Enzo Pineda discusses his approach to acting for “As the Call, So the Echo.”
Actor Enzo Pineda, who is running for councilor of District 5 of Quezon City, started the year with a significant triumph. He was hailed Best Actor at the 11th Emirates Film Festival for the short film “As the Call, So the Echo,” by Rusty Guarin, who was also named Best Director. Executive producer Aquino Plotado, a Filipino entrepreneur based in Dubai, accepted the awards at the ceremonies held at the Emirates Training Academy in Dubai.
In “As the Call, So the Echo,” Enzo plays a character who is a member of a syndicate that abducts children and sells their organs to buyers. “For me, when I saw the character, I immediately liked it because it’s something I haven’t done,” Enzo relates. “Acting is about life. As actor, I want to experience different characters and put myself in the character’s shoes.”
He adds that did not hesitate to portray an anti-hero. “Naniniwala naman ako na there are really no dark characters. When we’re born, we are truly good. The bad in a person comes out depende sa pinagdaanan sa buhay.
Producer Aquino wanted to cast Enzo from the get-go. “Nakitaan niya si Enzo ng kahusayan sa pagganap,” director Rusty says of Aquino who was his former classmate at the scriptwriting workshop by GMA 7 writer Suzette Doctolero. “N’ung sinabi ni Aquino iyon, nag-agree ako.”
Writer-director Rusty had seen Enzo in person years ago at Caritas Manila when the latter was taping for the drama anthology, “Maynila.” Rusty was an intern at TV Maria. Back then the actor struck the budding filmmaker as a nice and talented guy.
Rusty’s impression was correct because Enzo became a breeze to work with, from the Zoom pre-production meetings to the workshops to the actual two-day shoot in Quezon City. “Even na even ‘yun level (naming dalawa),” Rusty says of his star. “Bukod sa naging okay po ‘yung working relationship, napaka-generous ni Enzo kasi binibilhan niya ng merienda ang buong production staff. Nakikipagkuwentuhan din siya.”
Enzo liked the vibe of the production. Aside from Rusty’s creativity and hard work, Enzo appreciated the passion of their executive producer. “Despite Aquino being far away, he was hands-on with our film. Hindi niya kami pinabayaan. At napakasuwerte namin na naging producer namin siya for this film,” says Enzo.
In his years in show business, Enzo has learned the importance of preparation. Memorizing lines and understanding the character are givens. But Enzo likes to make an extra effort. “There are times that I focus on my acting internally or I focus on my acting visually.”
Before stepping on the set, Enzo asks himself questions such as: 1) “What would the audience like to see?” and 2) “If I were sitting and watching myself, how should I react and how should I move?”
To get the movements and expressions correctly, he collaborates closely with his directors. “I ask kung wide shot ba ito or close-up or medium shot. So, kapag close-up, of course, naka-focus sa face so I have to focus on my acting internally…
“If wide shot naman… I have to focus on my body movement to show the audience, that, ah, this is a sad scene or an angry scene…. The wider the shot, an actor needs to use his or her body. The smaller or tighter the shot, the more an actor must rely emotion and small nuances.”
Enzo takes pride in this technical approach — something that he shares with his actor-friends such as Jake Cuenca and RK Bagatsing. Jake in fact, gifted Enzo with the book, “No Acting Please: A Revolutionary Approach to Acting and Living” by Eric Morris and Joan Hotchkis. Enzo considers the book as an important reference. Eric Morris is renowned for his system that helps actors overcome hurdles such as tensions, fears and inhibitions in order to explore the “being” state where the performer “does no more and no less than what he or she feels.”
For “As the Call, So the Echo,” Enzo employed a combination of technique and instinct. “Masaya rin ‘yung mga impromptu, mga on-the-spot acting na based on gut feel. Kung puwedeng maging ‘go with the flow’ ako, I would go for this option.”
Ultimately, Enzo sees acting as a way to make a positive impact and a way to serve. “I want to do things that make a difference,” he underscores.
