Shugo Praico: Scriptwriter, Director, Producer, Ilonggo

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

His career in television and film may not have been served on a silver platter. But it wasn’t a case of an uphill battle, either.

For Shugo Praico, it was a matter of preparations in meeting opportunities that opened the doors for him in television and, later on, cinema.

The 45-year-old Praico, who earned his Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications major in Broadcasting from the West Visayas State University-Main campus in La Paz, Iloilo City in 1998, recently directed the multi-nominated and awarded Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “Nanahimik Ang Gabi.”

While still in college, he went on a one-month TV production workshop at ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp in Quezon City.

Shortly after graduation, Praico enrolled in a free scriptwriting workshop by renowned Filipino screenwriter and playwright Ricky Lee.

“It was a matter of luck that after I finished the seminar, ABS-CBN was also looking for junior scriptwriters. That started my career in television,” Praico said.

His first show was “Katapat: Mayor Fred Lim (1999)”, a docu-drama in ABS-CBN.

His first television series was “Bituin,” a 2002 musical soap opera top billed by Carol Banawa and Desiree del Valle with Nora Aunor and Cherie Gil.

Praico then went into writing for some episodes of the now defunct “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” the longest running drama anthology in the country.

He also wrote for “Oka Tokat,” a paranormal horror-action-thriller drama also aired on ABS-CBN.

In his almost two-decade career, he wrote for more than 10 teleseryes for ABS-CBN. He got his first break as a head writer for “Nginiiig,” a reality drama-horror-action-thriller-paranormal-suspense television program on ABS-CBN.

Praico was also part of “Spirits,” another horror-drama-fantasy TV program directed by Chito Roño.

He was also one of the writers for “May Bukas Pa,” which is considered the highest rated program on Philippine television in 2008 and 2009. The religious drama program paved the way for the career of Zaijian Jaranilla, who played Santino in the series.

He also stood as the head writer for, Juan dela Cruz, a 2013 superhero television series starring Coco Martin.

After that, he also wrote the inspirational TV series “Nathaniel” and “100 Days To Heaven.”

On the side, he also tried writing for film, some of which were made into movies.

He wrote the “Sa Aking Pagkakagising Mula sa Kamulatan,” shown in 2005 that was top billed by Carlo Aquino. It earned Praico’s first Gawad Urian Awards nomination.

He was also behind the screenplay of “Expressway,” a 2016 drama, adventure, and action film starring Aljur Abrenica.

Perhaps the only, yet major, struggle that Praico went through was harnessing his craft.

“Sa pagsusulat kasi, hindi ka pwedeng maluma. You have to reinvent yourself,” he said.

And how did he evolve himself?

“Nood lang nang nood – from the time na uso pa ang DVDs until na sa streaming na,” he said.

It’s also important to get acquainted to his fellow scriptwriters and directors.

MOVIE BREAKTHROUGH

Just like in his television debut, “sa movie, parang feeling ko, swerte ulit ako.”

After finishing his contract with ABS-CBN in 2018, Praico, director Lino Cayetano and writer-director Philip King put up Rein Entertainment.

“And our first project in fact came from ABS-CBN,” he said.

Praico was referring to the critically-acclaimed series “Bagman” starring Arjo Atayde.

He co-wrote film and it happened to be his first directorial job.

It was initially shown on then IWant TV, ABS-CBN’s content platform.

“We got good reviews pero napansin talaga siya when it was picked up by Netflix,” he said.

Praico was happy, yet surprised, of how her movie turned out.

In 2019, he co-wrote and directed the movie “You Have Arrived,” a story about three social media influencers who were brought together through their bond as bullying victims.

Praico also co-wrote and directed BetCin, a romantic comedy drama in 2021.

NO ACCIDENT DIRECTOR

Being a director is not something that happened by accident for Praico.

“When I was still in college, it has been a dream to enter the movie and television as a director,” he said.

As do scriptwriting, “gusto ko siyang gawin because I believe that for you to be a good director, you have to start somewhere. And what better way to start than scriptwriting?” he quipped.

Even then, Praico said he has looked up to Quentin Tarantino, a film director, writer, producer, and actor.

But for quite a time, he said that such a dream to conquer and making a breakthrough in directing would happen.

“Kasi parang lumubog na ako sa pagsusulat. May mga direktor akong nakikita and I’ve felt that it’s not my personality. Parang nakalimutan ko na ‘yung dream na ‘yun for a while,” he said.

And then “Bagman” happened.

“When Rein (Entertainment) got the job, it was asked who will direct the movie. It started from there. My passion, my dream to become a director was reborn,” Praico said.

Bagman still stood as his most memorable project.

“Syempre, first directorial job. I learned a lot on set. I need to learn more, It was both humbling and fulfilling at the same time,” he said

For Praico, challenges of being a director is far more different than that of scriptwriting.

“Half of it is about managing the entire crew. You have to rally the whole crew to collaborate with each other,” he said.

And for this. Praico said he has always reminded himself about what American director David Fincher about “taking all of the responsibility, because you’re going to get all of the blame.”

STORYTELLER

Being a director has its high that scriptwriting might not be able to give.

“‘Yung masaya talaga magkwento. Ibang klase kasi kapag nagkukwento ka. Sa script, after kong maibigay ang script sa director, director na yung bahala,” he said.

However, “minsan may naiisip ka na, not necessarily mas maganda, pero nang sinulat ko yun, ito yung gusto ko eh,” he said.

But at times, the one you envisioned as a scriptwriter was not exactly the one that came up on screen.

“In directing my own script, somehow you achieved what you wrote for. Personally, parang mas buo yung visions. You’re carrying your visions sa script. Visually mas feeling ko, I better communicate to the audience,” he said.

ON BEING AN ILONGGO

Praico said he’s always been proud of his Ilonggo roots and how it shaped him.

In college, he mostly communicated in Tagalog after being schooled in Metro Manila until high school.

“But the warmth and Ilonggo’s own brand of being accommodating are different. Maraming Ilonggo sa TV and movie industry. And somehow, iba ‘yung connection. Parang kasama ka kaagad sa tropa,” he said.

He also credited Iloilo and his college alma mater, WVSU, for shaping his dream of being a director.

“Sa iloilo nagsimula. Sa college nabuo yung passion ko na magkwento and my dream to enter TV and movie,” he said.

While college education enthused students to enter mainstream media, a big part of it also cultivated learners to pursue “behind the camera” careers TV and film.

THE PAY

When asked if being a scriptwriter and director pay well, Praico briefly said, “okay naman.”

However, “when compared to Hollywood, malayo talaga ang bayad, especially sa writers.”

He likened directors to actors that “if you’re new to the field, you are usually not paid much. But if you’re a box-office director, high paying talaga.”

Since Rein Entertainment is not yet a big production company, Praico said they have a long way to go.

But still, “it’s a lucrative job. It won’t be easy, though, if you’re starting our. The income may be unstable and the works are irregular,” he narrative.

Just like actors and even those in other industries, you have to start at the bottom.

But for Praico, it is what made the journey more worthwhile.

And after all these years, of the highs and lows that his job brought him, “I intend to stay.”

“At the end of the day, this is about my passion,” Praico said.