Benedict Mique namigay ng laptop sa mga estudyanteng mahilig sumulat: I want to navigate their journey as a writer or filmmaker
“I want to give them a laptop to give them a start. I want to navigate their journey as a writer or filmmaker,” ito ang sabi ng isa sa “Darna” direktor na si Benedict Mique para sa limang estudyante na may hilig sa pagsusulat tulad niya.
Giving back ang layunin ni direk Benedict dahil noong nagsisimula palang siyang magsulat ay sa papel lang niya isinusulat ang kanyang script dahil wala pa siyang computer noon.
At dahil nakitang may potential sa pagsusulat si direk Bene ay humiram siya ng P20,000 kay Ginoong Ricky Lee noon na headwriter niya sa ilang teleserye sa ABS-CBN kaya’t laking tuwa ng una at nangakong babayaran niya ito at nagsilbing mentor ito ng direktor.
Sa panayam namin kay Sir Ricky na tinanghal na National Artist of the Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts noong 2022 nitong Linggo, Marso 11 ay inaming marami siyang natulungan noon bilang marami ring tumulong sa kanya noong lumuwas siyang mag-isa sa Maynila para makipagsapalaran.
Pambubuking biro ni direk Benedict na, “utangan ‘yan ng lahat noon, eh. Ewan ko kung binayaran siya, basta ako nagbayad.”
“That’s why now, I want to return back the favor. I want to sponsor five young people who want to be a scriptwriter but don’t have the means to buy a computer or a laptop,” sambit niya.
Anyway, noong Nobyemre 2022 ay pinost ng Darna direktor ang tungkol sa kanyang adbokasiya na mamahagi nga ng limang laptop at marami ang nakabasa nito.
Aniya, “Not too many submitted. But from the few who did, I read their materials and chose the five deserving ones.”
At mismong araw ng awarding ni direk Benedict ng laptop ay inanyayahan niya si ginoong Ricky Lee bilang inspirasyon ng limang bibigyan.
“It was a good thing I had the opportunity to earn good money when I co-directed for Darna. So, I told Ricky, I would push through with my plan.”
Ang limang estudyateng suwerteng nabigyan ay sina Justin John Libo-on Delima 22, fourth year Theater Arts student, major in Directing and Dramaturgy, sa University of the Philippines; Nicole Audrey Co, volunteer ng Alpas Mental Health Community; Kenneth Paul Mendiola, Film freshman sa UP Diliman; Shania Vonzel Legaspi, Grade 10 student sa San Isidro Catholic School sa Pasay City; at Nazarine Manuelle Gonzales, Grade 8 Special Science sa Manuel A. Roxas high school sa Manila.
Gustong i-train din ni direk Benedict ang lima sa pagsusulat at pagdi-direk para mas lalo pang mahasa sa kanilang mga pangarap bilang screenwriter at director.
Bilin ng direktor sa lima, “maraming shortcut but if you have to work with me, you really have to be passionate about the craft. You have to be good and you have to push yourself to the limit. If you push someone to the limit, doon sila magsa-shine.”
Balik-tanaw ni direk Benedict, “sa ABS-CBN, may apat o limang major writers na ako ang nagpasok. Ang hirap pumasok sa industry. Now they have stable jobs, stable careers. Let’s give opportunities to others.
“Every year ang daming new graduates. But they get frustrated dahil hindi man lang nakapasok iyong feet nila sa pintuan ng industry. There’s a lot of bullying inside.”
At inamin ng direktor na ‘bully’ siyahindi dahil masama ang ugali niya kundi para ma-test niya kung hanggang saan ang kaya nila.
“I’m a ‘bully’ but I just want to test them. My type of bullying is to find out how far you can get. Sobrang higpit ko sa script. You have to love the craft. Marami nagpapasa lang ng ganito at ang pangit. Hindi papasa sa akin iyon kasi I have so much respect sa craft ng scriptwriting and filmmaking. You really have to earn it.
“Right now I’m training someone pero hindi ko alam kung naa-appreciate niya or sumusuko na siya. You need to find someone na papahirapan ka dahil gusto ka niyang mag improve.
“Si Ricky hindi siya mabait sa akin. Umiyak ako noong nag-comment siya sa mga unang script ko. Sabi ko, ‘ganu’n ba ako kabobo?’ Doon ko na realize that I have to be very, very good. Pero si Ricky, mabait din naman ito. Lenient siya eh,” kuwento ng direktor.
Bukod sa Darna ay naging direktor din si direk Benedict ng ilang episodes ng Maalaala Mo Kaya, Magpakailanman, iWantTFC movie Momol Nights, Till I Met You, Marimar, Captain Barbell, On The Wings of Love, ML nina Eddie Garcia at Tony Labrusca,at marami pang iba.
Natanong ang direktor kung taun-taon na niyang gagawing mamigay ng laptop.
“At first I want to get sponsors. Pero sabi ko, ‘sarili ko na lang ito kasi kaya ko naman’. Marami na rin akong natulungan na writer but of course you don’t announce it. Si Ricky marami na rin itong natutulungan pero hindi naman niya ina-announce eh.
“I want to project a more giving and helping industry. Sa industry natin, maraming matulungin pero marami rin swapang. Marami rin na makasarili.
“So siguro let’s start giving back. Ricky is a national artist pero hindi talaga nila alam ang dami ng natulungan nito.
“I hope the next generation can do better than us. They can have better careers and better situations kasi we believe we set the path,”say ng direktor.
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