What scripts revealed on how to write them
- Mikaela Olaguera
- Jun 16, 2015
- 2 min read
Photo from gfycat.com
Workplace is somewhere I really look forward to step into. The labor market is like a candy store to me. And as I see in the local scene, there seem a variety of jobs enough for the Filipino people. Unemployment just happen to exist when people diss job opportunities. Now that I am an incoming second year which I should have been a year ago, it seems like work is yet far from the view.
Even though, I noticed that a certain industry has constant openings. Always mass hiring. After their boom few years ago, the BPO industry is still on its reign up to day. Though the compensation may have lowered through the years, job vacancies are in constant wide-opened arms ready to embrace excellent English speakers.
Hasty generalizations on call center agents arise. Horrible abuse on vices: smoking, drinking, etc. Even grave attitude amongst co-workers (do all the mean girls planned to pursue this industry, really?). These are the exact reasons for some that they discourage people in exploring call centers.
On a Palanca-winning script Welcome to IntelStar by Chris Martinez, a sharper knife to pierce you right through the heart just did it. With its surprising punch line in the end, it slapped me more than it made me laugh. Chelsea almost convinced me through the script. It is a lie after all. Just as how her Starbucks no-spill container did, which actually contains rhum. Sugarcoated.
The struggle don’t lie on vices or grave attitudes, they’re the product of real struggle. This made me realize that losing oneself for the job is a real thing. Don’t mind people swear curses over the phone; it’s just a part of the job they have to deal with. Never disclose your location or ethnicity; imitate that neutral Californian accent. This job demands more than simple requirements but to lose yourself as well the moment you step on board. And it is happening not only in this industry.
On the script itself, experience, I think, is a pre-requisite. It will be really hard for a playwright to compose such a detailed piece without the acquaintance of call center operations. The exaggerated tone should also be as convincing along the way and convicting after the punch line. At one scene, forth wall was broken and the play became interactive. I might say, it is equally beautiful and sad.
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