Comic-film adaptations are not new in the realm of TV and cinema. And neither are these rare in the Filipino entertainment world.
Cignal TV, through SARI SARI Channel, is about to debut one of its most ambitious, most exciting, most gory, and maybe most explicit TV mini-series yet. Mervin Malonzo’s “Tabi Po” graphic novel will see itself come to life, along with its undead Aswangs, on October 27, 2017 at 8:00PM.
“Tabi Po” is set both at the present and in the past – way back during the Spanish colonial period. Think Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo but with Aswangs running alongside the urban legends of today. The protagonist, aptly named Elias, is part of a group of Aswangs composed of Tasyo, Sabel and himself.
Aswangs Sabel and Tasyo find the “newly-born” Elias
For those who don’t know yet what an Aswang is, it is a supernatural being which eats not only human flesh but especially the innards and the heart. They can be compared to vampires, just that they are more savage and a little more terrifying.
Malonzo’s art captured the essence of the subjects of his story – wild, frenzied, gory, and bloody. Translating the comic is not going to be an easy feat given the conservative nature of mainstream Philippine entertainment.
Yet, Cignal TV and Sari Sari Channel went on to break the norms of Pinoy TV entertainment. “Tabi Po” immediately starts with a battered man shot at the neck after which, Elias, played by AJ Muhlach comes into the scene and starts tearing the flesh and feasting on the innards. The pilot episode also features Tasyo and Sabel, played by Luis Alandy and Phoebe Walker respectively, taking off their clothes when they crouch down to eat an unfortunate victim.
Elias screams in pain and hunger after being “born” from the trunk of a balete tree
The task of bringing the Aswangs of “Tabi Po” to life rests on commercial and concert director Paul Basinillo. As someone with no experience of long-form film, Basinillo showed visual prowess at his first film project.
adobo magazine caught up with Direk Paul to pick his brains (not innards) on the creative process behind “Tabi Po”.
adobo magazine: How did the project come about? How were you approached by Sari Sari/Cignal TV?
Direk Paul: Aside from being a director, I also work as an author for Graphic Novels under Epik Studios Inc. Back then, roughly two and a half years ago, I was working on a re-imagined Pedro Penduko Comic book when Boss Vic Del Rosario of Viva asked me if I was interested to direct a series. Naturally, as a local comic enthusiast myself, I kinda liked the idea. When he told me it was “Tabi Po”, it was a no brainer for me. I knew “Tabi Po” already and was familiar with Mervin Malonzo’s Award Winning Work.
I guess Boss Vic saw something that made him choose me to direct the project. The transition from a graphic novel author to a Series Director all came naturally.
On Sari Sari and Cignal TV’s end led by Ms Jane Basas, I guess they were all familiar with my work, both as a TV commercial director and a concert director. Having done several spots for Cignal TV, PLDT and Smart and shows like Philpop, the PBA openings and the New Year Countdown – it was all leading into that. I guess it was just connecting the dots.
adobo magazine: Why did you decide to go from being a commercial and concert director to being a TV/film director?
Direk Paul: I always dreamed of directing a series like the ones you see in HBO, Netflix, Iflix and all the other cable and digital platforms. So when the opportunity presented itself, it just all fell into place. Directing commercials, music videos and concerts are really not much different from doing a film.
The storytelling, story arcs, complexities, twists and plots are just a little longer. I guess I took my inspiration from Directors like David Fincher, Michel Gondry, Michael Mann and Zack Snyder who all started their careers by doing music videos and TV spots, or like Director Danny Boyle who also does theater and big events like the Olympics Opening.
I guess it was just good timing, especially at the pace digital content is moving. Luckily, there are Mavericks like the Del Rosarios, MVP (Manuel Pangilinan) and Ms. Jane Basas in the Philippines who are willing to produce and stay competitive through Sari Sari and Cignal Entertainment.
I just happen to be at the right place and at the right time when it all started.
adobo magazine: What skills or learnings did you bring from your experience as a commercial and concert director to “Tabi Po”?
Direk Paul: A 30-second spot I would think is the closest thing we can compare with Hollywood’s workflow and attention to details, so it’s probably the focus on visual craftsmanship. Some of my TVC work are also heavy on art direction and VFX and since a big chunk of the story was set in the 1800’s and there’s a lot of gore and post work needed to be done, that knowledge definitely came in handy.
Directing concerts on the other hand taught me how to properly plan and execute. Since in a live show, everything is done in one take, there’s usually no room for mistakes. The staging, blocking and a sense of good timing must have helped me a lot in speeding up the entire process.
Having directed several music videos, which is one of my true passions, gave me a good grip on directing actors and actresses. I like doing music videos because it shares a story and it’s timeless. It has a beginning a middle and an end. It has lows, peaks, balance, rhythm and beat, much like a full length film.
I guess all these experiences combined with the film school and writing experiences I gained through the years really helped me out to make “Tabi Po” come alive.
Director Paul Basinillo in action
adobo magazine: What is it about “Tabi Po” that made you want to direct it?
Direk Paul: It’s the uniqueness of the story. It’s the way the author, Mervin Malonzo, created an entirely new universe of an old folklore like the “Aswang” and how he gave it a completely different twist. The graphic novel in itself is a true art form.
“Tabi Po” offers a different kind of edginess and it’s a visual spectacle. It’s like your local version of Walking Dead, minus the Zombies, qhich coincidentally is also a graphic novel series. The drama is so engaging but the silence will haunt you. In fact, It’s a bit hard to classify into one single genre.
My task as a director is to simply bring everything to life. I’m just lucky to have a very good team behind me.
adobo magazine: What was the thinking process behind the direction and treatment for “Tabi Po?”
Direk Paul: We had to stay true to the graphic novel’s DNA. During the whole production process, we used the book as reference for the characters, plots, look, costume, production design, cinematography and post-production.
And like any adaptation, we had to make some tweaks and improvements together with the whole creative team and the author to make it engaging for the audience in the long haul since it’s an episodic series.
The introduction of everything Filipino is key for my treatment, from the use of FMA or Filipino Martial Arts as fight choreography by Master John Leyson to the cultural nuances during the 1800’s. Everything was designed. If you see our OBB (opening billboard) for the film, we commissioned a group of world-class Filipino VFX artists to handle 3D. We used a balete tree as the hook in the OBB. The theme music on the other hand, was a collaboration between PhilPop winner Johann Garcia and me entitled “Mi Amor” or “My Love”. I wrote it in English and had it translated to Spanish to give it an 1800’s stamp, since the main plot happened during the revolt.
The film is a reflection of society, and part of my treatment is the quietness that comes from the voice of “Elias” as he narrates his whole story. There’s introspection, regret, anger, love and hatred that builds around the key characters. It’s not the usual horror or action adventure movie. In fact, it’s more drama with a flare of gore, nudity and taboo.
adobo magazine: How did you translate the comic book into film? Did you work with Mervin Malonzo, the creator? How did that process go?
Direk Paul: It was a long but enjoyable process. Mervin, Val Del Rosario, and I are the first team on board for the project. We all made sure that the comic book will not just become a jumping point but as a guide for the entire season.
I tried to keep key scenes from the graphic novel during the actual shoot. I think it helps that I’m a former art director. Mervin appreciates that part because we both speak the same language. We made sure to involve Mervin in almost all the steps.
adobo magazine: How was the working process between you and the producers and between you and the actors?
Direk Paul: It’s a very collaborative process. All parties understand each other’s role. I let my actors interpret their characters by letting them make necessary adjustments on set. We follow a script of course, but we make corrections as we go, as long it’s part of the treatment.
Like in any journey, there are bumps and obstacles that we had to go through and it wasn’t easy. At the end, the collaborative culture prevailed and we kept a healthy and fun working environment.
(L-R) The Aswang trio of Elias, played by AJ Muhlach, Tasyo, played by Luis Alandy, and Sabel, played by Phoebe Walker
adobo magazine: What was the producers’ direction for you? How was the collaboration process?
Direk Paul: It’s a team effort and it’s a very collaborative process. There are always challenges and points of contention but all that is normal. At the end, it is the belief of having a breakthrough idea coming to life from page to screen that people would want to watch and the vision of raising the bar for Filipino shows both locally and Internationally that guides us all.
Ms. Jane Basas, Ms. Sienna Olaso and the entire Cignal TV management and team are all out with their support and commitment to come up with the best possible material for the Filipino audience to enjoy.
adobo magazine: Lastly, what makes “Tabi Po” different from other shows?
Direk Paul: For one, it was filmed as a complete series. We wouldn’t start day 1 of shoot until we were all locked in on the script. We canned everything like a movie.
Second is the production value and that is all credited to my whole team from the producers to the actors, writers, make up, prosthetics, design, cinematography, managers, choreographers, sound, music, VFX and crew. Everyone was on the same page and everyone shares the same passion.
But the biggest difference I guess is the edginess of Tabi Po and the uniqueness of the story. This is a completely different take of The Mythical Filipino being that we all know about and we’re all excited to show it to you.
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Tabi Po premieres on October 27, 2017, and will air every Friday at 8:00 PM until December 1, 2017. Catch it on the SARI-SARI Channel, brought to you by the Philippines’ premier pay TV provider, Cignal TV.
