The challenge of writing Da Possessed

MANILA, Philippines - Scriptwriter Aristotle “Ays” de Guzman never denies that certain revisions and adjustments have been made to the latest Star Cinema offering Da Possessed which also serves as the grand movie comeback of Vhong Navarro.

Ays is one of the three writers tapped to come up with a story that is appealing to the viewers and at the same time will fit Vhong’s style or approach in comedy. The other two are Athena Aringo-Tengco and Antoinette Jadaone.

“Adjustments are part of moviemaking because the director and the stars contribute their creative inputs for a movie to become more interesting. Actually, when we presented the story to direk (Joyce Bernal) bare na bare pa na parang comedy lang namin ni Athena ‘yung nandun,” Ays told The STAR after the presscon last Tuesday afternoon.

He knows that the collaboration between the writers and all the creative voices involved is essential to bring to life a good story on the big screen. Does it mean that a writer provides the dialogues while the director and actors fill in the details? Ays agrees and confirms that is where revisions come in during shooting time. Case in point was when John “Sweet” Lapus felt that his gay spirit role lacked “gay attitude” as soon as he finished reading his lines. Judging from the choice of words, Sweet was able to sense that the writer is a straight guy.

True enough because it was Ays who wrote most of the lines Sweet needed to deliver. “So, I was compelled to call on my gay friends to be able to translate them (dialogues) in a way na galing sa kanila para mas maganda at natural,” shares Ays. “Ako talaga hirap na hirap talaga ako sa linya ng mga bakla (read: gay lingo).”

Thus, it was Antoinette who provided for the speaking lines of Sweet in the latter part of the script “kasi mas maganda n’ya naisulat ‘yung mga linya ng bakla kaysa sa akin.”

But it was different when it came to working on Vhong’s part. It helped that Ays has already worked with the comedian in Lastikman and D’Anothers.

“I already know his style and what fits him best because we have already worked before so when Star Cinema wanted another movie for Vhong as part of the 20 years celebration (of the film outfit) we patterned his character here after that of his role in D’Anothers.”

Ays started in ABS-CBN as a promo writer in 2005 until he got the opportunity to write scripts for TV soaps like the Mars Ravelo superhero stories. He, too, was part of the team behind the Zaijian Jaranilla hit drama May Bukas Pa. His first big break was Lastikman. 

Ays denies that the story of Da Possessed is based on one Japanese TV show where the lead character is said to have been possessed by three spirits.

“I didn’t know that there is also such a concept in Japan. What we originally wanted to do for Vhong is something like The Exorcist na mapo-possess si Vhong so naiisip namin na imbes na isang spirit why not make it three so that’s where we decided to write a story na tatlong espiritu ang papasok kay Vhong. Medyo pisikal kasi yung comedy ni Vhong, so in the movie we put him in situations where he would have to act physically.”

Da Possessed, a joint venture of Star Cinema and Regal Entertainment, revolves around the story of Ramon (Vhong) who attempts to venture into landscape art. Ramon falls for his sexy boss (Solenn Heussaff) but conflict arises when spirits from another world start to possess his body. What follows is a series of riotous events.

Asked about the most challenging part of writing a story for a movie, Ays says that it is the revision part. “Revision in a movie happens in three stages — while you’re writing it, while you’re shooting it and while you’re editing it — and the most challenging is how to keep the story straight in that three stages of making a movie because sometimes during post-production and editing dun nyo lang ma-re-realize na tungkol dito pala yung pelikula talaga kasi when you started in one idea nag-e-evolve kasi talaga s’ya.”

Did he make a lot of revisions on Da Possessed?

“Luckily, we are guided by direk Joyce from the start of writing the story. She already gave an idea on how she wanted it to flow. Kung meron man pakonti-konti na lang like certain lines or dagdag lang konti sa ibang aspect.”

Da Possessed also stars Joey Marquez, Joy Viado, Smokey Manaloto, Beverly Salviejo, Matet de Leon, Empoy, Lito Pimentel and Aaliyah Belmoro. It will open in cinemas nationwide on April 19. Photo by Bot Glorioso