It’s never too late.
In previous exclusive interviews with Funfare Update, Wilma Galvante said that when she retired (last March) from GMA after more than three decades, she would finally have time to attend to her put-on-hold dream of putting up an Asian Academy of Television Arts (AATA) patterned after those that she saw in other countries.
Finally last July 11, Wilma, now a special consultant of the Kapatid Network or TV5, saw her dream come true when her AATA was blessed. As I’ve been saying, “If you build, they will come” (a line from the character played by Kevin Costner in Field Of Dreams).
The Academy occupies the whole third floor of a building on EDSA and it will serve as school for the 16 finalists chosen as contestants in the new talent search Artista Academy which starts airing on Monday, July 30. The Top 16 will be chosen on Aug. 4 and they will start attending classes on Aug. 6 at AATA.
“It’s my way of giving back,” Wilma again said. “I am what I am today because of television so I want naman to share what I have learned with those who aspire to work in television.”
Among those who graced the AATA blessing were TESDA head Joel Villanueva, TAPE, Inc. boss Tony Tuviera, TV5 exec Perci Intalan (who’s behind the Artista Academy with Mac Alejandre as director), Jacky Woo and Boots Anson-Roa.
“Jacky was excited about the AATA because he himself put up the same academy in Japan 10 years ago,” said Wilma.
The Artista Academy’s Top 16 will be the first students of AATA. For three months, they will be schooled in various aspects of television such as Acting (under Leo Martinez for the Eric Morris acting method), Singing (under The CompanY), Dance (under Carlon Matobato for ballet), and Personality Development (Social Graces and Imaging, under Boots).
In October, when the Top 16 shall have completed the course, Wilma said that she will open AATA to the public.
(The Asian Academy of Television Arts website is aata.com.ph. You may like it at Facebook.com/asianacademyoftelevisionarts. For inquiries, call 285-aata or landline 825-2282.)
(E-mail reactions at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit http://www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)