When I watched the movie in the press premiere of Ploning, I had asked Guia if I could interview the four core members of Ploning the Movie. Due to life getting in the way, that never happened, but today, as I was searching for stuff to update this blog with, I found this on Guia's blog.. I don't think I could have interviewed them in a better manner, or said things in a better way. :)
Kudos to Tim Yap for this great job of eliciting the heart of the four people who were, pardon the pun, at the heart of the movie Ploning.
Copy-pasted word for word.
Kudos to Tim Yap for this great job of eliciting the heart of the four people who were, pardon the pun, at the heart of the movie Ploning.
Copy-pasted word for word.
A conversation with the makers of Ploning - Phil Star
By Tim Yap
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The word on the street is all on Ploning. It's the simple film that dares to go against blockbusters and superheroes. The heroine is of course, Juday, who, dare we say is the most influential actress of this generation. The film has been making its rounds on the special screenings circuit, with everyone curious about the A rating that they received from Cinema Evaluation Board.
We caught one of the screenings and we were struck by the beauty and simplicity of the film. It's a powerful whisper versus an empty scream. Ploning boasts of postcard perfect images of Cuyo, Palawan, a great ensemble and scenes that can make you cry without Juday shedding a tear. Here we discover Juday as Ploning, the enigmatic barrio lass that carries a secret.
But the secret is out, and Supreme listened in to the voices behind this must see movie.
JOURDAN: I got mixed feelings with the series of international film festival successes of Filipino films. A part of me was very proud that we were getting our time of day in the international film circuit ... but another part of me was cringing because a lot of the Filipino films winning international awards were depicting the poverty and violence and depravation of the Philippines. Did I want that? Yes, there is poverty and violence happening in the country, but there are also 7,101 other stories and worlds in thePhilippines that were not being presented. I wanted to make a film about that. The Philippines is a blessed country, Filipinos are a beautiful people. I wanted a film that could remind us again about that.
So I asked Dante and BJ, the two people that I knew shared the same feelings about films and our image.
DANTE: May concept that was playing on my mind for over eight years now. It's loosely based sa isang Cuyonon folk song entitled Ploning. About a woman na iniwan ng mahal niya and waiting for that love to come back.
This was a concept na dream project for Juday. Kase sanay ang mga tao na may ka-love team siya at palaging umiiyak. So I wanted a film that will show Juday as a an actress na may lalim.
BJ: Dante had a very beautiful story concept that we thought will be a dream project for all us should we pull it off. I think that's what convinced me to jump in. At the end of the day, the heart of this project is a beautiful story that everyone can relate to. A story of love, hope, and faith.
JOURDAN: I believed in Dante because he was such a funny storyteller and he had deep experience in the Philippine film industry ... Ano filmography mo, Dante?
DANTE: Mr. Suave and Super B lang naman. I've been production designer for 11 years and I quit showbiz for a while because I needed to find what I really wanted to do. When I presented the film to them, they told me no one can direct this but me. Ganun ka-personal yung kuwento. So, I fasted. At tinanggap ko siya ng bonggang-bongga. I was going to direct my first full-length film starring the biggest star of her time who happened to be my bestfriend. Kinabahan ako.
JOURDAN: BJ brought in Guia to co-produce who was at that time ... here we go ... working for Star Cinema and has been "resigning" (trying to...) for several years na!
GUIA: Next topic, please! (Laughs.) Seriously. I was praying to move on for so many reasons. Had my personal and professional concerns. And a juicy offer to ride a boat and film a dream project in the an island I've never heard of, which I couldn't resist. Felt a leading to walk on
water na.
JOURDAN: So we had a filmmaker, a story, and a big star to our dream film project ... all we needed now was the money to make it happen? So, how do you find money to make a dream film project?
GUIA: Naku, that's another movie in itself ... Someone should have warned us not to produce a movie without a bank account, properties to serve as collateral, or a trust fund. (Laughs.) But it's exciting! Never had we had so much faith, courage, and a major sense of kapal ng mukha
to approach investors for millions. With only but a pitch.
BJ: And then came the ocular and pitch video shoot in Cuyo (Palawan). Conceptually, we all got it that we were going to shoot in a remote, beautiful island. But when we got to Cuyo, our hearts were captivated. It was not just any island. It was Cuyo or nothing. The story can only
happen in this island, with this culture.
JOURDAN: Till the end we were raising the money because up until shooting day, the budget was increasing and increasing ... We wanted to shoot in 35mm, we wanted live sound ... plus there was a crucial underwater scene... we wanted the best actors and actresses in the
industry... that's why even if Ronnie Lazaro's character had no speaking lines and will only appear for two minutes in the whole film, we still got Ronnie Lazaro... And because Dante wanted Judy Ann Santos for this project and shhe happened to be the busiest woman in the country, we and a sponsor of Juday's had to charter a plane twice to get her to the
island of Cuyo.
GUIA: Unheard of in local industry standards.
JOURDAN: We also wanted it to be the best experience for everyone... for the crew, cast and collaborators... that's why a lot of feasting and playing happened on the island...
DANTE: I had such a strong support in this film. The best of the best. From Charlie Peralta as DOP, Mike Idioma for live sound, Jesse Lasaten as musical director, and Marissa Floirendo as underwater DOP. Sabi ko, kung pumalpak 'to ako na ang may sabit.
GUIA : It was quite a logistical nightmare scouting for a caterer on the island. With vegetables and meat coming as far as Iloilo and Puerto Princesa pa. But thank God for street food! Best part for me was the kwek kwek and fishball stand on the set! And the halo-halo even in the
midst of a windstorm. And that makes the film very Pinoy! (Laughs.)
JOURDAN : At the end of all this, we came out with Ploning. Nakakataba ng puso that people are texting, blogging, multiplying, e-mailing and thanking us for coming up with this film. In fact, during the premiere, someone came up to the Dante at nagabot ng sobre with P10,000 for
Panoramanila. We don't know what's going to happen to Ploning, we are dreaming for it to win in international film festivals ... (Oscar's Best Foreign Picture kung pwede mangarap!) but our hearts' desire is for more and more Filipinos to watch this film ... Here or abroad ... so that
they can be reminded again if only by watching this film that indeed we are a blessed country and a beautiful people.
BJ: We're so happy din at how everybody gets inspired after watching the film. No matter what demographic the viewer comes from, same yung reaction. Naiiyak sila pero it's a good cry daw. Para daw may healing na kasama if you watch the film. It's so simple and so sincere that it
touches something so deep inside of you. According to one critic, "the film makes you proud of yourself." Hearing those comments affirms our decision in taking that leap of faith.
GUIA: Exactly the kind of film we have individually and corporately envisioned and prayed about. One that we wouldn't mind being our first and last. But of course, we commit to making more films about the beauty of our people and country. It's been a blessed experience that led us to a lot of mistakes and learnings, joys and pains, humility and strength.
DANTE: I'm still overwhelmed at how everything turned out. From the positive reviews, to the A-rating from the CEB. All I can say is that you're not too old for you to receive a gift from God. And that's what Ploning is. An undeserved gift.
1 comment:
this movie sucks! and so boring! i don't understand anything at all, i tried to focus on the story but it was really horrible and awful. this movie ploning is not even worth it to be nominated at the oscar at all.
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