The writer is now a director

Turning director is like undergoing a baptism of fire. You torture yourself with so many questions. You wrack your brains with so many scenarios.

Entertainment writer-scriptwriter Ronald Carballo is a typical case. He kept the story of Mainit na Tubig to himself for more than 10 years, feeling the time was not yet ripe to put it out in the open.

Until now, that is. Ronald is finally fulfilling a long-time dream, turning director. And what better material than his original story about a father and his anguished teenaged daughter?

Mainit na Tubig is as hot off the Ronald’s creative kiln as can be, with interviews from a top hospital’s child psychiatrist to beef up the events.

And his stars are not so-so names in the business. Phillip Salvador cried when Ronald offered him the role of the beleaguered father.

Everyone knows circumstances sidelined his acting career for six years. And the movie’s plot is right up his alley: heavy drama. So Phillip accepted the role right away and was even excited about the first shooting day.

"The stars, the staff and crew prayed during the first shooting day. And our prayers were answered. Work was a breeze," Ronald, who used to direct for 700 Club, relates.

He was doubly elated when Phillip put an arm around Ronald’s shoulders and addressed him "Direk."

The debuting director got the same kind of morale boost from Gina Alajar, who plays a short but meaty role as the child psychiatrist.

"She took me aside and whispered, ‘Ang galing, galing mo!’ The fact that she even complimented me this way was heaven for me," relates Ronald.

Viva Entertainment, the digital film’s producer, auditioned more than 100 new talents for the role of Angel, the troubled teenaged girl. Their runaway choice: Sofia Gwenn, 18, a high school valedictorian and now a university coed.

Sofia pleased her director in her breakdown scene – heart-tugging allright, but not that mushy.

Dulce veers away from her image as a singer and tries drama for the first time.

"Dulce will surprise you in this film," Ronald promises.

On his own, this first-time director may come up with some revelations as well.