writing-related stuff
the best carlos palanca website
Ian Casocot has completed the full listing of every Don Carlos Palanca Awardee in every category and division since the Awards began in 1950 - plus other related information and useful downloads. Thanks, Ian! It was a huge task, but now researchers and those interested in the evolution of Philippine Literature via the lens of the Awards have the best online source to go to. Go and check it out.
sneak peek at the winners
I managed to sneak an hour of my morning visiting with Babes at the Palanca Foundation and got to see the full listing of winners - kudos to you guys! Sorry, I'm not posting it here, out of respect for the Foundation (Ian will post the complete thing by the first week of September, I'm sure), but it's quite a list. I found out that the youngest winner in the regular categories is 19 years old (Futuristic Fiction in English), while the youngest winner in the Kabataan Essay (English) is 14 years old. Wow!
Sadly though, the percentage of new winners has slipped. In previous years, new winners have been equal or over the number of old hands. This year, the in 55th Awards, 45% of the winners were first-time winners. It's still a respectable percentage, and tells us that new voices are represented and recognized (and that dinosaurs like me need to keep fit or face extinction).
I also found out who the board of judges were for the novel category: Dr. Cirilo Bautista, Antonio Hidalgo and -ironically- Azucena Grajo Uranza. The mindbending good news? They were unanimous in their decision.
Ian and I later exchanged guilty texts about the nasty things we said about Uranza's novel.
So now I really have to buy and read it. ;)
short time
The contract signing for the film version of my play, Short Time, will be sometime next week. My story will be paired with one by Rene Villanueva, to create a double feature. The shoot begins in September.
Piolo Pascual has agreed to play one of the two characters - and it really looks like this thing is happening (forgive my reservations, I've had two previous less-than-incredible experiences with film).
I'm getting an upfront fee plus points (a percentage of profit). Not bad for a play from 1991.
word gets around rather quickly
Viva Entertainment has requested for a full copy of Salamanca. During my meeting yesterday with head honcho boss Vic del Rosario, I found myself suddenly having to summarize the novel (I tried, with much gesticulation and impromptu editing), after which he began to think of casting choices (something like three pairs of actors, to take on the roles of Gaudencio and Jacinta through the years). Apart from that, he wants to see everything I've written. It's fun to play around with possibilities, but -again- nothing is set in stone. We'll see.
Me, I was busy fantasizing about what I would ask for in terms of compensation - like a week in an exotic resort with everyone who is or has ever been a Viva Hot Babe. And my name added to the comp list for all future Viva films (though really, I just want the Sex Guru series). LOL
I was asked if I had issues should the film be different from the novel - as it obviously will be. As fas as I'm concerned, Salamanca retains its integrity as a novel, as the source material. A film adapted from it is its own creature. A book and a film inspired by -or based on it- are two different things, so no big. It's a funny thing to think about though, since everything is speculative at this point (vaporware, as my friend Jayce would say), but the novel will always be the novel.
Interestingly enough, another independent filmmaker has queried about Salamanca and possibility of transforming parts of it into a short film. Suddenly, I have a "property". Which is cool, of course. I honestly didn't expect all this attention, but hey, I've never been one to shy away from opportunities - so, as usual, we'll see.
Gah. Have to get back to work.
Ian Casocot has completed the full listing of every Don Carlos Palanca Awardee in every category and division since the Awards began in 1950 - plus other related information and useful downloads. Thanks, Ian! It was a huge task, but now researchers and those interested in the evolution of Philippine Literature via the lens of the Awards have the best online source to go to. Go and check it out.
sneak peek at the winners
I managed to sneak an hour of my morning visiting with Babes at the Palanca Foundation and got to see the full listing of winners - kudos to you guys! Sorry, I'm not posting it here, out of respect for the Foundation (Ian will post the complete thing by the first week of September, I'm sure), but it's quite a list. I found out that the youngest winner in the regular categories is 19 years old (Futuristic Fiction in English), while the youngest winner in the Kabataan Essay (English) is 14 years old. Wow!
Sadly though, the percentage of new winners has slipped. In previous years, new winners have been equal or over the number of old hands. This year, the in 55th Awards, 45% of the winners were first-time winners. It's still a respectable percentage, and tells us that new voices are represented and recognized (and that dinosaurs like me need to keep fit or face extinction).
I also found out who the board of judges were for the novel category: Dr. Cirilo Bautista, Antonio Hidalgo and -ironically- Azucena Grajo Uranza. The mindbending good news? They were unanimous in their decision.
Ian and I later exchanged guilty texts about the nasty things we said about Uranza's novel.
So now I really have to buy and read it. ;)
short time
The contract signing for the film version of my play, Short Time, will be sometime next week. My story will be paired with one by Rene Villanueva, to create a double feature. The shoot begins in September.
Piolo Pascual has agreed to play one of the two characters - and it really looks like this thing is happening (forgive my reservations, I've had two previous less-than-incredible experiences with film).
I'm getting an upfront fee plus points (a percentage of profit). Not bad for a play from 1991.
word gets around rather quickly
Viva Entertainment has requested for a full copy of Salamanca. During my meeting yesterday with head honcho boss Vic del Rosario, I found myself suddenly having to summarize the novel (I tried, with much gesticulation and impromptu editing), after which he began to think of casting choices (something like three pairs of actors, to take on the roles of Gaudencio and Jacinta through the years). Apart from that, he wants to see everything I've written. It's fun to play around with possibilities, but -again- nothing is set in stone. We'll see.
Me, I was busy fantasizing about what I would ask for in terms of compensation - like a week in an exotic resort with everyone who is or has ever been a Viva Hot Babe. And my name added to the comp list for all future Viva films (though really, I just want the Sex Guru series). LOL
I was asked if I had issues should the film be different from the novel - as it obviously will be. As fas as I'm concerned, Salamanca retains its integrity as a novel, as the source material. A film adapted from it is its own creature. A book and a film inspired by -or based on it- are two different things, so no big. It's a funny thing to think about though, since everything is speculative at this point (vaporware, as my friend Jayce would say), but the novel will always be the novel.
Interestingly enough, another independent filmmaker has queried about Salamanca and possibility of transforming parts of it into a short film. Suddenly, I have a "property". Which is cool, of course. I honestly didn't expect all this attention, but hey, I've never been one to shy away from opportunities - so, as usual, we'll see.
Gah. Have to get back to work.
posted by Dean at
2:13 PM
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