Young filmmaker Paul Soriano is again on the spotlight. Aside from having a romantic relationship with Toni Gonzaga, direk Paul has showbiz connections being the son of actor-director Jeric Soriano and grandson of the late LVN actor Nestor de Villa.
He has directed the indie movies A Journey Home starring Toni, and Thelma topbilled by Maja Salvador which won four awards including Best Digital Film Director and 12 nominations in the PMPC Star Awards for Movies in 2012. The movie also took home this year four awards including Best Director in the Luna Awards.
Direk Paul has been in the creative production industry for as long as he can remember. “When I was a kid, the movie set was my playground. My lolo and my dad would always bring me with them to work, that’s why early on I realized at once that I wanted to become a film director,” he shares.
He admires Steven Spielberg saying he is a master storyteller. He was amazed when he first saw E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial) when he was a kid. Spielberg’s Back to the Future trilogy taught direk Paul precious lessons in camera angling, lighting, scriptwriting, editing and directing.
Experimenting at home with his dad’s shooting equipment, he remembers, “When we were kids, my three brothers and I would make home videos and show them to our parents. I had so much fun ‘shooting’ my friends and classmates, making horror films and comedies I’ve written myself.”
To hone his passion, he went to Sta. Clara College in the Bay Area, San Francisco where he studied Communication Arts. There, he took up lessons on advertising, scriptwriting, television and radio subjects.
Direk Paul has now made a name for himself after having been in the industry for five years. “But more than being able to show that I have what it takes to claim the director’s seat behind the camera, I’d like to be known as one who creates and captures scenes that make an impact.” He shares that his dad told him to maintain his integrity by shooting and telling stories correctly.
As a director, he is conscious on real-life daily occurrences that fascinate him. Aside from taking videos on his cell phone, he is now using the new Xperia acro S from Sony, a tough, weather-proof, Android HD smartphone. “In my line of work, sometimes you forget that you’re holding an expensive gadget. I’ve had my fair share of dropping my phones and getting them wet that they would no longer work. But this one takes care of itself.”
“Filming inspiring moments all my life, I’m able to capture such ‘life scenes’ as they happen, I feel very fulfilled as a filmmaker, as I believe I am able to share with the world a one-of-a-kind story, worth telling and remembering,” he adds.
No doubt, direk Paul is one hot director both in front of and behind the cameras armed with technology, honesty and a lot of heart.
Phantom adds 16 shows
Due to overwhelming response and standing ovations, The Phantom Of The Opera in Manila has added 16 more shows and will close on Oct. 14.
Producer James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, said, “The unbelievable acceptance of the Philippine audience encouraged us to extend the season, adding 16 more shows.”
The Phantom Of The Opera features 130 international cast and orchestra members of the touring production together with Filipino tenor Dondi Ong and the finest local musicians.
The Guinness Book of World Records has also officially declared The Phantom Of The Opera as the longest-running Broadway show in history as of this month.
For tickets, call TicketWorld 891-9999 or log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph. Students can now avail of a discount exclusively for Balcony 1 and 2 seats throughout the season. Family Packages offer up to 40-percent discount on the third and fourth tickets.