WRITING = EDITING
As an aspiring writer who has written more than three plays and short films, looking back was a kind of fascination rather than reminiscent. But sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if I tried to put into graphics the stories that I have penned using concept arts and the materials that build such scripts.
Be welcome to find out these stories!
THE SONG OF THE FATED GRAY HOUSE
A play that got its core elements from the classics of Tim Burton. It is a gothic themed theatrical play that tackles the existence of being brave, conquering fears, and defining love in times of darkness. It’s just sad that it didn’t make it to the final stage but still grateful that it entered the rehearsals period, script reading, and practices. Maybe someday, who knows? A gothic play on stage is always a big deal in the theater industry.
TAO PO
The short film that made me realize the meaning of the beginnings of falling in love! I really didn’t have plans on writing the screenplay of this film but when someone approached me to be a part of this, I just couldn't resist it. Perhaps, I agreed to join the production team not because I was for it but because it became an opportunity for me to develop what I truly feel in screenplay writing and developing films.
Basically, it’s a horror film that combines Filipino beliefs and psychological twisted narrative. The challenge was the writing for a five minute film but the editing was more challenging in its core as I was also the editor. But again, it was the film that made me fall in love so it’s a part of my self that can never be taken for granted.
EIGHTEEN AGAIN
The only adaptation that I wrote for the stage. This story is more invested in the psychological depth of a family and of a mother than showcasing a usual narrative in a theatrical aspect. What I enjoyed here was the point of putting plot points that can branch into many possible narratives and subplots. The main character is likable for me so I really had the warmest time in developing her character, especially the car crash sequence. Eighteen Again is a play that will teach you the value of life, unlived life, and realizing life. So in short, it's about LIFE.
BATCH' 54
The success of Tao Po led us to develop another horror motion pic, giving birth to Batch ‘54. This Direk Kyle Abay-abay’s follow-up story was rich in Pinoy urban legend ideas, or, you know, the usual school horror stuff about a seasoned batch that spanned through times of turmoil and era unremembered. As I began writing the story, it became clear that this would be a combination of many subgenres of horror: mystery/thriller, suspense, natural horror, slasher horror, crime, mystery, and psychological horror. Thus, as much as possible, I intended to be more honest by crafting the scares and horrifying depiction of what it means to be horror.
Of course, it was a delight to work with my closest friend in college, Ms. Franz. Our tandem in making the script for the film was mutualism. I'm on the creative and storytelling side, while she worked on the logical aspect of it.
THE UNCANNY
Ranzelle and I were working on this script for a requirement in our Scriptwriting class. Perhaps it came to that title because the procedures of writing the script was also UNCANNY. My project partner and I experienced a variety of circumstances that are better to be remained untold. Sleepless nights were a thing, struggles with writers’ block were evident, and even minor arguments of schedules happened, but it all paid well when we received an unexpected grade that transcended our expectations.
But last March 2023, a message was sent to me regarding the possibility of the script making it into a full length film for The Manila Film Festival (TMFF). When I rushed it to Ranz, we were just overwhelmed positively, absolutely rejoiced in this news.
The Uncanny is a film that has a lot of interpretations, no direct to the point storyline, no specific arrow where the plot is going, and most significantly, no major clarity in its chain of events. The ambiguity is the horror of it, the uncertain point is the essence of its dark fairytale touch. But the point of it, it is intended to be a psychological horror thriller that wants to confuse the minds of the viewers, and the confusing state of the film is kind of living up to the goal of this motion pic.
But to tell it honestly, the film is all about death! Yet the question is “What exactly do we mean when we say death?” That is where the film is going yet in an allegorical way hiding beneath its romantic facade.
The Uncanny was one of the entries in the 1st ever The Manila Film Festival, so yeah, it reached the silver screen!
THE DISTURBING
This script is not yet done, that’s the first thing to be pondered by, but this is a major project for me because this horror is another piece of an experimental one. The Disturbing is a horror film that has the goal to question one’s sanity because of its psychological driven craft of storytelling. This is darker than the Uncanny but with more heart than Tao Po and Batch ‘54.
Editing this stuff is the most complicated because of the conceptualization, more overlaying and photo manipulation, but I think these are the spirit of the film itself as it has a lot of layering making connections and one cohesive big picture when the whole story is deciphered and figured out.
FAMILIA DE GRASYA
The current script on the palm of my hand! Maybe, at this point, this is the most personal, heartfelt, and intimate story because it’s not a horror film, no suspense, no mystery, it’s just an absolute dysfunctional family that needs saving and rescue from their chaotic tendencies and riotous possibilities.
It is intended to be an entry for the Puregold short film contest yet unfortunately it didn’t make it pass the shortlist. There is always a reason why things happened the way they did, just like the essence of the film and the story.
Right now, even if the film is not fortunate enough to be an entry, I still decided to continue it for more improvements, not as a short film but a major full length one, because I still believe that it has the potential.
CREDITS:
Ma. Maica Valdez | Mary Louis Cabantoc | Kyle Abay-abay | Erica Macabutas | Nina Isabelle Tansengco | Queenie Rose Ramos | Mari Francesca Maniquis | Zyrish Quierrez | Ranzelle Mariefaye Bayani
