influence.

Do you think these kids would be able to equal, if not surpass, the popularity of the original cast?

It’s always a learning experience every time they work. I’m confident that they will reach a point na gagaling sila mag-perform.

What can we expect in the coming episodes?

There were several requests I had to make—like the very big drifting scene on the pilot episode. I also requested that we shoot it film-style. There will be a lot of twists and turns.

“Bagets” airs on TV5 at 4:30 pm.