MANILA, Philippines- Director Richard Somes of award-winning film “Yanggaw” is giving actress Erich Gonzales five years to blossom into one of the country’s most important actors.

“Ang pinaka-advantage niya ay ang ganda ng register niya sa camera. Nai-in-love talaga ako sa mata niya,” he told Bulletin Entertainment and select members of the press in an interview held at Post Manila in Makati City.

Somes currently works with Gonzales in his movie, “Corazon,” and in the Philippine adaptation of Mexiconovela, “Maria la del Barrio.”

Somes said that the only thing that could get in the way of Gonzales’ chances to clinch superstardom is if she doesn’t pace herself properly. He notes that Gonzales sometimes seems to take on too much work that he senses her exhaustion even when she strives to give her best.

“Corazon” aims to trace how the legend of “aswang” started while “Maria la del Barrio” is about a teen scavenger, a role first played by Thalia.  

Somes dreams of finding a project that would reconcile mainstream and indie films. He believes that the demarcation between the two is one of the reasons the film industry hasn’t moved forward as it should’ve.

“Ang yabang kasi ng taga-indie, na-i-invite sila abroad sa mga festivals. Yung gumagawa naman ng mainstream, ang panama ay kumikita ang mga pelikula nila. Sana merong indie film na dumating na i-ma-market as if mainstream movie ito,” Somes said.

The director knows what he talks about having risen from the ranks. He started out as props man before becoming an art director then a production designer and later, a film director. His work as production designer, most notably on the films “Exodus: Tales From The Enchanted Kingdom”and “Ang Panday,” had also won awards.

Somes is one of the in-house directors of Revolver Studios and Reality Entertainment along with Jun de Leon, Topel Lee, AF Benaza, Joel Limchoc, Borgy Torre, Peter Collias, Jerrold Tarog and Larry Ang.

According to a release, Revolver Studios is a production house that has been in the business of producing and creating quality commercials hand-in-hand with top advertising agencies for the past three years. The company not only taps local audiences but foreign as well by joining international film festivals.

Reality Entertainment, on the other hand, is a feature film production house that co-produces and line produces projects with the top feature film companies in the country. Reality Entertainment produced the blockbuster horror flick, “Pasiyam,” and co-produced the blockbuster MMFF film, “Exodus.”

After finishing “Carnivore,” Reality Entertainment has also co-produced “Rock en Roll” and “Patayin sa sindak si Shokot.”

Acting as executive producer and managing partner for both companies is Dondon Monteverde, a businessman who carries with him nearly two decades of production experience for both TV and the movies.

For inquiries about Reality Entertainment and Revolver Studios, contact Sandra Artadi at adgartadi@yahoo.com.