Crashed

I miss writing terribly! I have been busy these last few weeks that I couldn't find time to write. Actually, I do have some spare time to do some posts. The problem is that I am so tired to do such. So whenever I sit and face the computer, my mind goes blank.

Today, I was able to catch up on my sleep. After I finished my class at11:30 AM, I went home and ate lunch. Then, I slept. I finally was able to do my 5 days old laundry during the afternoon. After dinner, here I am!

For the record, I am writing using my dad's laptop. My pc had crashed down (again)! The past few days weren't good to me particularly the last 3 days!

Last Sunday, we learned how "kuya" felt about us through Acy. For weeks now, Don and Acy were trying their best to ask him share what's on his mind because he had been silent during group discussion. Don managed to received silent treatment from him. However, last Saturday night, Acy succeeded on knowing his thoughts through texts. They were not good, mind you! Actually, they were sooooo bad that I couldn't help cursing while reading them the next day! Don was even more hurt because he made mentioned of him in one of his messages. We (Don & I) were carrying the emotional baggages all throughout the day!

To add more to the burden, Biboy and I fought last Saturday. The topic of which I won't discuss here anymore. It was carried over till the next day and the day that followed it. So while I was feeling so bad re "kuya's" words, Biboy was arguing with me through text. I felt emotionally drained. I didn't even know how to react anymore. I just took things the way they were. The whole rollercoaster ride made me feel numb.

Yesterday, I seemed to reached the highest peak of the rollercoaster ride! My pc crashed down! My celfone failed to start-up! Despite the fights with Biboy through it, my celfone was keeping me sane all throughout the emotional struggles. It has been a companion because of all the fun messaging I was doing with workshop friends (particularly with Acy, Don, Bibs, Apple, and Monro) . It was a stress-reliever of some sort. Idagag mo pa na natatanggal 'ung isang salamin sa salamin ko sa mata! Kaloka talaga! Pagod. Antok. Disappointments. School stress. Frustrations. Halo-halo na! If I could just disappear that day, I would! Kaya naman when I went to Wellcom to have my fone repaired, I just sitted there and waited for a while without complaints. (There was this customer kasi who was really taking her time choosing the MP3s she want to load on her newly-bought fone. She even said, "Kahit abutin tayo ng buong hapon dito sa pagpili ng mga kanta, ok lang!" O kung sampalin ko kaya siya buong hapon?!) The repair cost me PhP600 - all for just a few minutes work!

When I went home, Biboy was waiting. He fixed the pc. Siya ang nakakaalam ng kiliti nu'n, eh. He hugged me and apologized for all the hurtful things he said. I did the same and we made up. As in, super made up! Hehehe. ;-)

So ngayon, si "kuya" na lang ang problema at ang mga alipores niya. Nag-text ang "alalay ni kuya" last night about our first pre-production meeting on Saturday. The truth is, we (Acy, Don, & I) are disappointed with "alalay ni kuya". She has been with us throughout the entire sessions - lunch and gimmicks. Then last Sunday, she made a 180 degrees turn and turned against us. Biglang kumapit kay "kuya" at sa "bodyguard ni kuya". At nagmamataray na ang lola sa text! Anyway, it's her choice.

Speaking of Saturday's meeting, Don & I are quite concern about it. I made it clear last weekend to the "Fantastic 3" (I am the 4th!) that I don't like the idea of having our pre-prod plans in "bahay ni kuya". It's his turf and it'd be hard for us to be ourselves. (Daming camera, eh!) Ang sabi ko, baka bigla na lang kaming birahin ni Don since "kuya's" main issue is with us. He feels that we have insulted his "story". Bastos daw kami. It was unethical of us daw to re-write his "story" the way we did. Kahit pa napuri kami ni Manay Gina with it, deadma siya! For him, we still butchered his "story"! Gusto na nga raw niya i-pull-out 'yung "story" niya. If he feels that way, he should've said so! The problem with him is that he acts like a spoiled child! He isn't open to suggestions even though he claims that he is. He acts like a producer who knows what he wants and gets it any way he can! The only thing he forgot is that he isn't producing this movie. We are not working for him. We are not his staff and crew. Pare-pareho kami ng level in the film. It just so happened that he was chosen to be the director. What does he want to happen? Be the writer and director of his own story/concept? Well, then, as Len said, "magtayo siya ng sariling niyang group! Group 5!"

As of the moment, Don and I decided to just stay mum about things. We'll just let him do whatever he wants. Our work is done. If he follows the script, fine. If he doesn't, fine, as well. But let assure him this, this behavior of his won't go unreported! If he wants to impress the big bosses, he better behave!

Sanga-Sangang Kuwento

Last Monday, I was supposed to watch Raya Martin's Ang Maicling Pelicula Nañg Ysañg Indio Nacional. It was part of the French Festival at the Shangri-la. The film was supposed to be shown at 6:20 PM but was moved to 8:00 PM. It was a good thing because Acy, my companion that night, was still nowhere near the place at 6 PM. Unfortunately, 15 minutes before 8, she hasn't arrived. I finally decided to go upstairs to buy me a ticket. Near the ticket booth was Jessica Zafra and company. There was also another familiar face just a few steps behind her but I couldn't tell who he was exactly. What I know, though, is that he is a film director. 10 minutes to go. Then, 5 minutes. I finally thought of buying a ticket when the sales person told me that it was already sold out! Gawd! I failed to realize that! I didn't think for one second that it might happen because I thought that it was an unknown film to ordinary film goers. Thus, tickets would be in abundance. But, unknown it may be to ordinary people, it wasn't with critics and media people! I felt so stupid for my complacency back then. I almost wanted to cry because of my disappointment! Two hours were wasted for nothing! Then, Acy and her bf arrived a few minutes before screening. Guess what?! They already have tickets!

Anyway, I just went home with a heavy heart. The weekend already was not good for me (problems with FTP grouping which I wouldn't discuss here at the moment) and that situation just alleviated the bad feeling. The film just had one screening all throughout the festival and I don't know if I'd still get the chance to see it.

The next day, I went to visit Jessica's blog to see if she already made a review for the film. What I read, though, was her post entitled "Free Movie!". I read it at around 10:30 AM when there was not yet a post on the people who got free invites. When I was about to send her an e-mail, lo and behold! She posted the winners! It was, of course, another disappointment since Jeffrey Jeturian is one of my favorite directors these days. I enjoyed every film that he made - from Sana Pag-ibig Na to Bikini Open, except Pila Balde which I haven't seen. The last film of his that I saw was Minsan Pa which I found so unconventional and spectacular! It has a contemporary linear story telling yet the ending was not typical. It has the most number of dialects/languages used that I have seen in movies - Cebuano, Tagalog, Japanese, Spanish, English, Korean. Armando Lao had truly written one of his masterpieces!

The story is simple, really. It is about Jerry Toledo Jr. (Jomari Yllana), a Cebuano tourist guide, who has a lot going on his life - an old affair, family burdens, work problems, etc. Aside from his family, he is looking for a meaning in his life. Then he meets Luna (Ara Mina), a woman who is about to get married. When Luna's fiance backed out on their wedding, Jerry felt the urge to pursue his feeling for her. But Luna is not about to give up on her fiance. She tries her best to win him back. Jerry also tries his darnest to prove to her that they belong together. However, in the end, they would realize that love isn't all that matters - it is the committment you give to one another no matter what happens.

Minsan Pa may be a love story but it is only one-third of its story. It has a lot to tell regarding familial love, self-denial, unconditional love, work dedication, etc. Don't be fooled by the fact that it is Jomari-Ara starrer. This movie is really about Jerry's life journey. Further, it was the first time that I cried during a wedding scene! How good is that?! To top it all, there are a lot of breathtaking underwater scenes and a great scoring to boot! Just listening to the songs would already melt your hearts! My oh my! "Usahay" is one of the loneliest songs ever written!

Because I love his works, you can already tell that missing Kubrador's press preview would be a huge disappointment for me, yet again! Imagine, I would get to see it before the rest of the Pinoys do! So I decided to find ways. I asked Direk Ellen if she have invites to the film's preview. She answered affirmatively and asked if I wanted to come. Of course, I said yes! I told her how much I like Jeffrey's works etc. etc. etc. just so she'd be convinced to bring me along. She told me that she'd see what she could do. I'd turn to Sir Vince in case direk was not invited. Ganun ako ka-determined!

Then, a light bulb moment hits! The director whom I saw at the Shangri-la ticket booth who was a few steps behind Jessica was no other than Jeffrey himself! No wonder that instead of writing about Indio Nacional, Jessica had written about Kubrador's upcoming preview.

Today, I received a message from direk that she already put my name and Biboy's (who is one of Jessica's avid fans!) at the list. However, we wouldn't be included at the cocktails anymore. "Medyo namumroblema na 'yung producer," she added. (The producer is Atty. Joji Alonso of MLR Films who funded the film transfer of Mga Pusang Gala. I met her during my interview with direk. She is the host of a legal/law show in RPN 9 during morning.) It was not a problem for me, anyway. Just to see the film is more than enough for me! I'm already grateful! I hope that I get Jeffrey to sign my Minsan Pa DVD, though...

FTP Workshop Days 5 & 6

Day 5 was the last day of script writing. During the first session, we had Joen Chionglo. He had written one of my favorite SC movies, Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita! He also worked with Direk Rahyan via the film La Funeraria Toti. If his surname sounds familiar, it is because he is the youngest brother of the Mel Chionglo.

According to Ricky Lee's scriptwriting manual called "Trip to Quiapo", Joen's exposure to films was because of his older siblings who love watching films. After studying and staying in the US for a while, he came back to the Philippines. It was direk Mel who told him that Ricky Lee was looking for new TV writers. From then on, he found his niche in writing. Incidentally, by the way, Ricky Lee visited us during our first script writing session! (See Acy's blog for picture/proof.)

Joen emphasized to us that every scene in our script should have something to say about the characters or their situations. They have to have sense. If they don't show anything significant, better take them out of the script. For example, if a character is shown sleeping, the scene should show some aspects of the character's life while he was doing such. Maybe a shot of his place where the audience could determine his life style or status. If it was only to show that he is sleeping, then aksaya lang siya ng film. Unless, narcoleptic 'yung karakter niya!

The second session was headed by the bubbly Joseph Balboa. I told my co-workshoppers that Joseph is a cross between Arnell Ignacio and Renz Verano. 'Wag sana niya ikagalit. Hehehe. His session was fun. Matindi tumira ng sarcastic jokes esp. during Maestro's attacks! (Maestro is one of our workshop mates. I can't elaborate on his story because you have to be there to get the joke.) Pero di naman nakakabastos.

Joseph was part of Encantadia's writing team. Today, he heads the creative team of Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell. If the former received numerous praises for its writing and production, the latter, sad to say, was bombarded with negative reactions. It was pretty much a Smallville rip-off. Because of the reinvented story, nawala ang pagka-Pinoy ng kapitan. Sensya na po, sir Joseph, sa panglalait. :-)

Anyway, with Joseph, he gave importance to dialogues. They should fit the characters well and must be appropriate for their age. We also give unique and catchable names to our characters, not to mention well-fitting.

We ended the day with a writing exercise which turned more into an acting exercise. Most of us failed to show the speakers our written sequence treatment. However, it was fun!

Day 6 was musical scoring session headed by one of my favorite composers these days, Vince de Jesus! Nagulat pa siya when he called my name during an exercise. I was standing beside him while he was explaining what we are about to do. He looked at me and said, "Halimbawa, si Jheck... Ikaw ba si Jheck David?" I nodded at napatawa lang siya. I was supposed to tell him that I am enrolled in the workshop before his assigned day. It wasn't supposed to be his but there was a sudden change in his schedule that he had to make it earlier than expected.

We started with a "radio play". Sir Vince wanted us to create a story using only sounds and music. It was a fun activity. I have always wanted to do a radio play back in school and have wished that my students would do such whenever I asked them to do plays. Unfortunately, I didn't experience any of it since last Saturday.

What struck us the most is that, because of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights), we are not allowed to use for TV or film any copyrighted material even the ordinary ones like "Happy birthday" or "Twinkle twinkle little star". That is, unless, we would be paying for its usage which would cost a lot, of course! No wonder that we seldom hear the birthday song on TV or films these days.

We learned that music is an essential part of TV or film. Without it, movies would seemed lifeless.

Incidentally, because of Sir Vince's promotion of ZsaZsa Zaturnnah's third run, my workshop mates were encouraged to see it. S'yempre mega-promote din ako sa kanila n'un. We'll be seeing it on the 18th if plans push through.