Lawrence Fajardo has found his calling

IF he were given a chance to do a film with full control of the production, Lawrence Fajardo would like to do a war-themed movie like “Oro Plata Mata” or “Amigo.” In fact, he has already started doing research for the project.

Lawrence doesn’t balk at dreaming big. After all, who would have thought that his joining a theater production in Bacolod upon the prodding of a friend way back in high school would lead him to a career in directing?

In college, he took up Mass Com in La Salle Bacolod, which led to a summer workshop on acting, film production and cinematography under Peque Gallaga, Lore Reyes and Erik Matti. And, Lawrence knew he’d found his calling!

Lawrence worked at ABS-CBN Bacolod. In Manila, he worked as an assistant director for Celso Ad. Castillo,Gil Portes and Brillante Mendoza.

First edition

Thereafter, he directed the short film, “Kultado,” which won a Special Jury Prize at the first edition of Cinemalaya in 2005 and an Urian for Best Short Film—and the rest is history.

Thus far, Lawrence has done four full-length features. It was in another Cinemalaya entry, the tension-filled drama, “Amok,” where he really made his presence felt. The film didn’t cop the festival’s top plum, but it won for Best Sound and Editing.

What are his strengths as a director? He replies, “I know how to make my actors act, and I know what a scene requires, because I write my own material. And, it helps that I’ve already gone into different aspects of film production.”