ABS-CBN TV Production and Star Magic Head Laurenti Dyogi wants love for the craft coupled with good work ethics to be the biggest takeaways of Star Magic's next generation of big stars.
This was what he emphasized during the presscon of Zoomers: The Next Generation of Gen Z stars, a two-week prime-time series headlined by 10 young hopefuls from Star Magic, the talent management arm of ABS-CBN.
The presscon was held at the Dolphy Theater in ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on Monday, January 22, 2024.
Instead of casting stars based on fanbase or X-factor alone, the cast of Zoomers were made to experience the creative process in mounting a show.
They went through auditions before a three-member panel who interviewed them about their background and then asked them to act out a scene given to them 15 minutes before coming up on stage.
The three-membel panel is composed of Laurenti, creative producer Ted Boborol, and director Chad Vidanes.
Laurenti elaborated: "Importante madaanan nila yung proseso. Hindi ganun kadali mag-cast. Hindi porke may project ika-cast ka lang.
"Kapag bago, we make sure na tama yung ibibigay naming role, lalo na ngayon it's a make or break. Yung one-time opportunity can be your last opportunity.
"Importante sa amin as a creative team that we give them the right role."
It was also during the audition process when the stars were interviewed for them to share the struggles and obsessions of their own generation, the GenZ.
According to Laurenti, some of the auditionees' input were incorporated in the story of Zoomers.
"At the same time, malaman sila. Kasi pag bago ka, the easiest [role to give] is closest to your character para di ka umaarte."
All the auditionees were called back for them to hear the evaluation from the panel since Laurenti believes that this would help them improve their craft, whether they got the role or not.
In the case of the lead stars, the panel reviewed the taped auditions where the male lead role (Jiggs) was played by Ralph de Leon, a commercial model who has no experience in acting.
But they later opted for Harvey to play Jiggs because Harvey, a Goin' Bulilit graduate, fits the role better and whose maturity gives the depth needed for the character.
They also thought of pairing up Harvey with Zabel Lamberth, but Laurenti said Harvey proved to have a better chemistry with Criza Taa.
So Sabel ended up as the love interest of Ralph.
"Sometimes when I read the social media, sinasabi, 'Ay, dapat si ganito, si ganyan.'
"May chemistry din kasing binubuo. Lalo na kapag ganitong love story, merong anggulo ng love, merong physical compatibility, merong personality compatibility.
"Hindi siya basta-basta.
"There should be much respect in the casting process kasi dun tataas yung level ng competence mo.
"Pag dun pa lang sa simula, dun pa lang nalalaman, gusto mo ba talaga gawin ito? Kasi di ito madaling proseso.
"Pero maganda siyang proseso para na rin sa mga tao behind the scenes, nararamdaman nila yung potential [ng stars]."
Laurenti went on to explain that this creative approach in molding new generation of stars is different from the talent search route that he has mastered as star builder and creator behind the successful Pinoy Big Brother franchise, which the viewers have also grown used to in the last 18 years.
He elaborated: "When I was thinking of launching new faces for Star Magic, we were thinking of a different way of presenting it kasi nasanay kami sa PBB.
"Sa PBB kasi nakikilala mo yung pagkatao, hindi mo nakikilala yung skills.
"Ibang-iba yung context pre-pandemic. Noon, uso mga reality shows na talent searches.
"Kaya dumaan ka doon, sisikat ka, may fanbase ka na agad, bibigyan ka ng role kahit hindi ka pa talaga handang-handa."
Laurenti also acknowledged how social media has also turned out to be a new platform where stars are born.
But he also pointed out: "Iba pa rin kasi ang groundedness and art form ng acting.
"Yun talagang kailangan makatrabaho mo real professionals, in terms of the writers, the creators, the producers, and at the same time real actors na kabatuhan mo."
With Zoomers, Laurenti said that he wants the audition process to be a standard for the new breed of talents of Star Magic.
"Sa prosesong ito, sinabay namin. Nakikilala niyo sila, at the same time, nalalaman niyo yung level of excellence nila sa pag-arte.
"You don't look at it as mapapahiya ka. It's really a process to match your personality and persona to the role.
"It's not about you."
Laurenti continued, "Kahit naman abroad nag-o-audition sila even the most popular stars.
"I don't know if that's an innovation, but it's a different way, for at least us in Star Magic, of doing a launch of a new batch of artists.
"Pero eto rin, we're serving the story. Nauna yung kuwento. Nag-interview sa kanila, pero nung binuo yung kuwento, babagayan namin yung kuwento.
"Hindi katulad dati, 'O, sila na yan. Bahala na. Gawan niyo ng kuwento.' It's really a creative process first [this time around]."
Read: Is PBB house closing its doors for good? Laurenti Dyogi's IG post triggers nostalgia
LAURENTI ON TRAITS STARS MUST HAVE
Can he easily spot during an audition if an auditionee has what it takes to be the next big star?
Laurenti answered, "It's hard to identify right away in the audition process. But you'll have a sensing of what that is.
"Siyempre sa umpisa—we're a visual medium, e—so dapat visually kung ano hinahanap ng role dapat mag-match yun.
"Pero ang importante kasi sa akin yung attitude and character ng baguhan, e. Willing ba siya dumaan sa proseso na matututo siya? Madali ba siya matuto? May grit ba siya?
"Nakikinig ba siya? Na di porke nasabihan lang ng ano tumutupi na.
"Actually, maraming magaling. Pero mas gugustuhin ng producer makatrabaho yung mabait, yung professional, yung marunong makisama."
Referring to the nine hopefuls, Laurenti revealed the traits he saw in them that landed them the roles in Zoomers.
"Sila yung medyo may lakas ng loob, may grit, may tenacity to do this process."
Zoomers features a mix of fresh faces as well as young Star Magic stars who had been in the business for some time but has yet to be given a big break.
Laurenti spoke with much pride and joy over the final output of the Star Magic talents.
"Lagi naman tayong tumataya sa bago. Importanteng tumataya ka sa bago. Lagi naman ang future ng industriya ay laging nasa mga bago.
"Kasi it's a cycle. Later on sila na yung ano... Actually, sila Harvey, ang tagal nila, Goin' Bulilit. He was 8 [then].
"Yung paghihinog sa kanila ang tagal. Si Criza started when she was 13 in PBB.
"Si Zabel, akala niyo lang fresh [face], pero ang haba ng proseso nila just to get to this project."
Read: 'Tabing Ilog' stage musical starts audition
LAURENTI: "WALANG FAILURE"
At the end of the presscon, Laurenti underlined that the auditionees who didn't land a role in Zoomers or those who got in but were assigned to a role that they didn't audition for is not something to be ashamed of.
"Part of the process, walang failure, e. Yung bagay na sa tingin mo failure, it actually leads you to something better.
"So, important yung grit sa kanila na di sila susuko. Not yung because di nila nakuha yung gusto nila...
"Kasi yung mga bata ngayon, siguro kami rin nung panahon namin, nagmamadali kami. Pero mas nagmamadali yung mga kabataan ngayon.
"We're teaching them to be patient with the process, to enjoy the process, and to learn from the process."
As a star maker, Laurenti hoped that the new talents would learn to trust him and the rest of the creative team to give them guidance towards the fruition of their dreams to make it in showbiz.
"Nanghihinayang ako yung nakikita ko may potential tapos. E, dahil meron medyo tamada, or medyo nagmamadali, nakaka-frustrate kasi sayang.
"But sometimes, I have to let them go through a painful process para ma-realize nila na, 'O may tamang proseso na di ko kailangang magmadali.'"
Starting January 22, Zoomers airs on weeknights at 10:15 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, and TV5. All episodes are also available on ABS-CBN YouTube.
Watch: Mediacon of Zoomers: The Next Generation of Gen Z Stars