Push Admin

Behind the Affair: The casting and conceptualization of “A Family Affair”

Article (news)

Liezel dela Cruz

A Family Affair has redefined the color red, associating it with both the nurturing and destructive power of a woman’s love. The end is going to be red for Cherry (Ivana Alawi) and the Estrella men. But, before we get to witness its fiery finale, the series took us behind the scenes to reveal how it was conceptualized and executed.In the first episode of “Behind the Affair,” we got to experience the making of the smashing teleserye – from conceptualization to casting, extensive search for the perfect location, and earliest shooting days.<div> </div><div>The Cast </div>The video opens flaunting the majestic beauty of Masbate, followed by the lead stars’ discussion of their characters. Ivana describes her counterpart Cherry Red as very bubbly, family-oriented, and innocent.Gerald Anderson as Paco, the second eldest in the brood of four, carries herculean responsibilities on his shoulders, “Everything important in his life ay maglalaban-laban, so lahat ng mga mahal niya sa buhay ay mako-compromise, may kailangan mag-sacrifice.”Sam Milby’s character as Dave, being the eldest, also makes big sacrifices for the family to the point of exalting himself as the hero. Seb played by Jake Ejercito may be naughty but he is the mediator of the group. He hates conflict, but at the same time, he has a weakness – girls. Jameson Blake is Drew, the black sheep who carries deep-seated resentment toward his family.These character descriptions matched exactly how we got to know them in the past four months, which goes to prove the actors delved deep into their teleserye personas. The five torchbearers showed great rapport on screen, as director Jerome Pobocan puts it.Casting Ivana was one of the most exciting elements in the production process. Director Raymund Ocampo knew from the start that Ivana would give Cherry Red heart and a compelling story, the perfect combination of power and innocence. “She will be a star,” he declared. <div> </div><div>The Milieu </div>The vast beauty and culture of Masbate provides exactly the feels that the creatives envisioned for the teleserye. It’s where the Estrellas’ world of horses and cattle is set. “Ang ganda ng location. It’s scenic, it’s beautiful, it’s grand. Pasok na pasok doon sa milieu namin na cattle farming and breeding, family that owns a ranch, Rancho Cuatro Estrella. It’s a beautiful place na hindi natin masyado na-e-explore sa mga teleserye natin at sa iba pang mga palabas. May pagka-New Zealand ang feel niya at look,” shared Direk Jerome about their choice of location.Masbate is beautiful beyond words that even the actors are amazed by its white-sand beaches, rolling hills, and ranches. Ivana mentioned it’s where the cast started to get to know each other and bond like family.The production also scouted picturesque dairy farms in Batangas, which certainly boosted the show’s storytelling.<div> </div><div>The Script</div>“Behind the Affair” lets us in on the cast and directors’ first table reading. We got to eavesdrop on their conversation, wherein Direk Jerome discussed the responsibilities of the actors and Gerald said he’d rather take the rodeo scene himself than get a double.The video then cuts to Gerald and Sam’s cowboy training in the actual location where Masbate holds its annual Rodeo Festival. You’ll find them learning calf roping or the part where they pursue and lasso a calf, as well as riding a bucking horse.“The rodeo experience, maganda. Ang babait din ng mga totoong cowboys na nakasama namin. Inalalayan kami. I think dalawang beses ako nag-practice bago kami magsimula mag-taping. Mahirap siyang gawin but buti pumayag si Direk na ako mismo ‘yung gagawa ng rodeo,” Gerald looked back.The episode also shares snippets of the other cast members’ horseback riding lessons. The stars had a blast working and trying different activities in Masbate, as Jake reflected, “Although we were working, para na rin kaming nagbakasyon doon. The people were so friendly.”The actors experienced a roller coaster of emotions filming the series as much as viewers feel watching it. The cast members are telling the truth when they called <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/afamilyaffair">A Family Affair</a> addicting, mind-blowing, challenging, sexy, and intense.Catch the next episode of “Behind the Affair,” a series of Made For YouTube videos on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/abscbnentertainment">ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube Channel</a> that reveal behind-the-scenes happenings on the set of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/afamilyaffair">A Family Affair.</a> Don’t miss the remaining episodes of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/afamilyaffair">A Family Affair</a>, weeknights, on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-channel-livestream-12685">Kapamilya Channel</a>, <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710">Kapamilya Online Live,</a><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710"> </a>and A2Z.

Watch how “A Family Affair” came to life – from the conceptualization to casting, extensive search for the perfect location, and earliest shooting days.