McArthur Alejandre
Film and television director Mac Alejandre now goes by a new name.
For the movie “Tagpuan,” an entry in the 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival, he is credited as McArthur Alejandre. “I realized that I should give tribute to my real name rather than a nickname. I tried it, and it’s OK. To me, it sounded real,” he told Inquirer Entertainment.
Alejandre said the change was partly a result of his four-year sabbatical from making movies. “More than the name change, I also changed from the inside. If you stopped making films for a long time, there’s definitely introspection. You finally realize what you want to say.”
Alejandre claimed that change can also inevitably be seen in the films he has made. “This is because I’ve changed, too, in terms of my outlook in life, in terms of how much I value people, art, cinema and my audience. These are all part of my personal growth,” he explained. “You can’t separate your personality from your work; and I think it’s a good thing. Now that I’m much older than the Mac Alejandre most people knew, the things on my plate are also different.”
Prior to “Tagpuan,” Alejandre released the film “Kaputol” in 2019, also under the name McArthur. “It was my first film outside the mainstream umbrella. ‘Tagpuan’ is my second indie. Through these films, I’ve experienced a different kind of freedom,” he said. “Tagpuan” stars Alfred Vargas, Shaina Magdayao and Iza Calzado.
Change can also be seen in the technical aspect of Alejandre’s work, he pointed out. “If you keep abreast with technology, there is change not just in how you shoot scenes, but also in how your film is edited and its music laid out,” Alejandre explained. “The basics will never change—the heart and message of the film—but your tools will.”
He added: “One big change is that it’s already digital, and not anymore shot on film. ‘Di ka na nagtitipid sa rolyo. There’s also a big change in terms of setup and movement. Before, you would want a more spacious set, something that could contain all your equipment. There’s no need for that now.”
It is important to infuse technology in your work, the director advised. “We’re part of a trade that’s technology-based. Technology changes every so often. You have to learn how to use it and how to maximize its use,” he stressed.
McArthur the director also said he has become open to mentorship. “This was because when I first joined filmmaking, the veterans were very nice to me. Shouldn’t I be doing the same now? I’ve benefited so much from it. That’s why I’m always open and welcoming” he said. “I admire the work of young filmmakers. I even watch them in all these festivals.”
These days, whenever McArthur gets asked, ‘How does one become a reliable director?’ he would say there’s no surefire formula. “I tell them, ‘Do what you have to do because opportunity will always knock. When it does, you have to be ready to let it in. You don’t say, sandali lang, maghahanda muna ako.“You have to work hard. When you’re starting, it’s not always about the money. This will come later. It’s about you, what you want to say, and what you can learn from the experience. The great Ishmael Bernal would always tell me, ‘Nothing good comes easy. If it’s easy, then there’s something wrong with it. Find out what’s wrong. Walang maganda na hindi pinaghihirapan (Good things result from hard work).” INQ