MANILA -- Actor-director John Prats started in showbiz when he was only eight years old in the youth-oriented program "Ang TV” in 1992, along with many other young stars then who eventually made a name for themselves.

He was in the first batch of talents in “Ang TV,” with Jolina Magdangal, Gio Alvarez and Paolo Contis.

However, while other faces and names faded into oblivion and were readily forgotten through the years, Prats was never away from the entertainment scene even briefly. He constantly appeared in regular programs where he was always in the public eye.

“When I started in that era, hindi madaling maging artista in the ‘90s,” Prats told ABS-CBN News. “Wala pang social media noon. Hindi katulad ngayon, with social media, anyone can be a star.

“They can do their own content, show themselves on YouTube and sikat na sila instantly. The lifespan of being a household name, noong time namin up to now, kami nila Camille [Prats, his sister], nag-mark na talaga sa generation namin.”

“Our followers, mga nanay at tatay na rin ngayon. Ako, 32 years in the industry and I never left ABS-CBN. I started with Talent Center and Star Magic with Mr. M [Johnny Manahan]. Dapat may loyalty award na ‘ko dyan.”

On his 15th anniversary in show business, Prats transferred managers to Arnold Vegafria. He stayed with him for a decade. Then in 2018, Prats moved to Cornerstone Entertainment of Erickson Raymundo.

“It was my career-pathing,” Prats explained. “I felt I had to do something new.”

In 2018, Prats decided to pursue directing when he was tasked to direct Moira de la Torre for her “Tagpuan” concert.

“I felt that Moira and I were on the right page at that time,” Prats shared. “We were on the same page. Most of Cornerstone’s artists were singers. So that time, if I was going to direct concerts, that was the strength of Cornerstone.

“There was one production guy who told me, ‘Direk, ang dami mong raket.’ Working in concerts is not just raket for me. This is my passion. This is my main job.”

Prats’ 32nd year in the business was never less preoccupied. Surprisingly, he didn’t accept any acting assignment this year and concentrated on working behind the cameras.

“Since I decided to focus on this path [directing], I missed this one,” 40-year-old Prats admitted. “In 2020, there were no live events, so I focused on acting [‘Ang Probinsyano’]. I missed live events. The fire, the stress, the pressure.

“So when ‘Ang Probinsyano’ ended last year, I directed the concert of Korean artist Jessi. After that, I never stopped. Mas nararamdaman ko mas matindi ang purpose ko when I’m directing.

“Sa taping, tengga ka lang while waiting for your scenes. You just wait in the tent when the director calls on you. When you’re the director, you think about everything. You have a lot of responsibility.

“What time will you start? What time you will finish? How many sequences you need to do for the day? That is really what I like. I want more responsibilities. Mas may purpose ako. Mas may authority.”

Prats even ventured into TV directing when he directed “Ang Probinsyano” from 2021 to 2022, its last year on air.

“When I was directing the scenes, I even edited. You really know there’s a personal touch in the scenes that you did, rather than merely acting on the set,” he said.

Two years back, Prats was surprised when he was called on by ABS-CBN's chief operating officer of broadcast Cory Vidanes to work at the helm of the ABS-CBN Christmas special in 2021.

“That was the most meaningful Christmas special of the network since that was the year ABS-CBN lost its franchise and had its first Christmas amid the pandemic,” he said.

“I really don’t know how to direct. Kung ano lang ang maganda sa mata ko. For that Christmas special, I directed more than a hundred stars.

“The special ran for four hours. Ganu’n kalaki. I will never forget that moment and all the people who worked with me and gave me the opportunity.”

Happily, the transition from acting to directing was “seamless” for Prats. “You will notice, hindi ko pinipilit,” he said. “I never forced Cornerstone to give me projects. We never had that meeting where I asked them for work.

“Everything happened naturally. This year, 80 percent of my work was outside Cornerstone. That made us happy because that was my main objective. In 2018, most artists of Cornerstone, I was the one directing since all of them were under the umbrella of Cornerstone.

“After that, our goal was to get corporate shows, penetrate big companies, even festivals, producers getting us. This year, we achieved that. Different producers and agencies were calling us to work with them.”

This year, Prats worked at helm of the concerts of Moira de la Torre at the Araneta Coliseum, Erik Santos’ 20th anniversary concert at the Mall of Asia Arena, and Richard Poon at Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Last August, Prats even accepted a fundraising show with Jose Mari Chan, Basil Valdez and the Madrigal Singers, a charity for Don Bosco where he was able to give back.

In the recent Aliw Awards this month, Prats received the trophy for Best Female Major Concert of the Year for De la Torre and Best Male Major Concert of the Year for Erik Santos and he couldn’t be any prouder.

“In every project, I never thought of any awards,” he said. “Receiving those kinds of awards really make me happy. That my efforts were rewarded.

“When I was acting, I didn’t get any awards. But when I started directing, the recognition came. I told myself, baka nga para sa directing ako. Although the awards were not for me; they were for the artists I directed.

“To deliver a great show for them, that was perfectly okay for me. But to receive an award for their show and to make them feel happy, that was more fulfilling for me. Ang feeling ko, they were thinking they didn’t make a mistake for getting me.”

Surprisingly, Prats never actually studied concert directing. No one also trained him. He simply got inspiration from his late “Jologs” director, Gilbert Perez.

Since 2014, Prats was already directing corporate events for his dad, Daniel Rafael Prats, whose company was mounting different events.

“I just had the vision, pero wala akong alam sa concerts,” Prats admitted. “Hanggang sa nakiki-alam na ako sa ilaw, sa editing, sa visuals. Sa lahat ng concerts na nagawa ko, everything was a learning experience for me. Doon nagsimula ang journey ko.

“When I did Moira’s ‘Tagpuan,’ I didn’t know what I was doing. Everything was my instinct, my vision, what I wanted to do. But there were people like Cynthia [Roque] of Cornerstone who guided me and gave me the right people to execute my vision.

“It was more than directing a concert. It’s like building a relationship with your artists. Being a friend to them. My advantage was I was in the industry. I was also a performer. So I know how it feels to be a performer.”

Prats attested directing is not easy. People who are close to him, like his best friend, Sam Milby, his dad and his close friend Angelica Panganiban, simply boosted his confidence to direct concerts.

“Sam was telling me, ‘You can do it. Kaya mo ‘yan. Madali lang ‘yan. It was not easy. Nilalakasan ko lang ang loob ko.

“After Moira’s ‘Tagpuan’ concert, K Brosas approached me to direct her concert. Even Erik Santos also wanted me direct his concert.”

For half a decade that he has been directing, Prats made it easier for him to assemble his team who gives audiences the JP (John Prats) experience – his visual team, lighting team, his technical director and stage directors.

“More than doing the show, behind the scenes are the ones that are harder to do,” Prats admitted.