JODI ON FILM DIRECTING, DOING ACTION, PURSUING MASTER'S DEGREE

Given her achievements as an actress, did it ever occur to Jodi Sta. Maria to consider film directing?

- By CHARMIE JOY PAGULONG

The "Lavender Fields" star contemplated it but asked herself if she could really do it. She recalled an instance where director Manny Palo requested her to direct a scene in her previous drama "Unbreak My Heart."

"He told me, 'Jodi, come here. You sit here.' There were three monitors. 'What should I do?' (Direk Manny said), 'You direct this scene,'" Jodi shared during a media interview for "Lavender Fields."

The scene involved her co-stars Joshua Garcia, Gabbi Garcia and Jeremiah Lisbo. "'Direk, wait.' Kasi parang mataas yung eksena. 'Pag pumalpak ako, siyempre masasayang yung emotions ng actors. I know what the actors go through to reach that kind of emotion needed for the scene."

"Just try it," she recalled direk Manny urging her. "How do I do it? (He said), 'Basta everything kailangan pitik, you have to make a command, mag pa-move ka, masundan mo ganyan.'"

"You know what, nagkabuhol-buhol utak ko. I couldn't do it," she said with a laugh.

Jodi realized how tough it was to be a director at that moment.