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And like that, the class is finished. Somehow it felt like it went by too fast, but there's still a sense of closure at the same time. I didn't even know that feeling like that is possible yet here we are. I still need to figure out the right balance of writing the right amount of stage direction. I'm too used to writing descriptions so much in my writing that the habit slips through time and time again! I guess I'll only get better with practice. I do want to edit a few of my pieces here and see where it will take me.

It's funny though. I have been having a hard time getting Dearly Departed off the ground and all it took for me to get inspired was to take this class. Funny how things just come together. I'll definitely continue doing Mulat Sulat beyond class time as well. It's been good for writing discipline! I'm just so happy and brimming with ideas! I'll never forget my experiences here nor the people I've met!

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I just want to put this here para makita po na meron naman po akong output. I will still edit this!

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March 9, 2021 | Neutral Lines Redux | Final Output

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March 9, 2021 | Neutral Lines Redux | Final Output

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Describe yourself as food, make into a scene

Tauhan:

Samara. Early 30s. Home cook that is still learning how to cook different recipes during lockdown.

Tagpuan:

Early morning, sa isang kusina ng studio condo unit. Parang may dumaan na typhoon sa lugar, maraming maruruming bowls and other kitchen equipment na naka tambak sa sink. May dusting of flour at powdered sugar nasa aire. May iPad stand naka harap kay Samara. On the counter, a box of alluminum foi carton ng itlog, bags of flour and powdered sugar, butter, milk, and a clean bowl, whisk and pan ready to use again.

Samara squints at the time and date that's on display on her iPad, making sure she isn’t seeing things. The screen shows [5 AM, Saturday] in pixelated text. She usually sleeps in during weekends but she has a recipe in mind she wants to perfect. Her entire being is covered in flour and powdered sugar. It’s on her hair, apron, clothes, and face. She sighs, uses her hand to brush off the mess on her face while she uses her free hand to scrub back the cooking video she is watching on iPad. She has been attempting to make souffle pancakes for a while now with varying degrees of success.

SAMARA

Okay! (claps her hands together, making more flour poof up from her hands)

There’s a pause before she coughs. Samara glances down towards a pile of twenty-two aluminum rings covered in butter and batter taking over her trash bin near her feet.

SAMARA

Attempt number 12, come on down!

She nods to her herself, brushing off her dusty hands on her apron while she is taking in the recipe being shown in the video. Samara grabs the box of aluminum foil, forming them into ring molds in preparation for the pancakes later, putting them aside when she is done satisfied with how they look. She mixes the eggs, flour, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl, mixing them all together with a whisk. Seeing the smoothness and the airiness of the batter combining together looks very satisfying. And the smell of the vanilla permeated in the air, making Samara pause, inhaling deeply to take in the scent.

SAMARA

That’s so…! (sighs, content)

Samara lifts up the batter using the whisk watching how the mixture looks like ribbons dribbling down from the tool. Even if it’s not going to the pan yet, Samara can tell this batch will be the one, this batch will come out perfectly.

SAMARA

(excitedly) This is it! This is really, is it!

END

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Not gonna lie. I have mixed feelings about this being the second to the last session. I am quite enjoying myself, learning all about the craft, and getting to interact with my classmates and the instructors. I like hearing all of what my classmates have written and then getting feedback to polish our works. I’m not quite ready for it to end. I’m having too much fun. Like, I got a thrill watching my Zoom play performed. That made it real for me and made it feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.

I am reassuring myself that I still have work to do and I’ll just take it one day at a time, that I’m going to savor it. I have the Hades soundtrack on queue, a mug full of coffee by my side, and a bag of glazed pili nuts to munch on. Let’s do this.

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March 6, 2021 | Boyfriend Bytes | Zoom Play

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March 6, 2021 | Boyfriend Bytes | Zoom Play

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I am learning more about what goes behind the scenes in writing my favorite pieces of media. There is so much involved in writing the screenplay. I never realized that if you are writing a performative piece, it isn’t just for you anymore. It’s for the director, the actors, the stage manager, and then the audience who’s going to “experience” your work depending on the type of medium you’re going to share your work on. I never even consider this. I had been just a passive observer all this time. Like, it should be the most obvious thing in the world, but you just don’t consider it. Almost like you have taken it for granted all this time.

The thing about writing a hook reminds me so much of how I would write for my collaborative writing projects. I always brainstorm on how to make my opening thread interest and how would I “hook” in the other participants in order for us to get our story in order. It’s just fascinating, really.

Ever since I found the Script to Screen videos, I might start thinking about how the screenwriter plotted out the scene directions, how they decided what dialog the characters would say and how they worked out the intricacies of the plot while they typing away on their laptops.

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March 5, 2021 | Tough Luck | Scene By Group 2 | Proposing Something Online

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March 5, 2021 | Tough Luck | Scene By Group 2 | Proposing Something Online

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March 5, 2021 | Scene Based on Your Motto | What's A Motto With You?

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March 5, 2021 | Scene Based on Your Motto | What's A Motto With You?

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Tauhan: ROGER the Dog (a good boi). Asong Pinoy. 4 years old. Worked at a paper factory.

Tagpuan: Twilight. Bahay ni Roger. Kitchen table, and chair.

ROGER has had a day. He is carrying a box containing everything that was in his cubicle in his arms. He trudges through the front door, dropping the box to the floor the moment he is inside his living room. He takes out a chair from the kitchen table and takes a seat. He looks down, finding an unfinished cup of coffee he forgot to finish that morning. There is a moment of pause and then–

ROGER: This is fine.

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March 4, 2021 | Radio Drama | Dearly Departed

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March 4, 2021 | Radio Drama | Dearly Departed

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March 3, 2021 | Neutral Dialogue | Dearly Departed

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March 3, 2021 | Neutral Dialogue | Dearly Departed

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Setting: A concrete basketball court located in the middle of a peaceful subdivision. The year, 2007. Midsummer. Late into the night, around 1-2 am full moon up in the sky.

A lone figure sits cross leg in the middle of the court, AVA, a 19-year-old girl, wearing a white t-shirt and sweats, low ponytail, and sneakers. She has been idly rolling a basketball back and forth between her palms for a while now, pausing to look up the sky to gaze at the moon with a sigh.

The wind blows cool air all of the sudden, making her shiver. She looks over to her right shoulder, her gaze steady and expectant.

Enter DAVID, a 20-year-old, a newly formed ghost who is not dressed for the weather at. Not a hair out of place even with the strong breeze blowing, a dark navy suit with matching slacks and red tie, and loafers. His steps are light, not alerting AVA to his presence right away. Ava only notices he had arrived when he makes his form corporeal, startling her by his sudden appearance beside her.

DAVID: (chuckling, amused) Kamusta ka?

David copies her sitting position, making himself comfortable. Ava looks up at him, eyes wide. A beat. She throws the basketball at David which he is able to catch with ease, but he acts as she took him by surprise, pretending the ball nearly hits his stomach before his palms catch it.

AVA: (annoyed) Dumating ka pa!

DAVID: Kanina ka pa?

Ava huffs, leaving him to “struggle” to get a handle of the basketball as she stands to her feet. She heads for the three-point line, turning to look back at him. David chuckles again, tucking the ball into his arm before standing up himself. He hangs back for a bit, waiting for Ava to get situated at the 3-point line. Ava squints at the basket, licking her finger and putting it up in the air to test how fast the breeze was blowing. It has calmed compared to when David first appeared. She turns around to look at him, one hand on her hip, her foot tapping on the concrete, impatient.

AVA: Ang tagal kong naghintay!

The gesture makes David shake his head, looking at Ava fondly. He missed this.

END

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Feb. 28, 2021 || Day 2: Electric Boogaloo

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Feb. 28, 2021 || Day 2: Electric Boogaloo

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Today’s session challenge the stored up knowledge I have about writing in general. I did know that writing for performance would be an entirely different format, but actually trying it for myself and putting it into practice is another thing all together. I’m too used being more “descriptive” due to my background of writing short stories ever since I was 17-years-old, the age when I discovered I had a knack for writing.

I had the mindset that I was totally going to nail this thing right out of the gate which is a little cocky of me, I admit. I was gently bought back to Earth as the lesson went on, humbling me while I was learning a new skill set at the same time. I just need to “reframe my mind” as the teacher said which is great advice. I am going to take that to heart while going through the other sessions. Note to self: action-based, not description-based. I’m also feeling more determined and inspired to try writing more scenes!

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Nakakuno ang noo ni Kaycee, malalim ang inisip.

Kayce: I... I have a lot to think about. Oh my God.

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Setting: Magdalena’s (Lena) bedroom. Early morning.
Lena is fast asleep, snuggling a plush hippo in her arms until her the alarm app in her smartphone blares to life. Lena gives a start, knocking the plush over while picking up her phone to shut off the alarm. Lena jiggles the phone from side to side 10 times, a task you need to perform in order to turn the alarm off. She gets up, turning on her table lamp, and heading to the window to open it. A striking yellow envelope stuck to the glass catches her attention. Lena gasps, dropping her phone to the bed before taking the note into her hand. She tears it open, reading the contents. After a beat, she screams, crying. She takes a step back in shock, knocking down her lamp, switching the light off in the process. Enter Marjorie, Lena’s older sister, bursting through the bedroom door, flicking the switch on Lena’s ceiling light.

MARJORIE: (taking a step inside the room) Lena, what the hell??

LENA: (turning to Marjorie, blubbering) I-It’s Hector! (hiccups)  He left for Italy without saying goodbye!

MARJORIE: (A beat. Marjorie looks to her sister and to the note that’s in her hands. She snatches the note up, skimming over the contents.) That dick!

END

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Character: Morgana, librarian, torn between being content with her hum drum life being spent with books and longing for the more adventurous, exciting life she had as a child

I heaved a sigh while rearranging the picture books that were all messed up by the kindergartners who visited the kids' section ten minutes ago. Attempting to make 4 and 5-year-olds settle down and read The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar was the most excitement I'll ever have working in this library. Not that I mind. I got all the books I ever wanted to read and my organization skills have been a great asset to this job. I basically sleep, eat and breathe this library. Which is not a bad thing.

... It's not.

Tic tic tic tic tic. The sound of the sprinkler outside turns on, droplets of water hitting the glass pane of the bay window in quick succession startled me so much out of my reverie that I dropped a couple of Dr. Seuss books on my foot.

Ow! Great! Wonderful.

While I hobbled to the nearest chair, a memory resurfaces in my mind. The sharp but somehow soft sounds of the sprinkler bought me back to a time when I was a 5-year-old myself. A 5-year-olf who was a touch obsessed in copying what American kids do in TV shows and movies. I wanted to try running through a water sprinkler in my bathing suit during the summer time so bad that I threw a tantrum until my father agreed to find a sprinkler from the hardware store. And then, the day came. The sun warm against my skin, the smell of grass settled into my chest when I took a deep breath. It was time, the soft tic tic tic  of the mechanism that alerted me that the water was turned on. If I were a dog, my ears would be perked up. I smile at the memory despite the singing pain that was radiating from my poor toes. I took off my tennis shoe, bending down to massage the sore spot. My thoughts drifted away from my childhood and back to the present... My sprinkler dreams, how I missed you so.

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Isa akong…
Frustrated writer na
Ang tema ko ay ang clarity at self-reflection
Ang conflict ay  na hindi alam kung saan magsisimula
Ang spectacle na pagbibigay ng kulay sa kanyang buhay

Isa akong plot/Series of action na…
Bukas sa lahat ng possibilities.

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Feb. 26, 2021 || Sense Poetry || Tumatak Na.. 

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Feb. 26, 2021 || Sense Poetry || Tumatak Na.. 

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Lasa
I came from… Strawberry gelato from our first trip to Rome. Sweet, silky, smooth. Indulgent. Expensive, nay!

Amoy
I came from the pungent smell of Axe Bodyspray from the boys in my high school class. Eww. Who were they were trying to impress?

Tunog
I came from listening to Wake Up, a song from Julie and the Phantoms soundtrack. The lyrics hit home. Nostalgia swells. I’m a sucker for the 90s after all.

And you use your pain
Cause it makes you you
Though I wish I could hold you through it
I know it's not the same
You got living to do
And I just want you to do it

Nakita/Nasaksihan
I came from watching my cat get into a scuffle with a stray cat 2 nights ago. I literally saw fur flying. I thought that was just an expression!

Nadama
I came from a cold shower in the early morning when you haven’t switched on the heater. The dread you feel before turning on the knob. Jolts spread throughout your body and then alertness.

Naramdaman
I came from strong visceral anger I felt seeing these influencers in LA going to parties during a pandemic. White-hot, seeing red.

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Feb. 26, 2021 || In a World (Introduction Poster)

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Feb. 26, 2021 || In a World (Introduction Poster)

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A 32-year-old-lady experiencing 2nd puberty
Awkward is her middle name.

I'm An Adult. I Promise.

A Flim By: Kaycee

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Today’s session was an enlightening one. It felt like it only dawned on me now that one of the things you need to access as a writer is to open yourself to be vulnerable. It’s like the level higher of the old adage, “Write what you know.”. It’s kind of scary, but at the same time necessary if you want to produce something that is authentic, sincere, and heartfelt.

The last time I wrote anything was a chapter for one of my many side projects. I hope I’ll be able able to write something original this time around. I’m just brimming with ideas! It feels like a faucet in my brain turned out all the possibilities and options that I can do is just gushing out.