Alessandra de Rossi
“It’s a tough job.” That was Alessandra de Rossi’s simple, matter-of-fact realization about her recent foray into writing scripts for films.
“When I read scripts at tapings, I sometimes wonder how they (the writers) come up with ideas—is it something an actor can carry out? I also learned that the director, actors and the audience can have different interpretations of a line you wrote,” she told the Inquirer at the recent premiere night of her new movie, “Through Night and Day.”
After crafting the story and screenplay of her 2017 drama “12,” the actress set out to work on “Through Night and Day.”
She flew to Iceland—the movie’s setting—to get a better feel for the place, and flesh out the concept she had in mind. She couldn’t finish it, however, because she didn’t have the luxury of time.
“When I went there, it was snowing so hard, and everything was just white. And at the time, I was also doing a television series (“Since I Found You”), and I was taping every other day. I could only manage about 10 sequences,” she related.
Thus, Alessandra sought the help of her writer friend, Noreen Capili, who finished the screenplay.
Letting go of a concept can be bittersweet, she admitted. “Of course, when you let other people handle your story, it will move toward a different direction because, in a collaborative effort, people will have different visions,” she pointed out.
But in hindsight, what happened, Alessandra believes, was for the better. “She’s a professional writer, so her work is much clearer and has structure. I don’t have that … yet! And she was able to include scenes I wouldn’t have been able to come up with,” she said.
“The story is still the same,” Alessandra added. “The only difference is that the lead female character, Jen, had a personality like mine when I was writing her. What Noreen wrote, of course, was more similar to her.”
“You can’t do everything!” quipped the actress, who’s also writing another script. “Next time, I hope I can push through with it.”
Asked if she sees herself venturing into directing, as well. Alessandra said she has a feeling she’ll get there one day. “I need a sideline!” she jested. “But seriously, I didn’t finish my studies; I’m not proud of that. But this is the world I grew up in; this is all I know. So, I want to learn more about it,” she said. “Kung ’di pa ako natuto, ewan ko na lang!”
“Through Night and Day” follows the story of Jen (Alessandra) and Ben (Paolo Contis), childhood sweethearts who have been in a relationship for 13 years.
Before getting married, the couple set out on a vacation to Iceland—their first trip together—which tests their relationship, as their troubles along the way bring out the worst in them.
Working with Paolo, Alessandra said, is easy because they have natural chemistry. “We’re not part of the same barkada, but we’re great as coactors,” she said of Paolo, who was her schoolmate at the ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center when they were kids.
The two had also worked previously on such films as “Spirit of the Glass” and “One Night Only.” “But when we see each other, we just end up making fun of each other … no-holds-barred,” she said.