Ricky Lee issues statement on selection process of scriptwriting workshop

Ricky Lee has clarified the selection process of his personal and free scriptwriting workshop amid online discourse about how its latest participants were chosen. 

The National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts revived his scriptwriting workshop after years of hiatus, and had announced over the weekend the accepted participants for Batch 30 and Batch 31 of his workshops.

Following his announcement, some netizens expressed their dismay that many of the chosen participants included industry workers, such as famous celebrities, filmmakers, and established writers instead of ordinary people.

Some of the chosen participants include Kara David, Kylie Padilla, Karylle, JC Santos, Chai Fonacier, Cristine Reyes, Rica Peralejo, to name a few.

On Tuesday, Sir Ricky Lee took to his official Facebook page to clarify the selection process of his scriptwriting workshop, which he has been offering for free since 1982. 

According to Sir Ricky, they anticipated that many would apply for the workshop, so he, alongside the Film Academy of the Philippines and some friends, thought of different ways to accommodate as many people as possible. 

"Nilinaw namin sa selection committee ang guidelines sa pamimili. Na pantay-pantay ang karapatan ng lahat, whether celebrity, datihan, o baguhan, na matanggap. Basta qualified, gustong makapagsulat, at angkop sa gagawing mix ng bawat batch. Kasama rin sa batayan ng application ay ang malikhaing pagsagot nila sa questions (na kasama sa criteria) na naging batayan din," he said. 

Sir Ricky noted that the "mix" he had in mind for Batch 30 and 31 was to bring together those who already have experience working in film and those who do not — a strategy he had also done in previous batches. 

He added that based on his experience, having a homogeneous batch of beginners for the workshop was not effective. 

"Ang inisip ko na mix, na ginawa ko na noon pa sa Batch 15 at iba pang mga naging batch, ay pagsamahin ang nagtatrabaho na sa pelikula at hindi pa; nakapagsulat na at hindi pa; artista, cinematographer at iba pang kasali sa produksyon," he said. 

"Usually sa workshops ko ay malaki ang naitutulong ng mga datihan sa mga baguhan. Lahat ito, in the belief na mas inclusive ang ganitong sistema. Dahil sa karanasan ko ay hindi maganda ang homogenous o pare-parehong baguhan o pare-pareho ng pinanggalingan ang mga nasa batch."

Per the national artist, the selection process for the workshop was long and meticulous. Each applicant also went through the entire application process and submitted all of the required materials. 

"Kung workshop ito na may bayad ay mas madali siguro ang pamimili dahil ang maging batayan ay ang kakayanang magbayad. Maraming natanggap na taga-pelikula at marami ang hindi natanggap," he said. "Marami ang kaibigan at anak ng kaibigan ang hindi rin natanggap. Sa huli, ang pinairal ay kung qualified ba, at angkop sa mix. Sa naging final results, halos kalahati pa rin ng bawat batch ay mga baguhan.," 

More than 200 out of the 2,617 applicants qualified for the scriptwriting workshop. 

Per Sir Ricky, due to the huge number of applicants, they have already decided even before the announcement of Batch 30 and 31 that they will have a Batch 32 for the qualified newcomers who were not included in the earlier batches. 

He added that they also intend to hold a whole-day session in a larger venue to accommodate all of those who applied for the workshop, as well as an online workshop for those outside Metro Manila. 

"More than four decades ko na itong ginagawa, at napatunayan ko nang nagwo-work ang sistema ko ng mixing sa bawat batch. Sana ay nagtiwala ang lahat na alam ko ang ginagawa ko at na masusi ko itong laging pinag-aaralan bawat hakbang nito," he said. 

"Alam ko kung paano makaramdam ng rejection dahil na-reject na rin ako nang maraming beses. Kaya alam ko ang nararamdaman ng mga hindi natanggap. Kaya sinikap pa naming hanggat makakaya ay gumawa ng paraan para mag-accommodate ng as many as possible." 

Sir Ricky shared that most of the participants of his workshop were beginners and newcomers when he started offering it in 1982. 

"Bilang pasasalamat ko na rin sa industriyang naging mabait sa akin all these years, gusto kong namang mag-payback sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa mga active filmmakers na nag-apply at matagal ko na rin namang gustong makasama sa workshop. Kaya marami sila sa dalawang batch na ito. Marami pa rin nga sa kanila ang hindi rin nakapasok dahil hindi angkop sa mix," he said. 

As a final point, he emphasized that he is listening and learning from the ongoing discourse about his workshop, and that his desire and drive to help others to the best of his abilities have not waned despite everything that has happened. 

"Una at huling statement ko na sana ito dahil gusto kong mas ituon ang aking panahon at lakas sa pagtulong sa mas marami pang mga nangangarap magsulat. Pero kung kinakailangan, open naman akong makipag-dialogue dahil in the end, iisa lang naman ang hangarin nating lahat, ang makatulong sa iba at ang mapabuti ang ating industriya."

—CDC, GMA Integrated News