MANILA, Philippines - In last week’s Supreme, Peque Gallaga spoke about his classic Oro, Plata, Mata and commented on the film developing process used at LVN Studios for the movie’s original 1983 release. Zenaida Redoble-Lacap, a colorist at LVN from 1973 to 1990, wrote us to react to Peque’s comments.
Zenaida says, “LVN Studios, Inc. employed a quality control team made up of chemical, mechanical and electrical engineers, well-trained color graders and film machine technicians to ensure a consistently high-quality film laboratory. At LVN, each and every client’s film was treated with tender-loving care because every director’s work was considered a masterpiece.
“As to the scenes in the original film version alleged to have come out dark, it was not a result of incorrect film processing but it was the DOP’s instructions during grading, since most of the scenes in the Plata and Mata episodes were night scenes,” Zenaida continues.
Peque Gallaga has apologized for his comments. “There was never any intention on my part to impugn the professional and artistic reputation of all the Lacaps who have dedicated their skill and craft for the upliftment of Filipino films,” he said in an e-mail.