Raven Familia Series 1: The Rogue

Prologue

“May napili na kaya si Producer Keith sa mga storyline na pinasa namin para sa ipo-produce niyang bagong TV show?” dinig kong tanong ng isa sa mga kasamahan kong screenwriter dito sa HHC Network., si Sarah.

Ipinatawag kaming mga exclusive screenwriter para sa monthly meeting namin at para pag-usapan na din ang mga patapos at bagong mga projects na hawak namin.

Halos lahat kasi kami dito ay work from home at bihira lang pumunta dito sa network. May mga pagkakataon na nagtatagal din kami, lalo na kapag kailangan ng on-site screenwriter, pero bihira lang naman iyon.

Most of the time, we only send a lot of storylines through email since as an exclusive screenwriter, it is our job to provide at least three up to five storylines per month.

That was for our base pay. Kapag naman ang storyline namin ang napili para maging television show, doon kami nagkakaroon ng bonus kaya naman lahat ng kasama ko ay gusto agad malaman kung kaninong storyline ba ang napili ng isang producer na siyang gagawa ng bagong show dito sa network.

“Balita ko, malaking project ang ipo-produce niya,” sabi pa ng isa, si Mian “Indefinite din ang timeline ng itatakbo ng show kasi kahit mababa daw ang ratings, itutuloy hanggang matapos ang storyline nila.”

“May storyline na?” tanong pa ni Sarah.

“Oo, hindi pa nga lang nababanggit kung kaninong storyline ang napili,” sagot ni Alice. “Pinag-iisipan pa din kasi kung sino ang magiging director. Pinagdedesisyunan pa din kung mag-o-offer sa mga gagawing cast o magpapa-audition na lang.”

“Ang dami pa pala nilang hindi napagdedesisyunan,” ismid ni Sunny. “Pero sana iyong sa akin ang mapili. Matagal na din ang nakakalipas nang huling mapili ang storyline na gawa ko.”

“Hey…” Bumaling ako kay Miya. “Congrats nga pala sa storyline mo, huh? Balita ko, pinapa-extend ni Producer Esther ang show dahil sa mataas na rating.”

Ngumiti ako at tumango. “Yeah.”

“Hindi ba, storyline mo din ang napili para movie na ipo-produce ng When Studio?” sabi niya na tinanguan ko.”At iyong p-in-roduce ng Iron Fox Company?”

Muli akong tumango. “Magsisimula pa lang ang taping ng When Studio habang ang Iron Fox Company naman ay magpi-premiere na next month.”

I am one of the best screenwriters that works here at HHC.

And most of the tv shows and movies that the network created were based on the storyline that I created. Ilan sa mga ito, ako lang ang tanging screenwriter na piniling magtrabaho dahil storyline ko naman iyon.

Nagpi-pitch in na lang ang producer, director at ilang cast ng mga gusto nilang idagdag sa storyflow.

At may ilan dito na nakipagtrabaho ako sa ibang screenwriter pero iyon ang mga panahong pinagsisisihan ko dahil required na sumama sa mga taping dahil marami kaming nagtutulong-tulong sa paggawa ng script.

I don’t like socializing much. I am not good at talking to other people. That is why I really love this job. It lets me work in the comfort of my home without worrying about my bills and money to provide for my food.

Ibang-iba sa nakasanayan noong nasa ampunan ako, lalo na noong nag-college na ako.

Kaya nga halos hindi ako nakikipag-usap sa mga kapwa ko screenwriters at tanging ang head lang namin ang madalas kong kausapin, at lagi pang tungkol sa trabaho.

“Settle down, girls.” Pumasok na si Miss Loren, ang head screenwriter ng HHC Network at siyang humahawak sa aming mga exclusive screenwriters. “I have some announcement to do and it has something to do with your next project since most of you are almost done with your current project.”

Everyone switched to their professional mode since we are now talking about our work. They pulled their chairs towards the long table and we all looked at Miss Loren.

“I am sure you heard about the show that Producer Keith plans to do with our network, right?” panimula niya. “But I am sorry to tell you, he decided to hire a freelance screenwriter to work with him.”

“Oh.” Nalungkot ang mga kasama ko. Producer Keith is one of the best producers that work with HHC. Kaya naman marami talagang gustong makatrabaho ito.

Magaling din kasi itong pumili mula sa director hanggang sa cast at crew kaya laging successful ang mga project na dinadala nito sa network.

“But they will be asking for advice regarding the storyline of their project so keep your line always open for easy communication,” she added and looked at Sarah. “You will be working together with the DySeRin Production and they want to include you for scriptwriting. They also have their own screenwriter and you will be working with them, okay?” Iniabot niya ang isang folder na naglalaman ng magiging trabaho niya.

Kinuha iyon ni Sarah at agad binasa ang nilalaman. “Oh, the project was an adaptation of a famous novel from another country. I will be working with the actual author of the novel since she also has a background in scriptwriting.”

Bumaling naman si Miss Loren kina Mian, Alice and Sunny. “The three of you will work together on a big project for TasMe Production.” Inabot niya sa mga ito ang folder. “They are expecting you to come up with a storyline based on the troupe that they want as soon as possible so that they will start assembling the whole production.”

Bumakas ang saya sa mukha ng tatlo. Well, kagagaling lang nila sa bakasyon at isang malaking project agad ang sasalubong sa kanila.

“And you, Nemi.” Itinuro ako ni Miss Loren. Tumitig siya sa akin at ilang sandali lamang ay bumuntong hininga siya pagkuwa’y hinilot ang kanyang sentido. “The top brass of When Studio wants you to go to their taping because most of their actors tend to ask for script changes.”

“They want me to stand by at the set?”

Tumango siya. “I already told them that it was not possible since you are on leave for the whole month when they start their taping but they insisted.”

Napakamot ako ng ulo.

Well, I love my job and it is nice for them to include me in every detail of the show but I already filed my leave and it has been approved yesterday. Hindi ko naman iyon pwedeng bawiin lalo na’t nakaplano na ang mga gagawin ko sa buong buwan na iyon.

Isa pa, kung ako ang papipiliin, hindi ko gusto na mag-stay ng matagal sa taping. The place will surely be crowded since that was a big project with big production working on it. Isama pa ang pagpunta at pagtambay ng mga fans ng mga artistang cast ng nasabing proyekto.

I am not sure if I can help them in that kind of environment.

“What did the management say about it?” tanong ko. “Are they requiring me to go?”

Umiling siya. “They leave the decision to you and will respect what you will do,” aniya. “Though, Mister Canalla said that it would be rude to ask you to ditch your vacation just because the producer wants you on the set.”

Well, hindi nakatulong ang sinabi nila.

“Ahm…” Huminga ako ng malalim. “Can you do something to compromise with this, Miss Loren? I want to do my best at my job and I don’t want to upset the production but I can’t also give up my leave. I have been preparing for this for a year.”

“I can think of other options but you have to give me something in return,” sabi nito.

“Anything, Miss,” mabilis kong sagot. As long as it will help the situation, I will do anything. I just don’t want to upset people or ruin my plan for my leave.

Unti-unti siyang ngumiti at sa mga sandaling iyon, parang gusto kong pagsisihan ang naging sagot ko.

Narinig ko din ang pagtawa ng mga kasama ko at naiiling na lang ang kanilang ulo habang nakatingin sa akin.

“You made a deal with a devil, Nemi,” natatawang sabi ni Sarah pagkuwa’y tumayo na silang apat. “Maiiwan na namin kayo dito. Goodluck na lang sa ipapagawa niya sayo.” Tinapik pa nila ang balikat ko bago tuluyang lumabas ng conference room.

“I will not ask for too much,” mabilis na depensa ni Miss Loren.

Bumuntong hininga ako.

Well, maybe it was not too much for her but for me, I am sure it is.

“Just tell me what it is?” I said. “I promise to do it in exchange for settling the demand of When Studio.”

“I just want you to attend the premiere of the movie under Iron Fox Company.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. “What?”

“You don’t need to stay in the whole event,” paliwanag niya. “Just the red carpet and the introduction of the movie. Then, you can go without even telling anyone.”

That was another crowded place. Mas malala pa nga iyon sa crowd ng set dahil siguradong maraming bigating personality ang imbitado sa premiere na iyon. At higit sa lahat, sigurado ding puno ng media ang event na iyon na iko-cover ang lahat.

“That was only a couple of hours, Nemi,” sabi pa ni Miss Loren. “Unlike what the When Studio wants. Every day until the production finishes.”

Yeah, she has a point. Ilang oras sa premiere ng Iron Fox Company versus ilang buwan sa set ng When Studio.

“Fine,” sabi ko. “I will attend the premiere.” That is the only choice I have right now to compromise on the situation.

“Good.” Masaya siyang tumayo na para bang napakagandang balita ng pagpayag ko na pumunta sa event na iyon. “You can go home now and prepare a nice gown for the premiere, okay? Or if you can’t find anything, just tell me and I will do something.”

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita pa dahil agad na siyang lumabas ng conference room. Sinubukan ko pa siyang habulin para ipaalam na wala akong alam sa pagpili ng mga gown na babagay sa premiere ngunit paglabas ko ng conference ay nakita kong kausap na niya ang boss namin na siyang pinakamay-ari ng HHC Network.

The one and only Hain Henan-Canalla.