How I wrote My INCinema Entry Script

Posted Saturday, February 27, 2016 by deehan1914
I haven't blogged for like forever and now, suddenly, when all around me is pitch black due the frequent brownouts, I feel like blogging. Thanks to my working broadband! I realized that I should document my new role as a script writer in our district's INCinema entry.I also got very excited because the Director of the INCinema Film Walang Take Two won as Best director at London Film Festival. I hope to meet Direk Carlo Cuevas! So let me write!

Let's flash backward to September of 2015.

When this new opportunity came, I was in the middle of a school program as MC. I couldn't respond to the call right away. I went to the backstage and returned the call. Our newly appointed Compostela Valley CFO Officer asked me if I could be a scriptwriter. I told him I could write a script but I have no professional experience of writing one. Then he told me we will go to Central to attend a seminar and the awarding of 2015 INCinema winners. All the thrills of the world draped me! I severely wanted to attend a worship service at Central. I haven't been to one! How could I not say YES? I was teary-eyed due to extreme excitement. Wow! How could something so amazing happen to me? Salamat po Ama!

At last, the time for us to fly to Manila came and I was beyond excited because my University roomie at Mindanao State University - Marawi City was also the representative of Lanao for this event! Imagine the thrill of seeing an old bestie/soul-sister in a church international event. Wow! everything went over the moon when I met the Walang Take Two main characters at the Ministers' Apartelle where we were hosted. I also met Ailene Manaog, a very kind INCinema staff. Through her, I met several other Main Casts and staffs of Walang Take Two. On that night, I was very much overwhelmed upon meeting brethren from Canada. Ecstatic when I heard them talk. Hahah! So twang!

It was unfortunate that the seminar during that time wasn't realized. However, we were inspired during the INCinema awarding ceremony. From someone who came from the distant Compostela Valley, I felt so amazed of the TV-related equipment during the show in the tabernacle. Wow! I saw a glorious Iglesia Ni Cristo! I have never been to Philippine Arena events and I wish to be in one too! I saw the members of Sangunian and I can't help but become teary-eyed. Those gentlemen protected and fought for the church. Seeing them even from afar made me close my eyes and thank God for that event. I cried when winners addressed their thanks to Ka Eduardo. During that time, I closed my eyes and imagine my self doing the same. Wow! I remember my old self imagining how I would feel when I would graduate from Graduate School. It motivated me BIG time. I was also impressed by the production number of "Kapatid Ko". When I came back, I showed it to Kadiwa officers in DavNor and ComVal ( I belong to two districts hahaha, home = ComVal, Work = DavNor). During the Buklod night at Compostela, Compostela Valley, the same production number was presented to parents by KadBin members. Now, we are planning to do the same for our KadBin activity in Capitol, DavNor.

Last December, we met Ka Galang at Davao City and had the INCinema seminar. I learned so much from him and swore in my heart, that I will really finish the script and will even take a leave from work should it be necessary. I love the concept of INCinema. As a Marketing Professor, I know how social media, TV shows and music influence the youth. I understand that constant exposure to certain ideologies on these various media wires the brain slowly into different set-up. I understand how Teleseryes and Movies these days are trying to change the way we think and live as a true Christian. But we should never be swayed! INCinema is a brainchild of Ka Eduardo and I deeply believe in the Vision of this endeavor. Ka Eduardo wanted to expose brethren to the correct set of thoughts via films. To influence actions, we must first influence the way we think. To do that we must "plant" the correct thoughts in our "bed of thoughts" and cultivate them. There is a great need for shows and films hat shall not corrupt our Christian thought. Brother Eduardo established INCinema. How noble is that! Salamat po Ka Eduardo! This will also be a very ideal venue for members of the church to explore their talents while growing spiritually together. Ahhhhh..just WOW!

I finished the script last December and when I had my 2nd draft, I presented it to our Director and CFO and they liked it. I am also thankful of the ideas from my churchmates. Presently, we are on our pre-production stage already. I gave copies of my 4th draft to our CFO District Officer,  Director and Casts. Just yesterday, I finished the 5th draft. I tend to keep on improving things. I wanted every scene to be coherent and robust. Our only problem now is that we haven't conducted a general meeting. We had 4 meetings already but we needed to really gather as a whole. With the Holy Supper approaching and with most of us holding key duties, I hope and pray that we can meet and finish the film. I feel giddy knowing that they like the script and they are all willing to help in improving it. I still need much help.

Anyway, here the things that I did in order to finish the script.

1. Paper and Pen. Brought along with me a notebook and pen all the time so that  could write my random thoughts there all the time.
2. Learn From Others. I watched tutorial videos online about scriptwriting. I got worried about the very technical part of it but I realized that I should not worry about it much in the earlier part of the script-making because what I needed is a story. I shall worry about the technical part during the submission of the script which will be in the later part.
3. Watch Related Films. I watched films. I decided that the film should be funny but the story should be rich. So I watched the Wedding Ringer and watched the series Arrow. I also watched previous INCinema entries.
4. Be with Friends.  I talked to my funny friends and asked them what kind of movie scenes they find funny. Some of the scenes in my script are inspired from their stories.
5. Remember Previous Experiences. I wrote funny scenes I encountered as a teacher and tutor.
6. Section the Script. I divided the whole script into three. ACT 1, ACT 2 and ACT 3.
Each Act have different goals.
ACT 1 - in 5 minutes, I must introduce all the main cast and present their desires. I made a "Surprising/Twist Event" in the last part. That event led me to Act II.
ACT- The goal was to make the Protagonist have a hard time. Then have a "Surprising/Twist Event" in the middle and last part of this act. I reserved 20 minutes for this part.
ACT III- The deciding part. It's how the conflict is solved.
7. Map it out. I also list down the characters and their desires and conflict so that I could imagine well how they will react on certain things. I wrote a relationship map. It's a map showing how all characters are related and how they feel towards each other. I tend to forget things so that map was helpful.
8. Narrate. I tried to narrate the story to my friends and check if they look interested in the flow of the story. Friends are sometimes afraid to hurt my feelings so I was very keen on checking their initial facial expressions. During the story telling, some better idea would suddenly flood me and those made the story better.
9. Decide on themes. I wrote also all the themes that I want to showcase in the story and made sure that each theme can observed in the scenes of the script.
10. PRAY. The most crucial is...I PRAYED. I prayed before writing. The script is in all of my prayers. I also look at the picture of Philippine Arena and Ka Eduardo. I want to see them both. I close my eyes and imagine how I would feel when I meet them and I feel inspired.

I hope we could really finish the film. I sorely want to be in the Philippine Arena!