Filed under: Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: being john malkovich, film, gondry, kaufman, pelikula
I like my header. It’s a screen grab from one of my favorite films, Being John Malkovich. It was written by the brilliant Charlie Kaufman, who also wrote The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind–it’s one of the most beautiful love stories ever written and made. Well, what else do you get from a Kaufman-written screenplay that’s directed by Michel Gondry? It’s always so brilliant, it’s already predictable.
My header tells me, You’re not a writer. My site stats tell me, You have 0 views today. And I’m not annoyed at all. There’s a reason I googled Being John Malkovich and used a frame from that film as my header. Because I know I’m not a writer, but often these days, I forget, that I’m going to be somebody else: not a writer, nor a planner-maker, nor an entrepreneur.
I take a look at John and Catherine again, bending over on the 7 1/2 floor. I smile, relieved. As long as I know why I have this as my header, then I’m fine, baby.
Filed under: Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: film, hollywood, ningas kugon, pelikula, screenplay, script, star cinema, what if
Aminado naman akong hindi ako marunong magsulat ng script, bukod sa tama nga ang sabi ng isa kong kaibigan, “Puro ko konsepto! Puro ka drowing!”, (minsan nga pala, kaibigan ko rin ang sarili ko), kaya para makasulat na sa wakas, sumali ako sa isang scriptwriting workshop habang kauumpisa pa lang ng bagong taon. Subukan ko lang gawing mas napapanahon ang “ningas kugon”.
May mga schools of thought din pala ang pagsusulat ng script, ano? Merong mauuna muna ang ideya o konsepto, tapos saka ka magre-research ng katulad nun sa totoong buhay, o yung What If school of thought (e.g. “What if may manananggal na biglang bumisita sa Maynila? Okay, go. May nangyari na kayang ganun? Saan kaya?”). Hindi ko sinasadya, pero ito ang madalas kong gawin. Siguro dahil Hollywood at Star Cinema ang kinalakhan ko, o dahil sadyang mapaglaro lang ang utak ko, o dahil tamad talaga akong mag-research, o dahil mas natutuwa akong mag-imbento, o dahil ewan, e gusto ko e. Meron ding mauuna muna ang nangyari sa totoong buhay, o research, tapos saka mo gagawan ng ideya o konsepto, o yung What Is school of thought (e.g. “Ay, may mananaggal daw na nanggulo kagabi sa Tondo! Okay, go. Ano kayang pwedeng kwento dun?”). Yung pangalawang school of thought ang itinuro sa workshop.
Pagkatapos ng workshop, marami akong natutunan.
Isa na dun, na matigas pala talaga ang ulo ko.
Filed under: Abba said it so brilliantly, Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: baz luhrmann, film, pelikula, showbiz, UP
I think you owe me an explanation. I think it was you, sir, who said that it was okay to not know what to do with your life “because the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives” in a “song” addressed to the ladies and gentlemen of the Class of ’99.
In 1999, I was 15, and I told myself, I’m going to be a sportscaster if only to be able interview a certain Ralph Rivera. He was the most charming professional basketball player here then, and I was so certain I would marry him someday. I didn’t marry him of course, but I didn’t get too depressed over it because after I admitted to myself that a five-footer standing side-by-side with a 6’1” man isn’t too flattering a camera framing for a wedding photo, I realized I didn’t want to be a sportscaster anymore. At 22, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to be a film director.
I’m now 26; I’m not a film director and I don’t know what to do with my life. (more…)
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: Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: GMA, heart evangelista, langit sa piling mo, mark herras, telebabad
See 00:07. When you present your business card to a client, your name must be facing them, not you. In this teaser, Rigo Hilario (Mark Herras) presents his business card the wrong way (facing him), but it’s for the director’s shot’s sake: the camera must capture “Rigo Hilario COO/President” to introduce Mark’s name and character to the would-be audience, and hope nobody would notice the non-logic. (As the joke in film and TV productions go, ”Idaan na lang sa musika” (“Let’s just let the musical score solve it”).)
But somebody did. No direk, the musical score wasn’t loud or pretty enough.#
Langit sa Piling Mo airs Monday to Friday on GMA Telebabad starting Monday, May 31. Stars Heart Evangelista and Mark Herras.
Filed under: Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: buboy garovillo, david bach, diva, GMA, investment, money, mutual fund, the automatic millionaire, zara
I’ve been reading The Automatic Millionaire by New York Times best-selling author David Bach for over a month now in Powerbooks. It’s about how to become a millionaire when you retire, and automatically at that. Every time I have some idle time at the mall, I go to Powerbooks and read a chapter until I get a San ka na? (“Where are you?”) text message. Then my free reading time’s up. I’ve finally finished reading the book, but I skipped three chapters talking about banking and investments that only apply to Americans. I saved around 780 pesos by not buying the book and just reading it in Powerbooks at least once a week, one chapter at a time. It didn’t make me an instant millionaire, but I had instant money for a foot spa and a diamond peel.
Since I attended a free wealth management seminar in March, I’ve become obssessed with saving and investing for the future. I’m not a future person, if you know me. I live by the day, I don’t care about tomorrow, as long as today I’m fine, I can eat Tiramisu, have a massage at TonTon’s, then still have enough money to take a cab, thank you. But when I think about giving my Mom and Dad annual vacations abroad, which they really deserve, I begin to panic and realize that with the money I have today, the farthest I can bring them to is probably just Palawan. By boat. (more…)
Filed under: In love or something like it, Mastercard moments, if you know what I mean, Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: films, for the first time, greece, joyce bernal, kc concepcion, love, manila bay, oia, pag-ibig, pelikula, richard gutierrez, santorini
Sa Santorini, kada magdadapit-hapon na, bandang mga 8pm sa pagkakaalala ko, pero maliwanag pa, papunta lahat ng mga tao, na karamihan ay turista, sa dulo ng Oia. Hahanap ng pwesto nila, paharap sa Aegean Sea, yung maluwag, kumportable, yung kasya ang tripod nila, yung hindi mahaharangan ng ulo ng iba ang view. At pag mag-uumpisa nang lumubog ang araw, tatahimik na ang lahat, ilalabas ang mga camera, magpo-posing na ang araw ang background, at ang foreground ay ang mga puting bahay sa Santorini, at nung tuluyan nang lumubog ang araw, nagulat ako: nagpalakpakan ang lahat. May ilang daang tao yun, siguro kaunti na lang, libo na, at lahat sila pumapalakpak. Tuluy-tuloy lang hanggang lumubog ang araw. Pinapalakpakan ang napakagandang paglubog ng araw, ang paghalo ng yellow, orange, blue at purple, hanggang maging tuluyang dark blue na lang, ang sa palagay nila ay ang pinakamagandang sunset sa buong mundo.
Gabi-gabi.
Pustahan tayo, hindi pa kayo nakakarating ng Manila Bay mga ser.#
Filed under: Please, it's more than just a piece of celluloid, Thankful for Work Nonetheless, We are all but punchlines | Tags: eugene domingo, films, joyce bernal, kimmy dora, pelikula, slenda, splenda, starbucks, valerie concepcion
“Direk, ano pong gusto nyong ipabili?” tanong ni Ate A, ang aming errand runner, kay Direk Joyce sa acting workshop ng Kimmy Dora. (Kahit beterano na ang mga artistang kasama sa pelikula, kailangan pa rin ang acting workshop para maging komportable ang mga artista sa kanilang bagong karakter at sa isa’t isa.)
“Drip tall sa Starbucks,” sabi ni Direk, “tsaka dalawang Splenda.”
“Okay po,” sabi ni Ate A, sabay alis.
Pinigil ko siya bago tuluyang maglaho, “Ate A isulat mo kaya,” sabi ko, kasi bukod dun e may iba pa yatang pinabibili ang aming producer.
“Hindi na, alam ko na yun,” at itinuloy nya ang naunsyaming paglaho.
Ipinagpatuloy namin ang acting workshop. Nakalipas ang 30 minuto, wala pa rin si Ate A, kahit nasa kabilang kanto lang ang pinakamalapit na Starbucks. Sabagay, baka mahaba ang pila.
Lumipas ang isang oras, wala pa rin siya. Sabagay, baka sa ibang Starbucks pumunta, na kung tutuusin ay ilang kanto lang naman ang layo mula dun sa malapit na Starbucks sa Morato.
At lumipas ang mahigit isang oras, halos patapos na ang workshop, at sa wakas, dumating na si Ate A, hapong-hapo, may kasamang ga-patak na mga pawis, pero nakangiti, parang may pinagtagumpayan. “Direk, eto na po Starbucks nyo,” sabay abot ng kape ni Direk. ”Sorry po, ang layo ng Mercury Drug e, tapos ang haba pa ng pila.”
Teka, teka. Mercury Drug?
At iniabot ni Ate A ang isang supot ng Mercury Drug. Sinipat ni Direk ang laman, islomo pa, may halong suspense, siguro dahil bilang direktor ng comedy, alam na niyang malapit na ang punchline. At mukhang kasama siya dun.
Sa loob ng supot, nakita niya. Dalawa nga.
Dalawang Slenda.#
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, Thankful for Work Nonetheless | Tags: batangas, cory aquino, elections, james yap, kris aquino, ninoy aquino, noynoy aquino, philippines, president, ruffa guttierrez, showbiz news ngayon, taal lake, tagaytay
While my country awaits the official Comelec announcement that our hero Ninoy Aquino and former President Cory Aquino’s only son is our next President, I’m here in Tagaytay, woke up an hour late for the start of the sunrise (or “magic hour”, as film and photography people call it, where the sky turns into hues of orange and purple, and lasts just a few minutes), the sun already high above the Taal Lake, trying to finish the long-overdue screenplay of our young love, sweet love, road trip of a film, telling ourselves, film and catching the sunrise, this is what we should live for, if only taping for soap operas didn’t get in the way.
When we leave Vanilla Suites (www.vanillasuites.com) for Manila before noon, I expect more yellows on the road, on lampposts, on car windshields, on people’s shirts, on Kris’ wardrobe later on Showbiz News Ngayon. Her producers must expect to go overtime, the late night news telecast Bandila will have to wait a few more minutes before going on-air; I’m guessing she’s already drafting her thank you speech now, addressed to all who supported “Noy”. Noy actually should prepare an even longer thank you to her sister alone, who campaigned so much for him, including his name in every interview she gets. Her on-air scuffle with Ruffa Guttierrez? Noy was there. Her plugs for Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo? Noy was there. Her “diplomatic” confrontation with the mother of James Yap’s female fan she was jealous of? Noy was there. In my high school Theology class, Sr. Aura said only God was ominipresent. In the Philippines, he could be balding too.
In a few days, Noy will officially be President Noynoy Aquino. In a few years, we’ll know if we owe Kris a thank you too.#
