He is an actor by profession. When the lights are off, however, Derek Ramsay calls the shots as to where his life is headed for. He dares to direct everything. Sometimes, his exploits bring Derek to uncharted territories such as show business.
“I was really a camera shy kind of guy before,” recalls the first Acer Philippines brand ambassador. “One of my fears was to face the camera or talk in front of a large body of people. But I love to conquer my fear. I had fear of heights. I jumped out of an airplane. I had fear of facing the camera. So, I joined a school play when I was in England.”
Derek’s daring attitude paid off as he has become local tinseltown’s leading man who can cross over from action-fantasy-adventure to light romance and heavy drama.
But what charms the Filipino viewer is Derek’s clean guy image. That’s why Acer chose Derek to be its face. He will introduce the public to Acer products such as laptops and smart phones and give them innovative and efficient IT brands. As an actor, Derek finds the handy Acer laptop helpful. He checks e-mails and reads scripts from it in between takes.
With Acer as a new endorsement, does Derek have a busier schedule now compared to last year?
“I’m back to my crazy schedule,” he replies. “Before that I had a freer one because Habang May Buhay wrapped up. Crazy schedule means (working) nearly every day. I call it the zombie mode. Last year was the craziest schedule I’ve ever had. I don’t think I will ever go through that again. I was doing four teleseryes. I was in and out of the hospital. That’s why the health issue came about. Anybody would get sick if you had four teleseryes and hardly went home (to rest). I told myself: ‘That’s not the right way to balance everything.’”
Derek shuttles between shooting a movie and taping for ABS-CBN’s Karibal with Gretchen Barretto and Bea Alonzo.
“My free day is Sunday,” says Derek. “It’s my family and sports day.”
The hunk actor details his typical day from sunup to sundown:
6 or 6:30 a.m. — I get up, (take a) shower and go back to the car. Then, I’m off to work. I get another 15 to 20 minutes of sleep or an hour of sleep if I get lucky for an hour away trip.
8 a.m. onwards — I read the script before I get to the set because a sequence guide was given prior. I briefly read through the scenes and get the feel of them. I shoot an average of 20 to 25 sequences per day. I find taping as many scenes as possible better because working for, let’s say, two of the 40 sequences is tiring as you have more waiting time than actually working.
2 a.m. — It’s my cut-off time. But sometimes they (production people) ask for an extension.
4 a.m. or 5 a.m. — I leave the set, go home, sleep for an hour and get up again.
Before 11 a.m. — I head to Midlands Golf Course in Tagaytay if it’s Wednesday, my free day. I play golf with my dad. I see my nephews and nieces after. I get to spend three to four hours with my father just catching up with what I’m missing with the family. (Then) he knows what I’m doing with my life.
Later in the evening — If Angel (Angelica Panganiban) and I are both free, we go out. We have early dinner. She likes watching movies. I prefer watching DVDs. We go to Rockwell. — Jerry Donato