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Celebrating 40 years in the entertainment industry, Ian Veneracion goes all out in his newest project that has liberated him from the constraints of the traditional telenovela format and baptised him into a Hollywood-esque making of an action series
With a stellar career spanning four decades, Ian Veneracion is not only an admired veteran actor but also a sought-after leading man. He started as a child and later as a teen actor, then rose to stardom with his horror and action films in the '90s and early 2000s. Among his films include Zaldong Tisoy, Halang ang Bituka, Sgt Bobby Aguilar: Isa Lang ang Buhay Mo, Ben Balasador: Akin ang Huling Alas, Bastardo, Armadong Hudas, and Totoy Hitman. Lately, he has been doing television projects and also continuously growing his music career.
"I'm grateful for the unending kindness from people that I work with—the bosses, the networks, and also from the general public," Veneracion shares, looking back at his 40-year-long career in show business.
After his long hiatus from action films, while starring in hit romantic comedy television series, Veneracion returned to doing heart-stopping action movements by starring in Studio Three-Sixty's mini-series titled One Good Day, which was made available on the VOD platform Amazon Prime Video.
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Although a consistent, recognisable face on television, Veneracion deems himself more as an actor rather than as a celebrity. Having done supporting roles and, for a while, shied away from the limelight as a lead star, Veneracion was resigned to the fact that there seemed to be a certain progression to the roles he would be getting. Surprisingly in the 2010s, his career flew on its 'second wind' and Veneracion had been paired with some of the country's most stellar drama actors of this generation.
"I like telling stories. I like acquiring different shapes, physically and mentally, when portraying a role," he shares with Tatler. Looking back at his early years as an actor, Veneracion says that he was really innocent back then, that only in doing Hiwaga sa Balete Drive when he was just 13 years old did he actually realise and appreciate the art of acting. "I saw my co-actors Joel Torre, Gina Alajar, and Charito Solis, to name a few, who were masters of their craft, how they took their work seriously, went through with the process. . .and I thought that acting is deeper than just keeping yourself look good while portraying characters. I saw through them that you can actually manipulate yourself to change your shape and that it is your job as an actor. Since then, I've always wanted to do this for the rest of my life."
Read also: Donnie Yen on John Wick, Keanu Reeves, and the Art of Hong Kong Action Films
Veneracion did his first action film when he was 15, eventually making over 20 movies of the said genre. "[The interest] died down eventually when it started to become too costly to produce an action film," Veneracion says. He further shares that perhaps one of the factors of its demise in the early 2000s is when cinemas and television networks got oversaturated with action films and with concepts glorifying violence and the lives of real-life criminals.
The Alyas Babyface actor remarks on the application of Western films from Hollywood to Filipino action films, which is evident in the films made by Lito Lapid and National Artist Fernando Poe Jnr. "It's funny (and regrettable) that when it went lie-low here locally, Hollywood films started making action films with Asian influences. In fact, Bourne Identity had a Filipino martial artist as its choreographer," Veneracion says.
Read also: 10 of the Most Iconic Films That Shaped Philippine Cinema: Magnifico, Himala, and More
Above Ian Veneracion with 'One Good Day' director Lester Pimentel Ong
Ian Veneracion with 'One Good Day' director Lester Pimentel Ong
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"Our director at One Good Day, Lester Pimentel Ong, is a member of the Wushu national team. He became a stuntman in Hong Kong and Singapore, choreographing action films. . .I could really say that we [generally our local action films industry] can be at par with Hollywood action films because we have the talent and skill but not blessed with the budget," he shares. Veneracion, therefore, expresses his gratitude for the opportunity given to him by Studio Three-Sixty and Amazon Prime Video, to make this project to fruition where the possibilities for effects, technology choreography, and production design were almost limitless.
"Here for One Good Day, the cameras and the lenses that we used here were the same ones used for the blockbuster Hollywood action film Extraction," he shares. "I really do believe in Filipino talent. Other than the music industry, we have many talented writers, directors, and actors, that can bag awards worldwide," he adds.
With the proliferation of video-on-demand applications now, like Amazon Prime Video, which enables audiences to access content from different parts of the world, Veneracion finds that the competition is steeper and that we have to step up our game in content creation.
Studio Three-Sixty's One Good Day follows the story of Dale Sta Maria (Veneracion), a former hitman who used to work for the Rodrigo Organisation in the fictitious rural area in Iloilo called Kingtown. After learning that he had a growing brain tumour, he decided to retire and settle down with his wife as they tended to their farm. Later, his wife was killed and the crimes against his family urged him to come out of retirement and pursue his personal mission.
The cast includes Rabiya Mateo as Sandra, Andrea Torres as Alex Sandoval, Aljur Abrenica as Kyzer Castillo, Justin Cuyugan as Roman Rodrigo, Nicole Cordoves as Anne Rodrigo, Pepe Herrera as Joey Rodrigo, Robert Seña as Atty Bobby Miclat, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Gloria Marquez.
"Their common idea for the Philippines regarding action films is usually showcasing its dirty, dark side. For this series, we spent five weeks in Iloilo to shoot which makes it more logistically wise as everything is just a 20-minute drive. There we have everything—the beach, farm, mansion, a high-tech building, et cetera," shares the actor. Through this approach to storytelling, they were able to elevate the lens towards Philippine society with its opulent hacienda-life and mobster-type private armies, the long-standing corruption of old powerful families governing the provinces—deviating from the poverty-porn approach of old action films.
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"By shedding light on our sophisticated network of corruption, the series shows who we are as a society, especially the hidden side covered in glamour and luxury. It shows how manipulative and controlling these mobsters are," shares Veneracion. "I empathise with the character of Dale because of our common need to have that 'one good day'," he answers with a smile, looking beyond the camera to his personal dreams. "We all want peace of mind, chill, and live a simple life. But we have to go through all the mess and learn how to manage our fears, manage chaos, in the hopes of having one good day."
Veneracion animatedly explains further the differences between the television format and this VOD series, sharing his feeling of wonder towards the action sequences he made for One Good Day and the cinematic screenplay that are all different from what he does for telenovelas.
"The story is non-linear so we're hoping that we can get a second season as the series can go towards many directions from this point," he shares. He has high hopes that the series would garner high viewership locally and internationally.
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The 47-year-old actor proudly shares that he did almost all of the stunts in the series. He believes that maintaining physical and mental wellness is important to every actor but he admits that he has limitations. "I am not for the machismo type of actor who claims 'I can do anything'," he quips. "As actors, we share a little aspect of ourselves when portraying characters and justifying their choices. Yes, Dale and I have differences but I have to find it in me why did he do this and that and side with him. In this way, we become sincere as actors."
Superbly made for local production, keeping up with international standards and direction, One Good Day is a must-see and Veneracion invites all audiences to support not only them but also the other Filipino television series coming out on Amazon Prime Video. "The cinematography, the sound design, a stellar cast, and a totally new look at the Philippines, particularly Iloilo, which looks stunning on film—all these and more are reasons for you to binge-watch One Good Day," he says.
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About
Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.
Work
Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.
As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.
For any leads, you may reach him through @franzsorillaiv on Instagram or franz@tatlerphilippines.com via email.
