Jerrold Tarog: A portrait of a musician as a film director

For director Jerrold Tarog, there are a lot of similarities between making music and making movies.

Tarog — the force behind the films "Sana Dati", "Heneral Luna", and "Bliss" — is known for scoring his own films and he revealed in an exclusive interview with GMA News Online that he was actually a musician first.

"Galing ako sa music composition, sa Diliman and then parang 'yong mga ginagawa naming mga piyesa n'on, ako personally, pumupunta na 'ko sa theatrical na side n'on e," he explained. "'Yong College of Music katabi niya lang 'yong Film Center ,so 'pag wala akong ginagawa, pumupunta lang ako." 

"Sa kakapanood ko na-realize ko na 'yong structure ng music parehong-pareho lang sa structure ng pelikula. So kung paano ka gumawa ng music, madali siyang gawin metaphorically na parang kwento rin," he added.

Although the transition was somewhat easy for him, he explained that he is self-taught when it comes to film. Tarog has been working in the movie industry for 15 years, but he shared that he received little formal training in film production.

"I was forced to learn everything by myself. Kasi 'yon nga, galing ako sa music tapos pag-graduate ko, wala naman akong kilalang mga film-makers e. I mean, kumuha ako ng mga film courses, pero pag-graduate nila, kanya-kanya na 'yong mga 'yan e," he said.

"Wala akong networks, ang nangyari sa akin pagka-graduate ko dumiretso ako sa music, gumagawa ako ng music para sa mga pelikula, mga commercials gan'on. Pero 'pag walang trabaho, gumagawa ako ng sarili kong short films," Tarog added.

When asked who influenced him on his career, Tarog revealed that it was his mentors in the music industry.

"Sila 'yong nag-influence sa akin kasi ang laki ng naituro nila sa akin about being self-critical ... na dapat kaya mong tawanan 'yong sarili mo at 'pag may ginawa kang pangit dapat alam mong pangit 'yong ginawa mo para maiwasan mo na siya," he said, adding that this led him to be analytical with his short films. 

"Inaaral ko palagi ano 'yong maling nagawa ko sa pelikulang 'yon tapos iniiwasan ko na siya sa susunod. N'ong nag-start na akong gumawa ng mga full-length na pelikula, inaaral ko rin siya pagkatapos kong gawin," Tarog said.

The effort he puts in his work is out of respect for his audience and he said that he hopes the film industry develops to care more about the viewers, "(Sana) dumami 'yong mga producers na tini-treat 'yong Filipino audience as someone na kaya pang mag-appreciate ng sophisticated na entertainment."

Tarog admitted that he has made choices he regrets in his work, especially earlier in his career.

"In my case meron akong mga decisions na parang sana iba na lang 'yong ginawa ko," he explained. "May mga pelikula na sana iba na lang 'yong ginawa ko for that or sana parang 'di ako nagpadikta. Pero kasi 'pag baguhan ka mas yes ka nang yes e. 'Pag tumatagal ka, doon ka lang (nagsisimulang humindi) sa mga tao." 

Return to form?

Despite the success he's currently enjoying with movies, Tarog is not averse to the idea of returning to music.

"Hindi ko masasabi. I had an interview once, sabi ko feeling ko meron akong limit sa mga pelikulang kaya kong gawin and then after that parang gusto kong bumalik sa pagiging musician," Tarog said. "I always see myself more as a musician na sidetrack sa pelikula." 

Being a director is tough, he confessed, and the job only gets harder. "Ganon lang siya, which is why hindi gan'on kadami ang tumatagal. It takes a special kind of tenacity and madness para lang ituloy 'yung pagiging direktor."

"Ilang beses kang madidiscourage e, so in a way ang kalaban mo lang talaga e sarili mo," he added.

Still, Tarog offered words of encouragement for aspiring filmmakers. 

"Gawa lang nang gawa. Just keep making your films and 'yon nga parang dapat... may tendency kasi na 'pag gumawa ka ng pelikula iisipin mo na porke't pinaghirapan mo, maganda na siya eh.

"Hindi. Kahit pinaghirapan mo siya, posibleng pangit pa rin 'yon. Kaya dapat alam mo kailan pangit 'yong gawa mo para maka-move-on ka kaagad at maka-improve," Tarog said. — AT, GMA News

More on Jerrold Tarog and "Bliss":

Why ‘Bliss’ was the most challenging film to make for Jerrold Tarog

X rated 'Bliss' reclassified R18