(FINAL PAPER)

In partial fulfillment
Of the course
Requirement in LIT 1N
TECSON, Athena Erika C.
MC14113 MTh 12:00-1:30

EKSTRA! EKSTRA! Read all about it!

The Bit Player (Ekstra) is a 2013 Filipino socio-realist satire film by

Jeffrey Jeturian. The film stars Vilma Santos as Loida Malabanan, a middleaged jobless woman who spends her days longing for her huge break while
working with the nation's best little screen performers. The film contended
under the Directors Showcase sidebar of 9th Cinemalaya Independent Film
Festival. It beat the movies in each venue of the said celebration. The film
was discharged in standard theaters by Star Cinema on August 14 as a major
entry to the 20th anniversary of the said festival. The Bit Player also had a
participation

at

the

2013

Toronto

International

Film

Festival,

under

Contemporary World Cinema section. Director Jeffrey Jeturian who confesses to

being a Vilmanian, has created the film which is said to mirror both his love and
hate for the local TV and film industry, as he himself had experienced being a bit
player also before becoming a renowned director .The astonishing optimism of a
middle-aged extra (Ms. Vilma Santos) is the warm heart driving "The Bit Player". The
film is an engaging dramedy that jabs a lot of genial fun at TV dramas. It takes a
cheerful swipe at the cruel differentiating realities of the abused and the favored in
the entertainment world. In an amusing precedents succession of the so-called
extras for the little talking part of a housemaid, eager beaver Loida Malabanan is
selected for the role at last. All that much a present day incarnation of champions
from fantastic Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s, Loida just fortifies her resolve in
such setbacks. Furiously resolved to not ask her ex-husband for monetary help,
Loida is determined to survive and succeed. Her driving force is her grown-up little
girl, Joyce, a divorcee and a college freshman who is struggling to pay her tuition
fee.

Ekstra is truly a tribute to the bit players. It laughs at the

"framework" in the local entertainment business wherein the "star" has so
much privileges, while the bit players (counting those working off-cam, for
example, specialists, overseers, and so on) are misused to the grip. Loida's
conviction that its never past the point where it is possible to turn into a star
is one of numerous character roles that will have gatherings of people pulling
for her the distance. Crowd is crowd! Aanhin mo ang isang eksena kung

puro bida lang? walang mga taong dumadaan sa likod. Walang mga nakaupo
sa restaurant...Crowd ang bumubuo ng eksena. With this, Jeturian steers an
all the more plainly comedic way once Loida and her spunky best buddy,
Venus, discover to take a shot at the arrangement of a TV drama
entertaining with the title of "You Were Mine First." Constant laughs and a
reasonable supply of huge midsection giggles are the request of the day as
Loida, Venus, and an adorable gathering of individual anonymous wannabes
are grouped like dairy cattle by Josie, a corrosive-tongued colleague chief
(Vincent de Jesus) and the super-pushed out executive (Marlon Rivera) of
"You Were Mine First." As expected, a great part of the fun gets from scenes
being shot for the uncontrollably sensational "You Were Mine First." To that
end, Jeturian gets extraordinary quality of cameo appearances of well-known
stars including the hunk icon Piolo Pascual as the disturbed man of the hour
Brando, Pilar Pilapil as the serious female authority Dona Esmerelda, and the
superbly over-the-top Cherie Gil as the super-bitch Dona Beatriz.
For all the cheer in plain view, the screenplay never dismisses the
financial

and

passionate

goals

which

drives

Loida's

uncomplaining

acknowledgement of her place at the base of the industry. It's no amazement

when Loida at last gets an opportunity to make an imprint with huge talking
part in "You Were Mine First". The way in which she plays the role is really
astounding and touching. As though roused by the extremely quick calendars
of teledramas, Jeturian and his group shot this exceptionally enlivening thing
in only 11 days with tip-top results. Lenser Lee Briones contributes
essentially in keeping up the parity of satire and ardent show using rich set
structures

in

Loida's

household

surroundings,

and

suitably

brighter,

compliment pictures amid her time on the cleanser set. Vincent de Jesus
conveys a delightfully bouncy score to match his artist info, and generation
creator Ericson Navarro unmistakably had a great time making the
delightfully cheap insides for "You Were Mine First." Other tech work is on the
cash. For all the merriment on display, the screenplay never loses sight of

the economic and emotional imperatives propelling Loidas uncomplaining

acceptance of her predicament.
As I recall reading this article of a fandom friend, he said: You need
not to be a Vilmanian like me to see how different and effective Vilma is
This film changed my point of view about TV dramas. It made me realize how
tedious it is to produce a film. Both director and crew, especially the extras
who undeniably play a significant role in the production, face a stressful work
as they shoot to and change location every time. Add to that are the
idiosyncrasies that happen on the set like actors who come in late on the set,
malfunctioning generators, and delayed catering services. The most
eccentric issue is the climate, is it going to rain or not?. The crew must
have a huge amount of energy, creativity, and tolerance in order to finish the
project. The last scene, which brought me to tears, made me realize that
people from below are mistreated of those who are on top. However, at some
point, I cannot blame the director for acting that way for he himself is
pressured by the producers. In the film he says: Kita mo naman kahit
umulan, umaraw, bumagyo, kahit halos magpatayan na kami, tuloy parin
para matapos lang ang shooting. Tapos sisirain ng isang putanginang
ekstrang katulad mo? Beside the issues on the set they have due date
burdens and "for airing" pressures and the supervisors that bothers on their
backs for plan control, in addition to the weight of satisfying the patrons and
the pestering evaluations diversion and what not. Our TV dramas side
interest is their work. Hard, cracking, work. I salute the group of these TV
dramas for doing a diligent work for us the television viewers. Much thanks
to Mr. Jeturian.