John Lapus on the popularity of BL series: ‘Pangarap ko rin makagawa’

Rhea Manila Santos

As a director, John Lapus said he did not have to think twice after being offered to helm the upcoming WeTv Philippines original rom-com series Boyfriend No.13.“Yung storyline pa lang nung unang pinadala sa akin, tawa na ako ng tawa. So lalo na nung script na. Ang maganda sa aming mga producers ay binigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon na makasama dun sa development nung storyline at saka nung script nitong Boyfriend No. 13 and ang suwerte ko din na binigyan nila ako ng cast na hindi sakit ng ulo pagka bongga bongga. Kaya masaya lang ito. Kaya kung magtratrabaho tayong lahat in the new normal with the new protocols in a pandemic na naka-lock-in tayo, dapat ang environment natin ay masaya at na-achieve naman namin ito ng buong production,” he said during the WeTV Philippines ‘Boyfriend No. 13’ mediacon last June 23. <a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2018/10/8/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-tatalikuran-na-nga-ba-ang-pag-arte-49175'>READ: </a><a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2018/10/8/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-tatalikuran-na-nga-ba-ang-pag-arte-49175'>John Lapus, tatalikuran na nga ba ang pag-arte?</a>The ‘Boyfriend No.13 director said he was impressed by how solid the preparation was for the production before they went into a lock-in bubble.“Yung script pa lang nakakatawa na. I gave very adlibs sa mga artista, very few blockings na hindi naka-identify sa script. But the rest na mapapanuod niyo sa series na ‘to, nandun talaga yun sa script. Ganun kahusay yung mga writers namin na wala akong major revision na ginawa kumpara sa ibang mga works ko.“Kasi minsan yun ang problema, director ako, writer din ako, artista rin ako so minsan conflicting yung nararamdaan ko sa material. Eh dito talagang swak, pasok. Rom-com siya na. Rom na rom na yung script, so siguro kaya ako kinuhang director para madagdagan yung comedy. Yun naman ay na-achieve, yung rom-com na kakaiba, bago, clever, witty, and at the same time yung series na kailangan na kailangan natin ngayong panahon ng pandemic nga na malungkot tayo, aligaga, stressed.“So basically yung vision ko, ng production at ng creative people, nakakatawa siya but at the same time nakakakilig and at the same time ma-i-in love ka pag pinanuod mo. Which is exactly the series na kailangan nating pinanunuod right now,” he explained.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/3/24/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-directs-maymay-entratas-latest-mmk-pro-35221'>READ: </a><a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/3/24/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-directs-maymay-entratas-latest-mmk-pro-35221'>John Lapus directs Maymay Entrata’s latest MMK project</a>With growing popularity of Boys Love (BL) series in the country right now, direk John said he is happy with the progressive way viewers are responding to the new genre.“Finally nandito na siya. All along ang tagal tagal na palang ginagawa ng Thailand tapos tayo recently lang tapos kung kelan pa nagka-pandemic dun pa dumating dito sa Pilipinas. Ang dami kong BL series na napanuod na locally produced. Naloloka ako may mga fans na foreigner, people from other countries. May fans na hindi LGBT community, may fans na lalake, may fans na babae. So parag magtataka talaga.“So I realized at the end of the day, ang tao in general gusto ko nakakapanuod ng mga taong nagmamahalan. It makes us feel good inside. So whether LGBT, BL, kung boy yan. Lalake, babae, gustong gusto nating nakakapanuod ng ganun. Siguro yung magic ng mga BL series kaya din siya nag-ki-click, kasi kung part ka ng LGBT community meron kang sana magkaroon din ako ng ganyan. Kung hetero ka nman yung, ‘Wow bakit ako kinikilig eh hindi naman ako bakla? Hindi naman ako tomboy?’” he said.After directing Boyfriend No.13, direk John said he would love to be able to do a Boys Love series in the future.“Naka-interview na rin ako ng mga fans ng BL series and pinapanuod nila kasi naaaliw sila, kinikilig sila, na-i-in love sila dun sa storya. So natutuwa ako na nandito na siya sa Pilipinas. It has arrived and is staying for good. Natutuwa ako especially for the LGBT community na malawak na malawak na ang pagtingin ng mga Filipino sa mga ganitong klaseng series and ito na yun, nagsisimula na. It’s a good start for locally produced BL series. Pangarap ko rin makagawa one of these days. Kaya lang baka hindi ko kaya. Ako nga walang love life. Paano ko mapapakita yung love life dun. So hindi ko alam (laughs),” he said jokingly. Watch Sue Ramirez, JC Santos, and JC de Vera in the WeTV Philippines original series Boyfriend No. 13 which starts streaming for free on WeTV starting July 2, Friday, at 7 pm with new episodes weekly. Directed by John “Sweet” Lapus.

The ‘Boyfriend No.13 director said he was impressed by how solid the preparation was for the production before they went into a lock-in bubble.“Yung script pa lang nakakatawa na. I gave very adlibs sa mga artista, very few blockings na hindi naka-identify sa script. But the rest na mapapanuod niyo sa series na ‘to, nandun talaga yun sa script. Ganun kahusay yung mga writers namin na wala akong major revision na ginawa kumpara sa ibang mga works ko.“Kasi minsan yun ang problema, director ako, writer din ako, artista rin ako so minsan conflicting yung nararamdaan ko sa material. Eh dito talagang swak, pasok. Rom-com siya na. Rom na rom na yung script, so siguro kaya ako kinuhang director para madagdagan yung comedy. Yun naman ay na-achieve, yung rom-com na kakaiba, bago, clever, witty, and at the same time yung series na kailangan na kailangan natin ngayong panahon ng pandemic nga na malungkot tayo, aligaga, stressed.“So basically yung vision ko, ng production at ng creative people, nakakatawa siya but at the same time nakakakilig and at the same time ma-i-in love ka pag pinanuod mo. Which is exactly the series na kailangan nating pinanunuod right now,” he explained.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/3/24/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-directs-maymay-entratas-latest-mmk-pro-35221'>READ: </a><a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2019/3/24/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-directs-maymay-entratas-latest-mmk-pro-35221'>John Lapus directs Maymay Entrata’s latest MMK project</a>With growing popularity of Boys Love (BL) series in the country right now, direk John said he is happy with the progressive way viewers are responding to the new genre.“Finally nandito na siya. All along ang tagal tagal na palang ginagawa ng Thailand tapos tayo recently lang tapos kung kelan pa nagka-pandemic dun pa dumating dito sa Pilipinas. Ang dami kong BL series na napanuod na locally produced. Naloloka ako may mga fans na foreigner, people from other countries. May fans na hindi LGBT community, may fans na lalake, may fans na babae. So parag magtataka talaga.“So I realized at the end of the day, ang tao in general gusto ko nakakapanuod ng mga taong nagmamahalan. It makes us feel good inside. So whether LGBT, BL, kung boy yan. Lalake, babae, gustong gusto nating nakakapanuod ng ganun. Siguro yung magic ng mga BL series kaya din siya nag-ki-click, kasi kung part ka ng LGBT community meron kang sana magkaroon din ako ng ganyan. Kung hetero ka nman yung, ‘Wow bakit ako kinikilig eh hindi naman ako bakla? Hindi naman ako tomboy?’” he said.After directing Boyfriend No.13, direk John said he would love to be able to do a Boys Love series in the future.“Naka-interview na rin ako ng mga fans ng BL series and pinapanuod nila kasi naaaliw sila, kinikilig sila, na-i-in love sila dun sa storya. So natutuwa ako na nandito na siya sa Pilipinas. It has arrived and is staying for good. Natutuwa ako especially for the LGBT community na malawak na malawak na ang pagtingin ng mga Filipino sa mga ganitong klaseng series and ito na yun, nagsisimula na. It’s a good start for locally produced BL series. Pangarap ko rin makagawa one of these days. Kaya lang baka hindi ko kaya. Ako nga walang love life. Paano ko mapapakita yung love life dun. So hindi ko alam (laughs),” he said jokingly. Watch Sue Ramirez, JC Santos, and JC de Vera in the WeTV Philippines original series Boyfriend No. 13 which starts streaming for free on WeTV starting July 2, Friday, at 7 pm with new episodes weekly. Directed by John “Sweet” Lapus.

As a director, John Lapus said he did not have to think twice after being offered to helm the upcoming WeTv Philippines original rom-com series Boyfriend No.13.“Yung storyline pa lang nung unang pinadala sa akin, tawa na ako ng tawa. So lalo na nung script na. Ang maganda sa aming mga producers ay binigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon na makasama dun sa development nung storyline at saka nung script nitong Boyfriend No. 13 and ang suwerte ko din na binigyan nila ako ng cast na hindi sakit ng ulo pagka bongga bongga. Kaya masaya lang ito. Kaya kung magtratrabaho tayong lahat in the new normal with the new protocols in a pandemic na naka-lock-in tayo, dapat ang environment natin ay masaya at na-achieve naman namin ito ng buong production,” he said during the WeTV Philippines ‘Boyfriend No. 13’ mediacon last June 23. <a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2018/10/8/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-tatalikuran-na-nga-ba-ang-pag-arte-49175'>READ: </a><a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2018/10/8/fresh-scoops/john-lapus-tatalikuran-na-nga-ba-ang-pag-arte-49175'>John Lapus, tatalikuran na nga ba ang pag-arte?</a>

‘Boyfriend No. 13’ director John Lapus talks about his latest rom-com project this year.

John Lapus on the popularity of BL series: ‘Pangarap ko rin makagawa’ | PUSH.COM.PH