The rapidly increasing call centers in the city created a new culture. There is happy hour in beer houses at 6 or 7 in the morning. Call center agents just want to relax and to distress after working the graveyard shift. They need to unwind due to their changeable schedule. Lately, Robinsons Galleria evaluated the indie film My Fake American Accent. It was an entry in Cinemalaya last year. "My Fake American Accent" was directed by Ned Trespeces, it is vis-a-vis a life inside call centers. It tackles about the way of how call center agents operate and how they spend their lives working there. Not all call center people face difficult situations even they have one profession.

Based from My Fake American Accent, a group of call center agents work in one area as a team, this represents that the writer and director aim to produce a good film. In the movie, Jonathan Neri is Eric, the newbie who just learned the supports. He didn’t have a hard time managing his tasks because his co-workers are helpful to him in covering their lapses. The movie will make the agents feel-good in spite of the stress from the irritated callers. Tracy Abad is Astrid, a writer who works as a call center agent. In newspaper journalism, people claim that those who can’t write can teach. Astrid can write because she is a Palanca winner. But in reality, can we earn more in writing? Working as a call center agent is more profitable so she sticks there in the meantime. Let's accept the fact that call center people earn good money than most of the new graduates. Astrid is a friend of Samp, played by Cherry Mae Canton, a funky dresser and disobedient lady. In the middle of the story, there is a surprise twist about Samp and her supervisor. Buster (played by Miro Valera) a money-orientated individual who wants to keep track of the latest trends. What happens to him in one part of the movie shows the risks involved for those working the night shift. Martin de la Paz is Meryl. He portrays the most challenging role and it is given by his colleagues. He can do accents (like Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa and A Cry in the Dark). He is the team’s biggest talent, and he is extremely overworked and almost not allowed to take a day-off.   Martin showed a wide variety of emotions like Meryl. He is absolutely professional even when talking to the most difficult to deal customer. He can still be effective despite of being bratty sometimes. He yells to his boss who demands him to go back to work. One of his best scenes is when he is with his team leader, Joanna Seva, portrayed by Mailes Kanapi. In My Fake American Accent, she plays as the high-strung superior who will end at nothing attain her goals. No one can hit her in this department. The characters in My Fake American Accent prove us the people who are in-charge in call centers. With the film’s description, we've learned to be more considerate and open-minded as call center agents who receive complaints regarding faulty products and unproductive service. My Fake American Accent is pro-call center movie. It occurs to show both sides, how call center operates and how callers tell their complaints but the movie still overlook a very significant message, i.e. the voice of the unsatisfied consumers.

One customer confessed "I admit I am one of those bastards who give call center agents misery when my phone company bills me erroneously, my Internet service malfunctions often and the ATM machine is always off-line (a six-year war I’ve been having with my bank). I am a sturdy customer to deal with because I believe that I am entitled to good, quality service and when I don't get that I raise a protest and insist to be heard".

Did you know that call center agents don’t listen and don't give a howl about the irritable party? They try to get the information and perceive what they can perform. In My Fake American Accent, the repetitive customers are bad people. "I get pleasure from watching My Fake American Accent because it is an interesting movie. But how I wish the customer side especially those who were attached with dishonest manufacturers", a customer said. [via]