Filed under: Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, See, life ain't so bad (today at least), Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: berlin, films, pelikula
I just received news that my short film will be screened at the Asian Hotshots Film Festival in Germany on October. I told my good friend Chinggay about it and asked her if she wants to come to Berlin and watch the Festival with me. The hotel accommodations will most probably be free, but the airfares and food, I don’t think the Festival will shoulder it. We were both so excited, me already starting to daydream about the (automatic) applause when the credits roll, that we forgot that round-trip tickets to Berlin will cost not lower than 80,000 pesos, plus the money we’ll spend on German sausages during the days we’ll be tired eating Yakisoba.
Chinggay says she’ll probably just use the money to buy her dream car next year. It disappointed me a little, then she adds, if my film’s competing, then by all means, I should go. My film’s just for exhibition. This won’t be the last time, I’m sure, Chinggay says, and although we were just talking through SMS messaging, I felt that she talked with so much conviction and sincerity–
–That I actually believe her.
Filed under: In love or something like it, Lord, give me patience, yung madami, Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least) | Tags: canada, michael angelo, miss universe, venus raj
There were three messages on my cellphone inbox when I woke up today.
One was from our client at our P2 camera rental business. She’s a student. She informed me that the shoot scheduled for 6am today is “cancel po ung shoot namin 2m” (“our shoot tomorrow is cancelled”). She sent it at 12:33am. I read the message at 6:09am, and our caretaker Marj was already at the meeting place (the call time was 6am), wondering why there still aren’t any FEU students in Jollibee Morayta. I counted from 1 to 10, inhaled, exhaled, then sent our client an SMS message saying that I read her message just now and that she shouldn’t have assumed that I got it without getting a reply from me saying so. I composed the message with much self-control. I was very tempted to lecture her about film production ethics and sentido comon but she’s still a client, and they’re still renting from us on Tuesday. They better.
Another was from my boyfriend saying Mexico is probably doubly happy that they won the Miss Universe instead of Ms Philippines Venus Raj since they almost always lose against us and Pacquiao. He sent it at 12:09am. I like receiving messages like this from him. It makes me feel like the best friend you tell random thoughts to that other people won’t find worth listening to, like “ito listahan ng mga bibilhin ko: vit C na malaki, yung parang pandelata, damit, pantalon, medyas, iPod Touch na 32G, tsaka yung tsinelas mong Ipanema” (“here’s my to-buy list: big-sized Vit C, as big as a tin can, shirts, pants, socks, 32G iPod Touch, and your Ipanema flip-flops”). I’m not his best friend; he doesn’t tell me that I am, but he’s 30, and when you’re 30, and especially when you’re male, you’re way past the stage when you tell your best friend that she’s your best friend. When you’re 30, you just hope that she knows.
The last was from my friend from Canada. She sent it at 4am Manila time, which is around 1pm in Vancouver. She sent me a virtual hug with the URL of her latest blog post. She called it “Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy”. It made me smile, and I thought to myself, she’s probably already received the package that I sent, but I’m not sure why it would bring pools of sorrow. Sorrow is such a strong word, and when it comes in pools, well, it’s good to know she’s a good swimmer. I read her post, and I realized she hasn’t received the package yet. She talked about her moving out, her mom and dad, and her plans to help them out in their finances. I’m sending her virtual hugs right now. I always like reading her. She’s a great writer, and I feel like she’s really talking to (only) me when she writes. She’s my best friend, and I always tell her that. I’m only 26, you know.
Filed under: In love or something like it, Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least) | Tags: life, love, pag-ibig
Minsan kailangan mo lang tumigil, at manahimik, para malaman mong ba’t ang dami mo pang hinihiling at pinangangambahan, ba’t ang dami mo pang tanong, e ang totoo, okey lang naman talaga ang lahat. At sa totoo lang, matagal na.#
Filed under: Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, See, life ain't so bad (today at least), Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: alexis tioseco, films, GMA, pelikula, richrad bolisay, UP
Ginawan ako ni Chard ng isang napakagandang recommendation letter para dun sa filmmaking workshop na sasalihan ko. Isa kasi yun sa mga requirements. Last year, dapat sasali ako, pero ewan ko, nawala sa isip ko. Nung nalaman ko na, tatlong araw na lang e deadline na. Kahit sabi ng FedEx, We Deliver., hindi naman nila pinangakong We Deliver to Seoul in Three Days. Dapat si Alexis ang ipapasulat ko nung recommendation letter ko nun. Hanggang ngayon, tinatanaw kong malaking utang na loob sa kanya ang pagpapakita ng pelikula ko sa ibang tao bukod sa mga kaibigan ko. Dahil sa kanya, naisip kong baka magaling nga akong filmmaker, gaya ng sinasabi nya tuwing babanggitin niya ako sa mga article nya. Minsan, nung nag-eemote ako at naisip kong nasan na kaya yung Antoinette Jadaone na yun na sinasabi niya sa Rogue Magazine, hindi ko na siya kilala, at kung makilala ko pa, baka wala na siyang oras makipag-usap, e busy sa paggawa ng telenovelang may 40.1% rating o kung hindi naman, binabawi ang tulog dahil mahigit 24 oras nagtrabaho, hindi naman taga-news. Tinext ko nun si Alexis, kasi binasa ko yung sinulat niya sakin, sabi ko, salamat kasi may naniniwala pa rin pala sa akin. Sabi niya, don’t lose the filmmaker in you, at kung dahil sa pagsusulat niya ay naiinspire ang mga tulad kong nawawala ang tingin sa pagpepelikula paminsan-minsan, magsusulat pa siya nang mgasusulat. Mula nun, ipinangako ko sa sarili ko, gagawa ako ng isang short film kada taon, pangit man o maganda. Pagkatapos ng higit isang taon mula nun, napatay si Alexis sa bahay niya sa Times St. Alexis, sir, maraming salamat. Nabago mo ako nang hindi mo nalalaman.
At ngayong nabasa ko ang sinulat ni Chard, bumalik yung dating ako nung kakagraduate ko pa lang sa UP. Magiging direktor ako, sabi ko, itaga mo pa sa bato. Hindi ko alam kung may tumaga sa bato, pero tatanggap ako ng taga at bato kahit Linggo.
Mahirap nang mapahiya sa mga writer. The pen is mightier than the sword pa naman.#
Filed under: Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least) | Tags: jessica zafra
And so I joined Jessica Zafra’s LitWit Challenge 2.10 on her webiste Jessica Rules the Universe last week with the theme “The Story of Your Life”, where Zafra wanted her readers to write about yes, the story of their life in 1,000 words max without using adjectives or adverbs. The winner gets a collection of short stories by the late John Updike, and novels by Russell Banks and Kathryn Walker.
I submitted this entry:
Grade 1 ako nung nag-aral ako mag-swimming sa Milo Sports Clinic sa Ultra. Hindi ako natutong mag-swimming. Nung nag-excursion kami sa Laguna, habang nagtatampisaw ako sa swimming pool, akala ko ay malulunod na ako nang dumulas sa kamay ko ang gamit kong salbabida. Doon ako natutong mag-swimming. (Hindi ko na maalala kung freestyle ba yun o bobbing. Ang naaalala ko lang ay tubig at mga bubbles sa mukha ko. Buti na lang wala pang liwanag mula satunnel.) May mga bagay talaga na hindi kailangang ituro sayo para matutunan mo. Tulad ng kung gaano nakakahiyang malunod sa isang swimming pool kahit na may gamit kang salbabida.
Grade 3 ako nung nag-singing lessons ako sa Center for Pop Music Philippines nung bumisita sila sa eskwelahan namin isang summer. Sabi ni Teacher, ang tamang pagkanta daw ay ang kumanta galing sa diaphragm, hindi galing sa throat. Kinanta ko nun yung The Greatest Love of All at My Favorite Things galing sa diaphragm; naabot ko naman. Pero pagkatapos ng labing-dalawang taon, kinanta ko ang Alone ni Heart,Luha ng Aegis at You Oughtta Know ni Alanis sa videoke galing sa ikabuturan ng puso at esophagus ko, at laging above 90 ang iskor ko. May mga kanta talagang dina-diaphragm, tino-throat at ini-esophagus. At may mga kantang iniiyak na lang, sabay next song please. (more…)
Filed under: Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least) | Tags: child, fish, rue ann
Siya si Rue Anne Sumulong, 3 pa lang nyan. Kapitbahay namin na 1-month old pa lang e nangangapitbahay na. Ngayon ay 7 na siya, at hindi na lang siya basta kapitbahay, kasi wala namang kapitbahay na laging may pasalubong kahit sa Megamall lang naman nagpunta at kasama sa mga kodakan tuwing merong may birthday sa amin.
Sana paglaki nya, kapag may manliit sa kanya’t sabihan siyang tanga o bobo, i-google nya ang pangalan nya’t malaman niyang bata pa lang siya e matalino na siya. Kyut pa. E sila, baka matalino nga, pangit naman.#
Filed under: In love or something like it, Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least) | Tags: for the first time, love, pag-ibig, pelikula, script, sixteen
Nag-inteview kami ng mga 16-year-olds nung isang araw bilang research para sa script na ginagawa namin. Tungkol sa pag-iibigang parang sixteen ka pa lang kasi sabi namin, “we must love the way we loved when we were sixteen” kung kelan lahat ay first time, lahat ay big deal, lahat ay pwede ka nang mamatay e tinignan ka lang naman nya nang normal na tingin, lahat ay sign (“nandito rin siya sa canteen, it’s a sign” kahit na, hija, pareho kayo ng school, anong gusto mo, pumunta pa siya ng McDo para lang mag-recess?) at lahat ay parang forever na, isulat mo pa sa likod ng math notebook mo. (more…)
Sana balang araw makasulat ako ng katulad n’yo, yung tipong kapag nasa MRT ako at naisip ko, “ay gusto kong magsulat sa kung gaano nakakainis sumakay sa Makati ng alas-sais y media ng gabi kasi dun nasusubok ang pagkakaroon ko ng urbanidad at good manners and right conduct, pero nakakamiss din ang sikip na ito, huli kong rutang ganito e fresh grad pa ako, at gustung-gustung-gustong maging direktor, kahit na nasa mali akong industriya, at least direktor pa rin” e pagdating ko sa office, pagbukas ng laptop, ay masusulat ko nga, hindi na iniisip kung maganda ba yung unang pangungusap kasi maganda naman, tapos tuluy-tuloy hanggang mapunta sa huling salita, hindi iniisip kung maganda ba yung pagtatapos, kasi maganda naman, tapos pipindutin na ang Publish, tapos may makakabasa, na akala mo ay isa o dalawa o tatlo lang, kasi bihira lang ang may kukomento, pero yung isa sa mga nakabasang yun, hindi n’yo alam, gustong makasulat na tulad nyo, na hindi man kumomento, e ginusto namang magsulat, kahit gaano kaikli, tungkol sa inyo.
At ang mas masarap dun, nakasulat naman.#
Filed under: See, life ain't so bad (today at least), We are all but punchlines
Sabi ng isang libro na aksidente kong nabuklat sa Fully Booked sa Trinoma: “A wise woman must give sex very few, very seldom, and above all, very grudgingly.”
At natawa ako nang malakas, yung may sound. Tinext ko ito sa mga piling-piling kaibigan. Yung alam kong masisiyahan ako sa iba’t ibang level ng galit sa mga reply nila.
Salamat mga kaibigan kong guilty, ang saya-saya ko nung araw na yun.
At base sa kanilang reply, kung sino man ang nagsabi niyan, wag kang magpapakita sa kanto nila kung gusto mo pa makapagpatuloy magsulat ng susnod mong libro.
Pasensya, hindi ka naabisuhan, ang hindi “wise” na guilty, ibang klase magalit. Pumapatol sila kahit sa libro.#
Filed under: In love or something like it, Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, See, life ain't so bad (today at least), Thankful for Work Nonetheless, Today I learned not much really | Tags: buddy zabala, concert, eheads, ely buendia, eraserheads, love, marcus adoro, raimund marasigan, short films, tattoo
Di ko inakala na makakapunta ako sa Greece. Pero dahil mabait si God at si Direk Joyce Bernal (pati sina Ayrin, Marian Rivera at Tatay Joe, na nag-donate sa “Oplan: Isabit si Tonet sa Byaheng Greece”), paggising ko mula sa pagkahaba-habang flight, andun na ‘ko sa Santorini bilang sabit na script continuity para sa pelikulang For The First Time ng Star Cinema. Sa totoo lang, hindi ganun kasaya ang karanasan sa Greece, pero nung tumigil nang mag-roll ang camera (na tilt at pan lang ang movement, dahil wala kaming dolly o mini-jib, sorry na, indie shoot lang, Greece yun e), dun nag-umpisang humiwaga ang Greece.
Tulad nung last day ng shooting at nagpaiwan kami ni Ayrin sa Oia kahit hindi namin alam kung paano kami makakabalik sa apartment dahil wala nang service at mahal naman ang taxi. Pero nagkwentuhan pa rin kami sa isa sa mga restaurants dun, umorder ng masarap na cake, kumain nang wala nang kunsumisyon dahil sa pelikula, tumingin sa Aegean Sea, hanapin ang nawawalang buwan, at bumuntung-hininga, sabay sabing, syet nasa Greece tayo, syet kumakain tayo ng cake sa Greece, syet tapos na ang pelikula, syet nasa harap natin ang Aegean Sea, syet paano tayo uuwi. Pero dahil sa hiwaga ng Santorini kapag tapos na ang shooting, nakauwi naman kami sa paraang napaka-Pinoy. Lakad. Alay-lakad.
Na sa sobrang layo, napagkwentuhan namin ang buhay-TV, Marimar, Dyesebel, si ganito, si ganun, ang ano, ang ano pa, na mga bagay na pinag-uusapan naman namin dati pero parang nun pa lang namin pinag-uusapan, na parang bago pa lang. Pag-uwi namin, may pa-last day party ang isang Pinoy dun. At kami ay naglasing-lasingan nina Direk Joyce, Ayrin at KC Concepcion habang kumakanta ng Linger, You Oughtta Know at God Bless the Broken Road. Sino’ng mag-aakala na isang araw ay makakanta ko si Alanis sa Santorini? Kahit maling akala, wala.
