Cathy Garcia-Sampana says there's no one formula to motivate the different love teams she has worked with through the years.
She was at the helm of box-office hits headlined by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo (One More Chance), John Lloyd and Sarah Geronimo (A Very Special Love), Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (The Hows Of Us), and Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil (My Ex and Whys).
When asked about her dynamics with these stars, the resident Kapamilya director explained that she had to discover what works for them.
"Kasi siyempre, when I was working with senior actors when I was starting, kitang-kita mo yung difference ng senior star to the young generation at the time. Age nila John Lloyd and Bea.
"Then nagkaroon ako ng KathNiel, naramdaman ko na yung difference.
"And now, yes, kasi just like our audience, nagkakaroon ng preference changes sila, ganun din itong mga batang ito.
"Naramdaman ko na my process before is not working for them anymore. Nagsimula yan sa KathNiel.
"Ay, di na uumbra sa kanila yung dating ginawa ko kila John Lloyd... Di nagre-react positively, lalo na si Daniel, nararamdaman ko.
"So, ngayon nakahanap ako ng bago, si Donny. Ay, iba rin."
Direk Cathy was referring to Donny Pangilinan whom she worked with in the series Can't Buy Me Love. Produced by Kapamilya Channel and Netflix, the series also stars Belle Mariano.
"Itong mga batang ito," said Direk Cathy, "lahat naman mababait. Ayoko ma-quote, e!"
Then she pointed out what it's like working with the love team of KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, also known by their uniname KDLEX, for the short film Toss Coin.
"Sila, I would say normal. Di ako nag-adjust sa kanila," said Direk Cathy.
"Good thing [yun] kasi kaming mga taga-production, ang lagi naming hinahanap, mga artistang di magpapahirap sa amin.
"Kasi ang hirap ng trabaho namin, tapos dadagdagan ng may attitude na mga bata. Ayaw namin nun.
"In fairness sa dalawang ito at kay River [Joseph], sobrang gaan nila katrabaho, so it made life easier."
Read: James Reid recalls being scolded by Direk Cathy Garcia Molina: "She really gave it to me."
DIREK CATHY'S BRAND OF KILIG IN HER MOVIES
Direk Cathy's body of works would show that she has a significant role in creating the magic between love teams.
As the director, she leads the actors to execute a material given to them and where the story will go.
But she refuses to take the credit alone.
"Hirap na hirap ako sagutin yung tanong na yun. I think I'll never know the answer," she said.
"Ayoko nga ng tinginan na eksena. Tanong mo sa mga staff ko, sa mga writers. Kapag may eksena na titigan, nagki-cringe ako.
"Ayoko nang nagpapakilig. It's my rule."
Direk Cathy underlined that the spark between a love team should come out naturally.
"Kapag nagpakilig ka, tapos ka na. Kapag nagpaiyak ka, di na nakakaiyak.
"When you try, it won't work. So we don't try. We become. You just see it as viewers."
To make a scene work, Direk Cathy admitted that she can be strict on the set.
"That's why masungit ako sa kanila being the character. If you're the character, I help you become your character, the rest kayo na gagawa.
"Kaya yung ako yung gumagawa [ng spark]? No, no, no. It's not me. It's them."
Read: Direk Cathy Garcia Molina asked to comment on John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo's transfer to GMA-7
ON TOSS COIN
Toss Coin is a collab between Star Cinema, ABS-CBN's film company arm, CJ ENM Hong Kong, an entertainment company, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
It's a 12-minute short film that centers on how a content creator (Alexa) yearns to get back together with an ex-boyfriend (River) only to find herself meeting a new guy while wandering around vibrant tourist destinations in Hong Kong.
Direk Cathy revealed that the script for Toss Coin went through several revisions before she gave it a go.
The short film's writer Michelle Cruz agreed, "Yes po, short film po, pero pang full-length [film] yung revisions."
Direk Cathy continued, "Oo, mahirap siya, from the concept down to scripting down to mounting, down to shooting.
"If you can tell the story in five shots, tell it in two. If you can say it in two sentences, say it in one.
"It's a disciplined kind of directing, na ang totoo ay hirap ako, admittedly.
"That's why I took on the challenge, aside from I really want to do it. Sabi ko, '52 years old na ako, di pa ako gagawa ng short film. Gawin na natin ito.'"
Direk Cathy went on to say that her "mother instinct" also prompts her to work with young stars as it makes her feel like she becomes part of their "formative years" in their journey as actors.
The box-office director explained, "Alexa and KD are like sponges. Una, takot na lang nila sa akin, di ba, kung di sila makinig.
"But you see it. Ang acting malaking bagay diyan intelligence. Because they're intelligent people, they understand me.
"They know what I meant, e, so mahirap. Kung nahirapan man, they took on the challenge.
"Si KD, I must admit nakailang takes kami sa isang usad. Isa nga yun yung ngumiti yung mata, kaya ito [si Alexa] biglang tumuwad, biglang nag-tumbling na nag-twerk.
"But wala ka naman nakitang attutude na nahihirapan na siya na nakailang takes na."
Toss Coin is one of the three short films for the project "Hong Kong In The Lens By Asian Directors." It will be part of the 20th Hong Kong Asian Film Festival.
It started airing on tvN Asia and Viu since December 11. It will also be aired soon on A2Z and Kapamilya Channel.