Ping Medina —PHOTO FROM MEDINA’S FACEBOOK PAGE
(Editor’s note: We’ve heard Baron Geisler and Ping Medina’s sides about the pissing incident on the set of filmmaker and Radyo Inquirer/ Inquirer 990 TV news director Arlyn dela Cruz’s “Bubog.” What happens now? Here’s the answer, in Arlyn’s own words.)
Baron Geisler asked many times on that traumatic day if Ping Medina was the lead of the film. I told him that there is no clear lead in the story—“Bubog” is an ensemble-driven film whose star is the story itself: “Ang istorya ang bida.”
I prayed hard for this decision, and it felt good to reach this point of no return. By that, I mean I will go back to the original intention and purpose of the film, not as interpreted by someone who wanted a dual role and had injected his own script into mine.
I discussed my decision with Ping, and we both agreed that this was the best and only option that would bring back the happy atmosphere on the set when we shoot a film. I prefer to work with the same people—my dear MJ, Gen, Alona, Lea, Jojo, Boy, Joe, Dian, Juvan, Tito Bobby and Danni—so whoever joins that core group always comes to a happy set.
The decision is final—and it’s liberating: I will reshoot the scene as intended, but with the original actors I had in mind.
The film will be released, locally and internationally, without Ping and Baron.
You see, Ping was just a replacement, and Baron was offered another role in the film, not the character he portrayed in the scene with Ping. Both actors were given the first copies of the script, and they have in fact studied their respective characters.
I didn’t [get the actors I wanted] when we shot the scene because of scheduling conflicts. The first actor was busy finishing his last scenes for another film, while the other one was attending a film festival abroad and, thereafter, decided to take a trip with family and friends.
Both actors are now free to breathe life into the roles originally offered to them.
I am reshooting the scenes for the two characters on Dec. 11, and if they aren’t available again because of schedules arranged by their respective management teams, I am happy that at least four other actors have signified their interest in essaying the roles of Aguilar (Ping’s character) and Andrade (Baron’s).
Ping knew he was a replacement. Baron also knew, because he said he was ready to take on “any role.”
Ping needs to rest. Well, not just rest. Trauma has no time frame. Pain isn’t always seen on the surface. He trusted me in my first film, “Maratabat,” and we have become good friends ever since. When I underwent surgery because of cancer a year ago, Ping spent his hard-earned money to buy me boxes of organic drink to help with my recovery. He kept reminding me what to eat and what to skip by sending me links to articles I could read. He encouraged me to do meditation and learn breathing techniques.
The love and concern of friends like Ping helped me recover. He knew I didn’t need this kind of stress. Cancer cells are triggered by a lot of factors, and stress is one of them. It was a bad decision to cast Baron, but it wasn’t a bad move to trust him to remain sober at least for the entire shoot.
To trust is a choice. You can never regret trusting a person, even if his name is Baron Geisler.
So, we are starting fresh.
Thank you, Ping. You gave me Efren Aguilar until the last second of that scene. With or without that betrayal on the set, I’d like you to know that you owned the character. Years from now, perhaps we will view that scene together with popcorn and drinks, and look back on how that experience had made us stronger as individuals.
To you, Baron, you can now concentrate on promoting your documentary and your book. You cannot use this project anymore. You are forgiven. You need help, and I hope you get it soon. The next “stunt” you do may not receive understanding and forgiveness.
Sa simula’t simula (from the very start), the spotlight for “Bubog (Crystals)” was meant for its story, and not for anyone.