In Search of the Arc

IN SEARCH OF THE ARC

by Kathryn Narciso

She takes a long, deep drag off her cigarette, stares a hole through me, and blows tendrils of cloud into the air between us. What is he? she interrupts my pitch. It’s like telling the story of Jesus in two sentences, and just as I have crucified him all over again, the blood red-lipped evangelist goes back to the major character’s obsession.

She blows a split second smoke in my face again. He is…  She exhales another. I watch it curl up in the air and disappear into everywhere. He is a carpenter?

Except he’s not. If I were really telling the story of Jesus, I would have not seen her eyes narrowed at the unsure tone of my voice.

You didn’t watch it.

But I did, I approached her cautiously. I just can’t remember. Perhaps teased by her own sneaking suspicion, she smiles at me. No, you didn’t watch it.

I really did. Let me tell you another story.

FIRST ACT

Against her genius, ready to prey on any signs of fear and stupidity, I pitched another story, then mine. I don’t remember the rest of my sentences that quickly dissipated in her rapid fire questions. But I remember keeping pace, answering all, one after another. I remember my frustration for shooting back with a hint of exasperation in my voice—something that would tick off any potential employer. I remember telling myself, There’s no point to this.

I closed the door, trying hard not to think back on my answers. This I remember, and what I initially thought were her parting words, Wait outside. If accepted, your name will be called.

Ah, her first look at honesty, which seemed liked it lasted an eternity. I felt extremely uncomfortable in my own skin under her ten-minute scrutiny. It was completely unfamiliar, yet it felt wonderful.

I would have considered myself insanely lucky to be picked over a queue of film students, but I also knew that I fought hard for it. I fought hard with my so far three years in my Speech Communication degree—though clearly not a priority for the documentary show. I fought hard to stay in control, to prove that I was not lying, that I watched their storytellers and their stories unfold in the middle of the night, shedding occasional tears with my sister.

I fought hard for my story, and over the next few months under her further scrutiny, I fought hard for others’.

SECOND ACT

  

I thought I knew what stories are, but having known her since, I have learned to accept that I knew not well enough. Until now.

I met 14-year-old Baby. She gets up before dawn, but she does not go to school. She works at a fish port. Now, Baby is a teenage mother of two, but she longs to return to school. The pitch was shot down.

I met one survivor of the 1996 Ozone Disco Tragedy and dug deep into his story that began with fire and left him in fear. After long hours of getting lost, finding two more survivors to establish a story arc, we came back empty-handed. The pitch was shot down.

I met the 80-year-olds of an old folks’ home I used to go to when I was in college. There were three of them who shared their different versions of family separation. The pitch was shot down.

I trudged along the streets of Manila where poverty greeted me openly. Here were flooded lanes. There were corners that smelled of cancer. From 100 hours, the hunt for stories carried on to a thousand and more, all in hopes of finding a solid story arc.

I was never alone in the hunt, but I don’t remember how many fond farewells I bade. I have changed partners once, twice, more than thrice. Some had to let go, some were let go.

You have the heart, kid.

I stayed. She said I could.

THIRD ACT

  

I don’t remember how many days and nights I’ve spent in the lives of others, in the very spine of their stories. I would ask questions, hoping they would draw out answers that follow the story arc plotted in my head.

Some stories fall rather nicely into place, but some of them slip into the danger zone.

Think about your storyteller. What happens to her once her story is out to the world?

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I stayed until I could.

Three years ago, we filmed carabaos kneeling before the church of San Isidro, an old couple following the Obando Fertility Rites, and two women exchanging vows in the LGBTS Christian Church.

Not long after the showing of the last, I continued the hunt from field to desk. The Storyline ended in the pages of my thesis in the year that followed. Three months later, I left my homeland to start my new hunt.

BEAST

DANCE




PANGAKO (VOW)

Storyline Abs-Cbn: PANGAKO
Sa ABS-CBN, Biyernes pagkatapos ng SOCO 

Created by Patricia Evangelista and Paolo Villaluna; Directed and edited by Paolo Villaluna; Written and produced by Patricia Evangelista; Cinematographer: Manie Magbanua Jr.; Production Manager: Bernice Ilagan; Assistant Director: Raymund Amonoy; Assistant Editor: Jippy Pascua, Vic Roxas; Operations Manager: Aiah Fernandez; Story Producers: Nicole Revita and Bea Bermundo; Gaffer: Adonis de la CruzSound: Nestor Fuentes; Technical Assistant: Vincent Dario; Backpack Camera: Raymund Amonoy, Jippy Pascua, Geloy Conception, Dennese Victoria; Researcher: Aiah Fernandez and Nico Bagsic; Production Assistant: Nicole Magay and Exxon Ruebe; Interns: Joey Balmaceda and Kath Narciso

Posted by Storyline on Tuesday, 26 June 2012

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During my most recent return, I flew to the Philippines with a Malaysian journalist to cover an event.   

It was June 12th. We spoke of our stories and others’. We spoke of the Philippines and Malaysia. My heart goes out to Sabah’s stateless Filipino children, hers to the marginalized first people (orang asli) of Malaysia.

It was the same day the Philippine Independence was declared in history. It was a great day for freedom.

Exactly a week after, I found this in my inbox:

We spoke a lot during our trip to Philippines and coming back to KL. I was itching to get a documentary project going. I gave it some thoughts and really wanted to do a story that I told you about: Orang asli homes torn down. 

So... wondering if you'd be interested to join me to interview Colin from Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC).

Well, I guess the search continues.

~ END ~

Kathryn is an editor by day and an outdoors adventurer after-hours. She is a storyteller at all times. Find out more about here HERE.