Bing Lao's Writing Workshop

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As one of the country’s most prolific screenwriters, Armando “Bing” Lao has been honored by just about every award-winning body in the country, including the Film Academy of the Philippines, the FAMAS and the Gawad Urian.

Best known for the screenplays of acclaimed films such as Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Pila Balde” and “Kubrador”, Brillante Mendoza’s “Kinatay”, Chito Roño’s “Suntok sa Buwan” and “La Vida Rosa”, Emmanuel H. Borlaza’s “Oras Oras, Araw Araw”, and his own directorial debut “Biyaheng Lupa”, Lao recently won the Special Jury Prize for his second film, “Ad Ignorantiam”, in the New Wave Section of the recent Metro Manila Film Festival.

“Lao is more than just a screenwriter as his scripts are written with directorial vision. Instead of merely constructing the narrative and characters and leaving the rest of the creative process to the director, Lao immerses into the entire filmmaking process, stamping each and every one of the films which he had a part in with auteurial integrity,” wrote noted film critic Oggs Cruz in his review of “Biyaheng Langit”.

Like colleague Ricky Lee, Lao is also very generous when it comes to imparting his expertise and wisdom to budding screenwriters. Next month, he will hold a six-session scriptwriting workshop based on his upcoming manual, “Found Story”.

“The ‘Found Story’ workshop is a powerful tool not only as a writer allowing one to learn the fundamentals and new ways of crafting the narrative. It allows participants to be better practitioners in their respective crafts—director, producer, editor, production designer, cinematographer, actor, documentarist, and educator, to name a few,” Henry Burgos, 2012 MMFF Best Original Story winner for “Thy Womb”, told InterAksyon.

“It’s simply because the learning principles are universal, profound and practical at the same time. Also, the application of the knowledge is not limited to alternative film, but to other genres as well. You’ll be trained to think critically, viewing the film narrative elements in their proper context,” he further elaborated.

In paying tribute to Lao whom he considers a mentor and inspiration for his films, internationally acclaimed filmmaker Brillante Mendoza added that the workshop participants will benefit immensely from Lao’s wealth of experience and unique style as well.

“The workshoppers will be introduced to the school of ‘Found Story’ which is a very relevant and useful tool to alternative filmmaking and most especially to independent filmmakers,” the “Thy Womb” director told InterAksyon.
For his part, Lao himself places emphasis on an out-of-the-box approach in training his participants how to think critically and how they can apply it to their future screenplays.

“Critical thinking is the ability to see the invisible. What it is that you see that other people don’t see?” he asked.

Lao’s “Found Story” workshop will take place on February 4-9 or 11-16, 1-5pm at unit 1034 3rd Floor Building 10, Mapagkumbaba St corner Maginhawa, Sikatuna Bliss, Diliman QC (near Camp Karingal). Slots are limited. For inquiries and reservations, please contact Henry Burgos at +639276706552.