Directing President Rodrigo Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address is a difficult gig, y’all!
In an interivew with Saleema Refran of GMA’s Unang Hirit aired Tue, Jul 26, Brillante Mendoza admitted his gig as the director of yesterday’s SONA was stressful.
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Mendoza utilized 18 cameras inside the Plenary Hall of the Batasang Pambansa for the event.
He’s aware not everyone is happy with how he directed the SONA — particularly with what some netizens described as unusual and unnecessary shots.
But overall, he’s happy with the outcome.
“Medyo nakakastress kapag maraming ano… Kasi hindi mo na alam e, di ba? Lahat gumagalaw na, marami kasi siyang mga adlib,” Mendoza said.
So what was up with the close ups and low camera angles that he used during Duterte’s address?
The director explained the low camera angles and the tight shots of the President are “power angles,” which were meant to show power.
“We want to show power, di ba? We want to show a powerful president, di ba? Yun ang kanyang mensahe (That’s his message), that he is in control and he knows what is talking (about),” he said.
As for the numerous focus on Duterte’s hand gestures, Mendoza said what he wanted to do what show Duterte’s various expressions and nuances.
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Mendoza explained: “Importante yun sa akin. Yun ‘yung kanyang expression. Doon mo nakikita yung sincerity ng tao — sa kanya mga mga nuances, sa kanyang mga movement.”
(That’s important to me. That’s his expression. That’s where you can see the sincerity of a person — in his nuances, in his movements.)
Well, that makes sense, right?
