December 20, 2023 • 45 mins
Have you ever wondered what ignites the spark in a screenwriter's mind, transforming personal histories and regional lore into cinematic magic? Ovidio de León, the ingenious mind behind the film "Enfermo Amor," joins us to unravel the threads of creativity that have woven the rich tapestry of his career, from his early days in Tampico, Mexico, to the global stage of VIX Plus. His story is a testament to the power of genuine narratives and a relentless passion for the art of filmmaking.
Embark on a journey through the complexities of love as Ovidio delves into the narratives of nine diverse relationships. With a masterful blend of humor and heart, he challenges stereotypes and crafts stories with an authenticity that resonates with anyone who's ever been struck by Cupid's arrow. Ovidio’s dedication to honest and empathetic storytelling becomes palpable as he discusses the delicate portrayal of a pivotal moment in a lesbian couple's life. His creative process, peppered with inspiration from a myriad of films and TV shows, ensures that every character, from the star-crossed lovers to the comedic sidekicks, comes to life with full emotional depth.
In our conversation, we traverse the collaborative landscape of screenwriting, where ideas morph over time and adapt to the collective vision of writers, directors, and producers. Ovidio shares his experience of adapting plays for the screen and the meticulous care involved in preserving the soul of the original work. As he navigates the terrain of teen dramas, we examine the razor-edge balance between raw storytelling and industry apprehensions, taking cues from groundbreaking shows like "Euphoria." Join us for an intimate peek behind the curtain of screenwriting, where Ovidio de León shapes narratives that stay with audiences long after the credits roll.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Do you feel that you have already created your own
style of screenwriting?
No, I mean.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I don't do it.
No man, I mean it depends.
That's an interesting question.
I would say no.
Hi, I'm Obiro de León.
This is Wednesday Zaymet andtoday Zaymet me.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Bienvenidos a mi gente.
I am Zay Zay and welcome toWednesday, zaymet.
Today is a fun day, guys.
We have an award-winningscreenwriter.
His latest film is En Femo Amoror Love Sick, which you can
watch now exclusively on theTelevisa Univision streaming
platform VIX Plus.
Ladies and gentlemen, show yourlove.
This is Obiro de León.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
How are you doing?
All right, I'm pretty good howare you?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We're good, we're good.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for being here today,man.
Oh, thank you.
Let's start from the get.
You are from Tampico, mexico.
Tell me a little bit about whatit was like for you growing up
in Tampico.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Everything about Tampico is very inspiring in a
way.
There's this giant in Tampicocalled Pepito el Terrestre, who
was an icon.
He became this urban legend andhe was a man who was I don't
know how to say this in feet,but like 230, 240 metros, so he
was like this big man.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
That's like seven and a half feet right, Like that's
huge.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and there's like this big statue in
Tampico of this guy, and Iremember listening to my
grandfather and my father talkabout Pepito el Terrestre.
So it was very.
Growing up in Tampico was beingsurrounded with, like this,
characters who are like frommaybe, I don't know like fairy
(02:02):
tales.
People in Tampico believe thatthat there are aliens in
underwater, like under the sea,who protect the people from
Tampico from hurricanes.
So yeah, it's very crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
That's awesome though I like that man, fairy tales
and aliens, so you so is thatwhere you were able to draw like
a lot of your creativity andwriting and stuff is from just
being surrounded by what youjust called fairy tales.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, I mean, I mean this came later in life, but at
first it was basically whatinspired me where I don't know,
like my, my family and thepeople I grew up with, and the
stories of friends and myfriend's parents, so that was
always like I was alwayssurrounded with a lot of you
(02:51):
know, like drama and stories, soso all that became like this
source of inspiration, so so itwas a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, like this typical kid with a camera
recorder like shootingeverything, so yeah, that leads
into my next question a bit,because it seems like in this
business everybody always wantsto strive to do other things
right.
Like it's very rare to find,let's say, an editor who always
(03:20):
wanted to be an editor andthat's it.
I don't want to do anythingelse, I just want to be an
editor or a writer who alwaysjust I just want to write and
that's it.
Everyone has sort ofaspirations of other things.
Is writing it for you or do youwant to go somewhere else with
it?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I love writing, but I've always considered myself a
writer-director.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I enjoy directing a lot.
When I was in in college I usedto direct all the things that I
wrote, but life has led methrough through writing and
through screenwriting and Ireally, really enjoy it.
But I but I like eventually Iwould like to to direct my
movies, but what mostly rightnow, like what makes me
(03:59):
passionate, is is writing.
Yeah, but I also like like toto direct and, just like you
said, like when, when you're inthis business, you do a little
bit of everything.
So I've I've been a producer,I've been a director, I've done
some things in our department.
So so, yeah, but mostly when,when, when I finished college
(04:20):
and then I just started writinga little more and then things
started to to happen inscreenwriting, I was like, okay,
I like this.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
So it's good, right?
You find, if you're you're, youpick a bunch of different
things, you make them all happenand then one thing starts to
snowball and okay, this is wheremy career begins, right, that's
.
That's amazing.
Now, being in this industry,you have a bit more
understanding now, right, Thanjust being a struggling you know
(04:52):
screenwriter about how thingshappen.
For all the people out therewho are that screenwriter, who's
you know one script away fromfinally making it, what makes a
screenplay standout, or whatmakes a script stand out?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Oh, that's a that's a very interesting question.
I think what makes it stand outis, first of all, you know,
like originality, like there hasto be something in the script
that maybe you know it's aromantic comedy or it's a
thriller, but it has someelement that that makes it makes
it a little different.
And also, I think, like this isalways something I say in my
(05:35):
screenwriting workshops like,for me it's all about being
honest.
Like you can tell right away aproducer, a director can tell
right away if what you'rewriting is a script.
What you're writing is, youknow, like, if it's I don't know
, dishonest, or if it doesn'tconnect, if it means something
to you, if it speaks to you,it's going to speak to someone
(05:56):
else.
So that is what I try to.
I don't know.
Like there are projects that Ilove.
I have this screenplay that Istarted writing maybe like seven
or eight years ago and Ihaven't been able to do it.
But it's like this it's acouple that go to a cabin and
(06:17):
they have this weirdrelationship and he's a director
and she's an actress, and it'sa script that I love.
But producers are like I don'tknow if I want to invest in a
project that is just two people,like in a cabin.
You know so there are thingsthat you start learning like
throughout the years that yousay, okay, so this might be
(06:39):
interesting to some people andthen you just go with it.
But I say, a lot of it comesfrom trying to say something
that is true to you, you know.
So I know it sounds a littlelike corny, but it's good.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
No, no, it makes sense.
And you know what, In terms ofgetting movies done right now
with only two people in a cabin,I'm pretty sure the industry is
wide open to those kind ofscripts right now, especially
after the past couple of years,right?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So maybe it's time to , and let's go Exactly yeah,
it's like, here you go, a coupleof friends a camera, and that's
it.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
That's it, and that's it.
You can do it.
Oh my gosh man, let's do it.
Yeah, let's do it.
I'll come to Tampico and we'lljust make it, we'll just do it,
and then we'll put it out.
Finally, kevin's gonna learn.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
At least a proof of concept, right?
Exactly so cool.
All right, so I know that it'sreally it's still early days for
you, right?
You're a young screenwriter andyou're finally catching your
stride in the industry in amajor way, right?
Do you feel that you havealready created your own like
(07:56):
style of screenwriting, likethis?
You've solidified it.
Like people when they read thisscript, they're gonna know it
came from me.
You think you've alreadydeveloped that, or is that still
in the making?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
No, I mean.
I think it's still no man.
I mean, it depends a lot on theproject and that's an
interesting question.
I would say no.
Some people who have read myscripts are like, oh, this
sounds so much like you and thiskind of this dialogue and the
situations of the characters.
(08:29):
I mean I'm very into drama andI'm very into like the couples
and the way, like the thingsthat characters don't say but
imply to each other.
But so yeah, but I think it'salways a quest or a search as a
(08:49):
writer to try to find your ownvoice.
So I think that is alwayssomething that keeps like
developing and becoming strongerand stronger.
But I would say I'm trying.
I kind of have an idea rightnow of how I write and how I try
to create stories and dialoguesand situations, but I don't
(09:10):
think I found.
I would love to say that I do,but it just keeps.
I don't know.
Every single project takes yousomewhere else, but I don't
think yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And you know what?
I think that's probably themost honest answer anybody could
really give, right.
Like, yeah, everybody developsa style, but is it ever really
done?
Probably not, right.
Is it ever solidified Like this?
Is it, this is how I do things?
Probably not.
You know, it's always like yousaid, it's always a development,
a whole thing.
Let's talk a little bit aboutInferno Amor, your new movie.
(09:46):
It's based on a play, right?
It's an anthology of stories,of great stories, and you guys
call it an unromantic love story, right?
Tell us a little bit aboutInferno Amor.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
So the movie is there are nine different stories,
nine different stories thathappen in the same city.
It's this I mean, it'shappening in Mexico City, but
you don't know exactly whichcity it is, but it's in Mexico
and it's nine different lovestories that are somehow
connected, you know.
So you start the first story.
It's this two random people, agirl and a guy, who meet at a
(10:23):
supermarket and it's like thisbig connection, you know, like
they see each other and it'slike sparks everywhere and they
have this a lot of chemistrygoing on.
I'm not gonna spoil that one.
But then, after that, adifferent story comes up.
There's this singing telegram,who's a guy who's dressed as a
bunny, who comes to sing to hislady, who has all this big
(10:45):
expectation that she thinks herboyfriend is gonna propose to
her.
And then I mean many, many,many different, like nine
different stories that areconnected and they all speak a
lot about love and connectionand these high expectations that
you have.
You know, and what's reallyinteresting about this project
(11:06):
that is something that I love isthat it's not interested in,
you know, like the happy everafter or the.
I think it's a lot of fun, butit also has a lot of depth about
how, today, relationships work.
You know, how do you make itwork, what are your fears, what
are your expectations, what isit that you wanna prove yourself
(11:27):
when you're in a relationship,and how all these little you
know conflicts in the, in the,in the, in the daily life, and
how all of that affects you,when you know what's really
interesting about the movies isthat it's structured as the
(11:48):
lifespan of a couple.
You know, so you begin with amid cute, and then you go on to
a heartbreak and then the storycomes up, and then you start
seeing all these differentstories and you're like, okay,
so this is maybe just one singlestory told to nine different
perspectives, you know.
So that is something that Ireally connected and wanted to
(12:08):
to make as evident as possiblethroughout the film, which is,
you can identify with everysingle one of those characters,
or just one, but it speaks a lotabout different ways of leaving
love.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
So all these unromantic kind of love stories,
but they're all love storiesall put together in this great
package where you know they kindof all interlace somehow right
In this sort of nondescript cityyou know it's in Mexico, but
this nondescript city somewherein the world, right, and this
(12:45):
stuff can happen to any of us.
Did you find yourself uniquelyqualified to to write this or to
you know, to adapt this screen,to adapt this into a screenplay
, like, did you feel like youhad all the information that you
need to be a love expert to putall this together?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I mean there were a few of the stories that I really
connected to, especially theones that were more lighthearted
, more fun, more.
There's one that is there'sthis board couple and it's a
Friday night and he's watchingTV shows on his iPad and she's
(13:30):
reading a magazine and she'slike do it on board, I wanna do
something fun.
And from the first time Iwatched the play I was like wow,
this, this, I mean I fell inlove with that, with that story,
and I was like, okay, yeah, Ithink I can connect easily with
you know stories that are morefun and that are.
There's another story thatthere's this word play between
(13:52):
characters, that she sayssomething that she shouldn't
have said and it all comes downto this weird twisted sex thing
between the characters, and thatwas also a lot of fun and it
was easy to get into that.
But there are other storiesthat are more raw and more
(14:13):
intimate and more.
I mean, I think most, all ofthem have this intimate thing
going on.
But there is one that is alesbian couple and they have
kids and it's this moment thatis a key moment in their
relationship and it's verycomplex and the dialogue had to
(14:35):
be very nuanced and you had bothcharacters.
When we were talking about thesecharacters with when I was
talking with the directors, wewere like okay, so this cannot
be, you cannot choose aperspective.
You have to lay bothperspectives and they have to be
(14:57):
equally powerful.
You know, there's this onecharacter who's Sofia, and she
says stay at home, mom, and atleast she goes to work, you know
.
So it's like they start arguingwith each other, but at first
you kind of say, okay, so thisis the villain or the one who is
guilty.
But then as the storyprogresses, you start to be like
(15:17):
okay, so these two charactersare in the same.
You know, I cannot judge anysingle one of these characters.
They have to be in the samepage and they have to be equally
powerful and you have toempathize with both.
Once they started writing, thechallenges became more I don't
(15:39):
know more más evidentes.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
As you're talking, like I'm imagining you writing
this, and then I mean did youhave to go and seek out advice
at any point?
Did you have to talk to peoplein order to pick up these
nuances?
Or how did you research forthis kind of stuff?
Just watch a lot of TV or a lotof films.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
There was a lot of at first.
There are two directors in themovie, rodrigo and Marco Polo,
and at first it was just Rodrigoand me and then Marco Polo came
along for the film.
But at first it was like Istarted because we were speaking
about this movie I don't knowif you've seen it Wild Tales,
(16:24):
relato Salvajes.
It's an Argentinian film.
There's six different storiesthat all have something to do
with this key moment when youare in the bank and you want to
explode because someone pushesyou to the edge, and all the
stories have to do with thisline that divides you know, like
(16:46):
being a really civil and reallypolite, and this other side
where you're like okay, I wantto tell everyone to just go.
Yeah, so that was somethingthat I saw, that movie, and I
was like, okay, this is kind ofRelato Salvajes, but of romantic
(17:06):
relationships.
So it was like, okay, so howare these stories in these other
movies connected Like?
We spoke a lot with thedirectors about Robert Altman's
Shortcuts and Paul ThomasAnderson's Magnolia too.
I mean, I think the mostinteresting part is something
that, after this one, I recentlyadapted a novel and I'm
(17:30):
obsessed Like I could write forit.
I could always write after,like, from now on, a lot of
adaptations, because it'sbecause the keys are in the text
, but a lot of it comes fromokay.
So I had there's this essence,there's this thing that the
writer is talking about, but howdo I turn that?
(17:51):
How do I make it cinematic?
How do I make that more, how acertain rhythm, how do I bring
this to life?
Because the interesting thingabout Enferma Mor was that the
play is in a very.
I mean, you read the play andit is almost like very
theatrical in a way, like it'svery, it's a farce in a way, and
(18:16):
this is okay.
I spoke with the director andwas like we want to make this as
realistic as possible, as, yeah, a lot more grounded.
So it was like, okay, how do wefind the balance between what
is in the play and what we wantto say on screen?
So that was all the wholeprocess.
(18:38):
I don't know if I answered yourquestion.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
No you did, you did.
It makes sense.
I mean, there was a big process.
I just wondered when it came tothe granular stuff for each
character, like, for instance,this lesbian couple that was
going through a hard time intheir marriage.
I mean, you're not part of alesbian couple, right?
So in writing for these veryspecific characters, even when
(19:04):
you weren't, when you personallydon't have that experience, how
do you make it so real?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I think the key is always trying to find something
in the characters that isuniversal, that can connect to
you.
I mean, just like you said, I'mnot in a lesbian relationship,
but I've been in relationshipswith people that are where you
kind of know what you want towhat you're going through and in
(19:37):
order to make that certainconflict move forward, or how to
solve a certain conflict, youhave to have empathy for the
other person who is there.
So it's like okay, I have toswitch my way of thinking in
(19:58):
order to put myself in otherperson's shoes, and in that
story was a lot like speakingwith the directors, like okay,
so what are these charactersgoing through?
Why is it important?
For one of the characters, oneof the characters, the story
starts and she's going throughthis box of things from when she
(20:19):
was young and it's like thistrip she made and there's a
joint of weed and there's an oldcamera from you know, like all
this memorabilia from her past,and it was like, okay, so this
character is yearning what shethinks.
The other character has freedom, you know.
And there's this othercharacter who's like okay, I
(20:41):
would love to spend more timewith my family, with you and the
kids, but I can't do it becauseI am working all the time to
provide for what you guys have.
So it was like, okay, how do Ifind that balance?
You know, and especially inthat one, when I was writing
that story, I thought a lotabout my, this person I lived
(21:04):
with and how this person had to.
I mean, we were doing great,you know, but this person had to
go live somewhere else topursue an acting career.
And I was like, okay, but I mean, the love is still here.
But how do we make this?
(21:25):
How can I understand yourperspective without feeling that
I'm being completely selfish ifI feel like it's breaking my
heart, you know?
So we have a little bit of thatand also a lot of.
I think the key for me was theJohn Karyani's play.
It was very the characters areso well written and so they are
(21:49):
there.
So it's like okay, so these arehis characters.
How do I meet them, my own, howdo I add this little thing and
what Rodrigo tells me and whatMarco Polo tells me?
How do I put them, you know,like all together and create a
certain conflict and how can ithave a life of its own?
(22:11):
And it's very interestingbecause this project, I think I
started writing it maybe fouryears ago, almost four years ago
.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Oh yeah, I mean, it's a proof of projects.
Have this they're fightingtheir way through time and you
know, and everything just to bemade.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Yeah, yeah, oh my gosh, I never even looked at it
that way A project fighting itsway through like trying to make
it to the end to try to get made.
That's amazing.
I never even thought of it thatway, but yeah, you could
certainly put that on it See.
See what it's like when youtalk to a great writer.
You get wonderful ideas justcome out naturally.
(22:55):
That's awesome.
I like it All right.
So you have a screenplay, I'mtold, based on that magical
character that you were talkingabout at the beginning, pepito
el Terrestre.
Right Gentleman to suffer fromgigantism back in the early
(23:17):
1900s.
Where is that right now?
At what stage are we going tobe able to watch this become a
movie?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
It's last year I got this grant from I don't know if
you say that un estímulo, unapoyo from the IEI Film Sina,
the Mexican Instituto Mexicanode Cinematografía, and what they
did was they sponsored me torewrite the project.
(23:47):
So it's in this.
I mean, I finished rewritingthe script and I completely,
like, did a whole differentstructure.
It became something more.
I don't know.
It's kind of like a comedy, butit's also a drama and it's also
a biopic, but it's like thisimaginary, weird drama drama
(24:10):
with some science fiction andsome fantasy.
And it blew my mind thatPatricio Saiz, who was my how do
you say my tutor in the in thisin La Beca, he told like, dude,
this is a story that is not.
You know, you're talking abouta giant in a small town.
(24:32):
You have to go crazy.
You cannot just tell, you knowthis linear story, like this guy
was born and this guy was Blah,blah, blah, blah, blah and then
this guy died.
You know, it's like you have togo crazy.
And when I was in the processof restructuring the film, I was
like, okay, so Pepito Trese issomeone who was mostly known by
(24:52):
people as this giant whoeveryone has a different story,
like they said that he he turneda patrol car like the car of
the cops.
Yeah, he was so strong that heturned the patrol car.
And there's this little storythat they said, like in the 1955
hurricane he started rescuingpeople and like people were
(25:15):
drowning in the streets and hejust like lifted them up but put
these people on the roofs oftheir houses.
Oh my gosh, there are so manydifferent stories, like you know
.
People say like, oh, he wasvery famous with the ladies
because you know, he was a giant.
So, yeah, the ladies wanted tobe with him.
So all these little things Iwould like.
Okay, I was researching a lot inthe process in Tampico about
(25:38):
who Pepito really was and I wastrying to find the truth of who
Pepito el Terrestre was, youknow.
So in this process of rewritingthis story, I was like, okay,
there is not a single.
How do you say there's not onesingle truth about Pepito?
You know the truth about Pepitois that there is not one truth,
you know.
So, like in that moment, I waslike, okay, so what if I tell
(25:59):
this story through five or fourdifferent characters who are
speaking to this journalist typecharacter?
And he's like, okay, so thisguy goes with a guy who worked
with him in the circus and hestarts telling his version of
Pepito, and it's this wholeadventurous thing.
And then I intercut with anotherstory of Pepito's mother, who's
(26:22):
like oh, pepito was a saint andhe was never.
You know, he was this great guy.
And there's this story of thiswoman who broke his heart and
what she thinks.
And then what would Pepito delTerrestre's best friend say?
So then I became like, okay, sothis is.
I think this is a nice way totell Pepito's story.
You know, like with differentversions that always contradict
(26:45):
each other and start in thiscomic tone, this kind of absurd
thing.
You know, this story basicallystarts with a homeless guy who's
blind and he's telling thestory of Pepito of what he hears
in the streets of Pepito delTerrestre, and then he's like
okay, you want me to tell yousomething about Pepito del
Terrestre?
Just give me a coin and I'lltell you everything about him.
(27:06):
Because, when Pepito was a child, he was so big that he weighed
like six kilos and when he cameout of his mother's womb he was
like a little boy.
He was not a baby.
He was not a baby, he was alittle boy.
And then it all happens like inthe middle of a storm, and then
the guy who interviews asksPepito's mother and she was like
(27:27):
no, but Pepito grew up, just,he was a normal child, he was
just like every single child and, you know, like all these
little things that are all Allthese great things when they
come together, like right now.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
I'm imagining that I definitely have to see this
movie.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
That's the first thing right, I definitely got to
see this movie.
This is one of my passionprojects, right.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Oh my gosh, we got to watch this movie.
It feels like a combination of300 where the story is so much
bigger, right Than what thetruth was right.
But you're listening to thisperson tell this gigantic story
of what these people did, andalso like A Stranger Calls.
(28:09):
Have you ever seen that movie?
The Liam Neeson as the dragonof?
So almost that, along with thegrandness of 300, but not the
action and the blood, but justthe exaggeration of it.
And then Tom Hanks could play.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
No, yeah, exactly Tom Hanks could play Pepito.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Tom Hanks is Pepito.
You also worked on a Netflixseries, right, or a series
that's live on Netflix right nowcalled Include.
Now, that's a series versus afilm.
What are your thoughts aboutworking on either Like?
Is one better than the other?
Is one more fun?
Is one more challenging?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
That is something I was talking to someone just
yesterday and writing on.
I think the big difference is,you know, writing a TV show is
way more complex.
You start basically from asingle premise.
You know like this is going tobe a story about this.
In the case of Include, youknow like rich kids who are
(29:16):
selling drugs.
You know so it's like okay, sothis is the premise, how do I
make this bigger and how do Iwrite all this other?
You know the context andcharacters throughout 25
episodes.
That's a, you know, like that'sa really big challenge, yeah,
and.
But it's also less lonelywriting a TV show because you're
working with.
You know there's a head writerand you're working with other
(29:38):
screenwriters, so it's alwayslike this back and forth of
ideas and plot lines andcharacters and all those things.
I personally enjoy more thescreenwriting process for movies
, but they each have, you know,their certain challenges.
But I would say writing a TVshow is like it takes way more
(30:02):
time and you're like okay, sothis is going to be interesting
because you're structuring awhole different way and movies
are more like small morepersonal, more intimate, and TV
shows are always have a certainrhythm, you know, and a certain.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
the project has certain needs and when you're
writing a movie you can try tobe a little more personal, it
feels as almost like you'resaying that writing a movie is
more like writing a story,whereas writing for television
it's writing a story, but thenslowing it way down to make time
right, Because you have to fillin 13 episodes, 24 episodes,
(30:48):
especially if it's onecontinuous arc, versus like
writing a series that's adifferent story every week,
right.
So you feel that you had tolike slow things way down or
just come up with new ideasevery week.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Yeah, especially in a few it was.
There was this we were likeseven people in that writer's
room and it was always like,okay, you come up with new ideas
and everyone was pitching allthese stories.
But we always had a very clearfrom the beginning like what was
the arc going to be?
So it was like okay, so we havethese three main characters and
(31:26):
how does this situation changeas these characters in a way
that can be intertwined with thestories of other characters and
, at the same time, how theyprogress and how the how?
It was like okay, so this, thischaracter.
There was one character in theTV show who is just Mattias and
(31:47):
he was like this naive guy andhe's like this computer geek and
throughout the story he startsbecoming, he starts kind of
breaking bad in a way.
Oh, okay, yeah, so it's likeokay, so this is interesting.
Okay, so this is going to bekind of like the arc of this
character.
Now it's time to say, okay,what is the?
(32:08):
Who would this character fallin love Like?
Who would have to be a person?
Who can, you know, take thischaracter out of his comfort
zone?
It's like okay, so what if weput this other character who's
kind of like this quirky girland she's more and more of an
extrovert.
How how is she going to changehim?
And so so it's like, okay, soyou have this clear, like A to C
(32:30):
linea dramática no y loconductor.
And then you go and say, okay,so so in all this, in between,
how do I divide that in allthese different characters?
How does every single one ofthese characters connect to the
others?
It's, it's a process.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
It's a process.
It's a process, it's achallenge.
I can't imagine.
I can imagine.
You know what's interesting tome and I'd love to get your
thoughts on this.
It seems as though a lot ofteen oriented or school oriented
shows today are starting to geta bit more.
(33:11):
I see real right To an extent,shows like a group, shows like
euphoria, right, right it's,there's a real element of of
danger to an extent, right Interms of, you know, whether it
be drug use, so whether it beyou know, promiscuity or
something like that, it seems.
(33:32):
Does this seem to be becoming atrend in the industry right now
to like take that age group andmake it a little more real than
than it used to be?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
I think there is, I don't know you were mentioning
before and I was thinking likeevery single, I think every
single producer who's makingteen dramas right now is like,
okay, I want to make the nexteuphoria right, because there is
something about that show thatis very real in a way and very
risky and ambitious.
But I think what connects witheuphoria mostly is that
(34:06):
characters are picking about alot of teenage angst.
You know things that normallypeople wouldn't speak about
before or they wouldn't talkabout, like you know certain
subjects I don't know, likeabortion, or maybe I don't know,
(34:28):
like subjects that were taboobefore and the way teens are
used to be represented.
You know, maybe in their teendramas from the 90s and the
early 2000s they were more howdo I say, like medicine novels,
like very yeah, now there's thiskind of like okay, how do I
(34:50):
take this?
You know, how do I make itedgier, how do I make it more
real?
And the thing is, I think thatthese TV shows are they have to
be again.
You know the thing abouthonesty and thinking about
people have access to so manythings now, like teenagers have
access, you know, to TikTok andto all this information on
(35:12):
social media and they are ready,I think, for more realistic
portrayal of the issues they'regoing through, without having to
be, you know, withoutcensorship in a way, or without
like okay, I'm gonna talk aboutthis, but I'm just gonna touch
(35:33):
the surface.
So people are like okay, Iwanna see how these things that
I went through, that nobody elsehas spoken to me about before,
how is that represented?
And how do I feel less lonelywith TV shows that are telling
me the truth up front?
And you know, like it's justthe Silla Neta, right, like how,
(35:54):
and it's hard.
It's hard because once you getin a process and I'm gonna talk
about my personal, you know likefrustrations with writing TV
shows, especially which is alsodifferent than film is that when
you're writing a TV show,there's always this little voice
at the back of your head calleda, you know a producer or an
(36:16):
executive, and he's telling youlike, hmm, that is not what I
would do, I would do this, youknow.
So that is that happens in everysingle TV show.
And shows like Ophoria are likesome living son has you go
ahead and write whatever youwant.
You know Like, so there's thislike okay, we want Ophoria, we
wanna make something likeOphoria, but we are gonna limit
(36:39):
you.
Like I think stories need, likethe people who make the big
decisions from the platforms,need to be more open in the way
that they portray teenagers.
Because you mentioned it withOphoria, these TV shows are
always like pushing the edge andbeing more real and more honest
(37:01):
, and I think that is somethingthat industry really needs right
now, like trying to just behonest and say and depict these
real issues that teenagers aregoing through.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah, and it feels as though every generation will
have their kind of pushing pointright, like everybody tries to.
You know, young screenwriterslike yourself always try to push
the boundaries right as timegoes on.
In the 80s it seemed as thougha lot of it was really about the
boundary to be pushed was like,you know, if you watch those
(37:38):
movies from then, pregnancyright, it was always, you know,
oh man, that was the big thing,the big to do, like, oh my gosh,
she's pregnant.
I can't believe it.
Today it's like, at least thatright, it's like so and every.
You know the 90s were different,the early odds were different,
(37:59):
or the odds were different, andnow you know we're pushing it to
be as real as possible.
It seems no holds barred.
I mean, we all remember when wewere younger.
It certainly was not like themovies.
It was a lot more real, a lotmore raw, you know, in a lot of
ways.
And now those stories are beingtold as well and it shocks
people, which is nuts.
But I feel your frustration.
(38:21):
I could definitely understand,you know, you wanting to tell it
all and then somebody be likeeh eh, eh, eh.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah, exactly, I made something right.
I think every single writergoes through like you're like,
oh my God, this is such a greatidea and this is gonna be.
And someone is like, okay, justtone it down a little bit.
You're like, oh, I wanna putthis in the video.
It's you know, it's part of thecharm as well.
This project, it's acollaboration.
(38:50):
At the end of the day, whenyou're writing stories, it's not
just you, you're the firstwriter, and then the director
rewrites in his own way, thenthe editor rewrites his own way,
and then people just go with it, whatever they wanna interpret
about it.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
So yeah, let's see go .
Yeah, you have a podcast rightnow La, como se llama La, la
Comadreja.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
La Comadreja.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Tell me a little bit about your podcast man.
What can I expect when I tunein?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
La Comadreja is.
We started the, we did a fewepisodes and then we're going
back for another episodesanother season, I would say.
But it's me and my one of myclosest dearest friends, who's
an actor from a club he's thecharacter I was mentioning
earlier he and I it's just likecomadreando, you know, like
(39:40):
being very like just him and mejust talking about movies and TV
shows.
But it's very light and it'svery.
It has this, it has a lighttone, but it's also very much
like two friends talking aboutmovies and TV shows, but with a
little, you know, with depth andwhat we think, but it's.
(40:03):
I like it because it's veryfree style.
You know we have this, what wewant to talk about, but it's
also like speaking about showsand movies that we want to talk
about and that are theconversation mainly.
But it's a lot.
We have so much fun.
(40:25):
Ah, that's okay, Comadrejathat's Weasel, the Weasel, the
Weasel.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (40:30):
call it the Weasel.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I don't get it.
I mean, maybe I get it, but whythe Weasel?
Porque la comadreja it is.
We were speaking a lot about it.
Like what are we going to namethis thing?
Like what is it going to becalled?
And I remember my mom and herbest friend always said like
(40:53):
comadre.
We were like ay mi comadreja,este Me dame, la, ya mi
comadreja, este mi comadreja lotomaba.
Like okay, this could work.
And then I told him like okay,what if you do the comadreja?
And then we do this little likeweasel cartoon where it would
be so much fun Because like,yeah, we're going through, like,
because I like the concept oflike comadreja, because it's
(41:14):
kind of absurd and it hasnothing to do with the TV shows
and movies, okay, yeah, lacomadreja.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
Yeah, indeed.
Nothing to do with that.
I mean, the Weasel play outwords guys.
Yeah, you can look it up.
Comadreja, comadreja.
But then you're havingsomething completely different
when you add the eh to it.
That's pretty cool.
You hold screenwriting classes,is that correct?
Like you, tutor, you're lookingback now and you're you know,
(41:48):
now that you've made it, you'relooking back and trying to help
other people into the industryas well.
It was the biggest piece ofadvice that you can give any up
and coming screenwriters thatare watching right now.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
One is like never give up.
It's the biggest cliche thatsomeone is gonna biggest cliche
advice.
But it's like in this industryand trying to make it in it is
hard Like it's a lot of hardwork and it's a lot of rejection
and it's a lot of, you know,like you go with a producer and
(42:23):
you're like oh my God, I lovethis script and I want it to be
made.
And then people are like no,I'm not interested and you're
gonna be rejected many, manytimes and it's fine, you know.
So it's like I think, when youdon't give up and when you push
through and you confiasse andyou I mean confiasse lo
suficiente in a project and youtrust your God, and you're like
(42:47):
okay, so this is gonna be aproject that I wanna, that I'm
gonna put all my energy in itand all my talent and all my
time as well.
So it's gonna find its way, youknow, and if it connects with
you and if it connects withother people, it's if it
connects with you.
It's gonna connect with otherpeople.
And I also think that one of thethings I usually tell my
(43:10):
students is right, what you know, I mean, even if you're writing
a, you know a story about agiant.
There's something about thatgiant that speaks to you.
It's like, okay, what was itlike growing up in some people,
feeling like you didn't belong,you know, when you were young.
(43:32):
And it's like this the giant isa metaphor of that, you know.
So it's like always trying tofind that thing that speaks to
you about your characters andyour plot.
Even if it's not something thaton the surface you can easily
relate to, there's always gonnabe something deep down that and
that is what you need to stickto.
(43:53):
And also I've mentioned thisbefore but try to be honest.
Try not to write something thatis gonna be, you know, just
efficient or just write for thethrills or just write for the
laughs.
If it doesn't, the storydoesn't need to be funny.
Just don't force the laugh, youknow.
Don't force the dialogue thatis just to make people feel or
(44:17):
think a certain way.
Just try to always follow yourgut and say, okay, so this is
the story, you know Like it'sgonna be about.
Many things are gonna happen inthe movie, but if you have
clear, like, what you're tryingto say with the story and what
your perspective about that is,then it's gonna be way easier
and all the things that aregonna happen in between.
(44:39):
They're just gonna be more, aregonna flow with a more organic
rhythm.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Yeah, Be honest.
Never give up.
Tell the story the way it'stelling you to tell it.
This is great man, this is sogood.
Okay, do me a favor 30 seconds.
Sell me Enfermo Amor.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
Why do I need to go see that you need to see Enfermo
Amor, because it is a lot offun, because it's nine stories
that are speaking with about somany different perspectives of
love, but through a light tone,but it's also deep and it's also
something that you are gonnaenjoy and, man, I don't know
(45:22):
like it's gonna be at least oneof these stories that is gonna
you're gonna say, okay, I'vebeen through that, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Ladies and gentlemen, ovidio de León, I appreciate
you.
Thank you so much for beingwith us today, man.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, man.
Thank you all so much forwatching when Zay Zay met.
Don't forget to like the video,subscribe to the channel and
hit the bell to be notified whenwe upload more conversations
with celebrities and otherinteresting people.
Now, if you'd like to see yourfavorite celebrity on the show,
(45:50):
it's simple Just tell us whothat is by leaving us a comment
down below.
We hope you enjoyed today'sepisode and we'll see you on the
next one.
Hasta la próxima, no quiero delcorazón.
Do you feel that you have already created your own
style of screenwriting?
No, I mean.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I don't do it.
No man, I mean it depends.
That's an interesting question.
I would say no.
Hi, I'm Obiro de León.
This is Wednesday Zaymet andtoday Zaymet me.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Bienvenidos a mi gente.
I am Zay Zay and welcome toWednesday, zaymet.
Today is a fun day, guys.
We have an award-winningscreenwriter.
His latest film is En Femo Amoror Love Sick, which you can
watch now exclusively on theTelevisa Univision streaming
platform VIX Plus.
Ladies and gentlemen, show yourlove.
This is Obiro de León.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
How are you doing?
All right, I'm pretty good howare you?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We're good, we're good.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for being here today,man.
Oh, thank you.
Let's start from the get.
You are from Tampico, mexico.
Tell me a little bit about whatit was like for you growing up
in Tampico.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Everything about Tampico is very inspiring in a
way.
There's this giant in Tampicocalled Pepito el Terrestre, who
was an icon.
He became this urban legend andhe was a man who was I don't
know how to say this in feet,but like 230, 240 metros, so he
was like this big man.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
That's like seven and a half feet right, Like that's
huge.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and there's like this big statue in
Tampico of this guy, and Iremember listening to my
grandfather and my father talkabout Pepito el Terrestre.
So it was very.
Growing up in Tampico was beingsurrounded with, like this,
characters who are like frommaybe, I don't know like fairy
(02:02):
tales.
People in Tampico believe thatthat there are aliens in
underwater, like under the sea,who protect the people from
Tampico from hurricanes.
So yeah, it's very crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
That's awesome though I like that man, fairy tales
and aliens, so you so is thatwhere you were able to draw like
a lot of your creativity andwriting and stuff is from just
being surrounded by what youjust called fairy tales.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, I mean, I mean this came later in life, but at
first it was basically whatinspired me where I don't know,
like my, my family and thepeople I grew up with, and the
stories of friends and myfriend's parents, so that was
always like I was alwayssurrounded with a lot of you
(02:51):
know, like drama and stories, soso all that became like this
source of inspiration, so so itwas a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, like this typical kid with a camera
recorder like shootingeverything, so yeah, that leads
into my next question a bit,because it seems like in this
business everybody always wantsto strive to do other things
right.
Like it's very rare to find,let's say, an editor who always
(03:20):
wanted to be an editor andthat's it.
I don't want to do anythingelse, I just want to be an
editor or a writer who alwaysjust I just want to write and
that's it.
Everyone has sort ofaspirations of other things.
Is writing it for you or do youwant to go somewhere else with
it?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I love writing, but I've always considered myself a
writer-director.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I enjoy directing a lot.
When I was in in college I usedto direct all the things that I
wrote, but life has led methrough through writing and
through screenwriting and Ireally, really enjoy it.
But I but I like eventually Iwould like to to direct my
movies, but what mostly rightnow, like what makes me
(03:59):
passionate, is is writing.
Yeah, but I also like like toto direct and, just like you
said, like when, when you're inthis business, you do a little
bit of everything.
So I've I've been a producer,I've been a director, I've done
some things in our department.
So so, yeah, but mostly when,when, when I finished college
(04:20):
and then I just started writinga little more and then things
started to to happen inscreenwriting, I was like, okay,
I like this.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
So it's good, right?
You find, if you're you're, youpick a bunch of different
things, you make them all happenand then one thing starts to
snowball and okay, this is wheremy career begins, right, that's
.
That's amazing.
Now, being in this industry,you have a bit more
understanding now, right, Thanjust being a struggling you know
(04:52):
screenwriter about how thingshappen.
For all the people out therewho are that screenwriter, who's
you know one script away fromfinally making it, what makes a
screenplay standout, or whatmakes a script stand out?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Oh, that's a that's a very interesting question.
I think what makes it stand outis, first of all, you know,
like originality, like there hasto be something in the script
that maybe you know it's aromantic comedy or it's a
thriller, but it has someelement that that makes it makes
it a little different.
And also, I think, like this isalways something I say in my
(05:35):
screenwriting workshops like,for me it's all about being
honest.
Like you can tell right away aproducer, a director can tell
right away if what you'rewriting is a script.
What you're writing is, youknow, like, if it's I don't know
, dishonest, or if it doesn'tconnect, if it means something
to you, if it speaks to you,it's going to speak to someone
(05:56):
else.
So that is what I try to.
I don't know.
Like there are projects that Ilove.
I have this screenplay that Istarted writing maybe like seven
or eight years ago and Ihaven't been able to do it.
But it's like this it's acouple that go to a cabin and
(06:17):
they have this weirdrelationship and he's a director
and she's an actress, and it'sa script that I love.
But producers are like I don'tknow if I want to invest in a
project that is just two people,like in a cabin.
You know so there are thingsthat you start learning like
throughout the years that yousay, okay, so this might be
(06:39):
interesting to some people andthen you just go with it.
But I say, a lot of it comesfrom trying to say something
that is true to you, you know.
So I know it sounds a littlelike corny, but it's good.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
No, no, it makes sense.
And you know what, In terms ofgetting movies done right now
with only two people in a cabin,I'm pretty sure the industry is
wide open to those kind ofscripts right now, especially
after the past couple of years,right?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So maybe it's time to , and let's go Exactly yeah,
it's like, here you go, a coupleof friends a camera, and that's
it.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
That's it, and that's it.
You can do it.
Oh my gosh man, let's do it.
Yeah, let's do it.
I'll come to Tampico and we'lljust make it, we'll just do it,
and then we'll put it out.
Finally, kevin's gonna learn.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
At least a proof of concept, right?
Exactly so cool.
All right, so I know that it'sreally it's still early days for
you, right?
You're a young screenwriter andyou're finally catching your
stride in the industry in amajor way, right?
Do you feel that you havealready created your own like
(07:56):
style of screenwriting, likethis?
You've solidified it.
Like people when they read thisscript, they're gonna know it
came from me.
You think you've alreadydeveloped that, or is that still
in the making?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
No, I mean.
I think it's still no man.
I mean, it depends a lot on theproject and that's an
interesting question.
I would say no.
Some people who have read myscripts are like, oh, this
sounds so much like you and thiskind of this dialogue and the
situations of the characters.
(08:29):
I mean I'm very into drama andI'm very into like the couples
and the way, like the thingsthat characters don't say but
imply to each other.
But so yeah, but I think it'salways a quest or a search as a
(08:49):
writer to try to find your ownvoice.
So I think that is alwayssomething that keeps like
developing and becoming strongerand stronger.
But I would say I'm trying.
I kind of have an idea rightnow of how I write and how I try
to create stories and dialoguesand situations, but I don't
(09:10):
think I found.
I would love to say that I do,but it just keeps.
I don't know.
Every single project takes yousomewhere else, but I don't
think yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And you know what?
I think that's probably themost honest answer anybody could
really give, right.
Like, yeah, everybody developsa style, but is it ever really
done?
Probably not, right.
Is it ever solidified Like this?
Is it, this is how I do things?
Probably not.
You know, it's always like yousaid, it's always a development,
a whole thing.
Let's talk a little bit aboutInferno Amor, your new movie.
(09:46):
It's based on a play, right?
It's an anthology of stories,of great stories, and you guys
call it an unromantic love story, right?
Tell us a little bit aboutInferno Amor.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
So the movie is there are nine different stories,
nine different stories thathappen in the same city.
It's this I mean, it'shappening in Mexico City, but
you don't know exactly whichcity it is, but it's in Mexico
and it's nine different lovestories that are somehow
connected, you know.
So you start the first story.
It's this two random people, agirl and a guy, who meet at a
(10:23):
supermarket and it's like thisbig connection, you know, like
they see each other and it'slike sparks everywhere and they
have this a lot of chemistrygoing on.
I'm not gonna spoil that one.
But then, after that, adifferent story comes up.
There's this singing telegram,who's a guy who's dressed as a
bunny, who comes to sing to hislady, who has all this big
(10:45):
expectation that she thinks herboyfriend is gonna propose to
her.
And then I mean many, many,many different, like nine
different stories that areconnected and they all speak a
lot about love and connectionand these high expectations that
you have.
You know, and what's reallyinteresting about this project
(11:06):
that is something that I love isthat it's not interested in,
you know, like the happy everafter or the.
I think it's a lot of fun, butit also has a lot of depth about
how, today, relationships work.
You know, how do you make itwork, what are your fears, what
are your expectations, what isit that you wanna prove yourself
(11:27):
when you're in a relationship,and how all these little you
know conflicts in the, in the,in the, in the daily life, and
how all of that affects you,when you know what's really
interesting about the movies isthat it's structured as the
(11:48):
lifespan of a couple.
You know, so you begin with amid cute, and then you go on to
a heartbreak and then the storycomes up, and then you start
seeing all these differentstories and you're like, okay,
so this is maybe just one singlestory told to nine different
perspectives, you know.
So that is something that Ireally connected and wanted to
(12:08):
to make as evident as possiblethroughout the film, which is,
you can identify with everysingle one of those characters,
or just one, but it speaks a lotabout different ways of leaving
love.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
So all these unromantic kind of love stories,
but they're all love storiesall put together in this great
package where you know they kindof all interlace somehow right
In this sort of nondescript cityyou know it's in Mexico, but
this nondescript city somewherein the world, right, and this
(12:45):
stuff can happen to any of us.
Did you find yourself uniquelyqualified to to write this or to
you know, to adapt this screen,to adapt this into a screenplay
, like, did you feel like youhad all the information that you
need to be a love expert to putall this together?
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I mean there were a few of the stories that I really
connected to, especially theones that were more lighthearted
, more fun, more.
There's one that is there'sthis board couple and it's a
Friday night and he's watchingTV shows on his iPad and she's
(13:30):
reading a magazine and she'slike do it on board, I wanna do
something fun.
And from the first time Iwatched the play I was like wow,
this, this, I mean I fell inlove with that, with that story,
and I was like, okay, yeah, Ithink I can connect easily with
you know stories that are morefun and that are.
There's another story thatthere's this word play between
(13:52):
characters, that she sayssomething that she shouldn't
have said and it all comes downto this weird twisted sex thing
between the characters, and thatwas also a lot of fun and it
was easy to get into that.
But there are other storiesthat are more raw and more
(14:13):
intimate and more.
I mean, I think most, all ofthem have this intimate thing
going on.
But there is one that is alesbian couple and they have
kids and it's this moment thatis a key moment in their
relationship and it's verycomplex and the dialogue had to
(14:35):
be very nuanced and you had bothcharacters.
When we were talking about thesecharacters with when I was
talking with the directors, wewere like okay, so this cannot
be, you cannot choose aperspective.
You have to lay bothperspectives and they have to be
(14:57):
equally powerful.
You know, there's this onecharacter who's Sofia, and she
says stay at home, mom, and atleast she goes to work, you know
.
So it's like they start arguingwith each other, but at first
you kind of say, okay, so thisis the villain or the one who is
guilty.
But then as the storyprogresses, you start to be like
(15:17):
okay, so these two charactersare in the same.
You know, I cannot judge anysingle one of these characters.
They have to be in the samepage and they have to be equally
powerful and you have toempathize with both.
Once they started writing, thechallenges became more I don't
(15:39):
know more más evidentes.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
As you're talking, like I'm imagining you writing
this, and then I mean did youhave to go and seek out advice
at any point?
Did you have to talk to peoplein order to pick up these
nuances?
Or how did you research forthis kind of stuff?
Just watch a lot of TV or a lotof films.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
There was a lot of at first.
There are two directors in themovie, rodrigo and Marco Polo,
and at first it was just Rodrigoand me and then Marco Polo came
along for the film.
But at first it was like Istarted because we were speaking
about this movie I don't knowif you've seen it Wild Tales,
(16:24):
relato Salvajes.
It's an Argentinian film.
There's six different storiesthat all have something to do
with this key moment when youare in the bank and you want to
explode because someone pushesyou to the edge, and all the
stories have to do with thisline that divides you know, like
(16:46):
being a really civil and reallypolite, and this other side
where you're like okay, I wantto tell everyone to just go.
Yeah, so that was somethingthat I saw, that movie, and I
was like, okay, this is kind ofRelato Salvajes, but of romantic
(17:06):
relationships.
So it was like, okay, so howare these stories in these other
movies connected Like?
We spoke a lot with thedirectors about Robert Altman's
Shortcuts and Paul ThomasAnderson's Magnolia too.
I mean, I think the mostinteresting part is something
that, after this one, I recentlyadapted a novel and I'm
(17:30):
obsessed Like I could write forit.
I could always write after,like, from now on, a lot of
adaptations, because it'sbecause the keys are in the text
, but a lot of it comes fromokay.
So I had there's this essence,there's this thing that the
writer is talking about, but howdo I turn that?
(17:51):
How do I make it cinematic?
How do I make that more, how acertain rhythm, how do I bring
this to life?
Because the interesting thingabout Enferma Mor was that the
play is in a very.
I mean, you read the play andit is almost like very
theatrical in a way, like it'svery, it's a farce in a way, and
(18:16):
this is okay.
I spoke with the director andwas like we want to make this as
realistic as possible, as, yeah, a lot more grounded.
So it was like, okay, how do wefind the balance between what
is in the play and what we wantto say on screen?
So that was all the wholeprocess.
(18:38):
I don't know if I answered yourquestion.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
No you did, you did.
It makes sense.
I mean, there was a big process.
I just wondered when it came tothe granular stuff for each
character, like, for instance,this lesbian couple that was
going through a hard time intheir marriage.
I mean, you're not part of alesbian couple, right?
So in writing for these veryspecific characters, even when
(19:04):
you weren't, when you personallydon't have that experience, how
do you make it so real?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I think the key is always trying to find something
in the characters that isuniversal, that can connect to
you.
I mean, just like you said, I'mnot in a lesbian relationship,
but I've been in relationshipswith people that are where you
kind of know what you want towhat you're going through and in
(19:37):
order to make that certainconflict move forward, or how to
solve a certain conflict, youhave to have empathy for the
other person who is there.
So it's like okay, I have toswitch my way of thinking in
(19:58):
order to put myself in otherperson's shoes, and in that
story was a lot like speakingwith the directors, like okay,
so what are these charactersgoing through?
Why is it important?
For one of the characters, oneof the characters, the story
starts and she's going throughthis box of things from when she
(20:19):
was young and it's like thistrip she made and there's a
joint of weed and there's an oldcamera from you know, like all
this memorabilia from her past,and it was like, okay, so this
character is yearning what shethinks.
The other character has freedom, you know.
And there's this othercharacter who's like okay, I
(20:41):
would love to spend more timewith my family, with you and the
kids, but I can't do it becauseI am working all the time to
provide for what you guys have.
So it was like, okay, how do Ifind that balance?
You know, and especially inthat one, when I was writing
that story, I thought a lotabout my, this person I lived
(21:04):
with and how this person had to.
I mean, we were doing great,you know, but this person had to
go live somewhere else topursue an acting career.
And I was like, okay, but I mean, the love is still here.
But how do we make this?
(21:25):
How can I understand yourperspective without feeling that
I'm being completely selfish ifI feel like it's breaking my
heart, you know?
So we have a little bit of thatand also a lot of.
I think the key for me was theJohn Karyani's play.
It was very the characters areso well written and so they are
(21:49):
there.
So it's like okay, so these arehis characters.
How do I meet them, my own, howdo I add this little thing and
what Rodrigo tells me and whatMarco Polo tells me?
How do I put them, you know,like all together and create a
certain conflict and how can ithave a life of its own?
(22:11):
And it's very interestingbecause this project, I think I
started writing it maybe fouryears ago, almost four years ago
.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Oh yeah, I mean, it's a proof of projects.
Have this they're fightingtheir way through time and you
know, and everything just to bemade.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
Yeah, yeah, oh my gosh, I never even looked at it
that way A project fighting itsway through like trying to make
it to the end to try to get made.
That's amazing.
I never even thought of it thatway, but yeah, you could
certainly put that on it See.
See what it's like when youtalk to a great writer.
You get wonderful ideas justcome out naturally.
(22:55):
That's awesome.
I like it All right.
So you have a screenplay, I'mtold, based on that magical
character that you were talkingabout at the beginning, pepito
el Terrestre.
Right Gentleman to suffer fromgigantism back in the early
(23:17):
1900s.
Where is that right now?
At what stage are we going tobe able to watch this become a
movie?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
It's last year I got this grant from I don't know if
you say that un estímulo, unapoyo from the IEI Film Sina,
the Mexican Instituto Mexicanode Cinematografía, and what they
did was they sponsored me torewrite the project.
(23:47):
So it's in this.
I mean, I finished rewritingthe script and I completely,
like, did a whole differentstructure.
It became something more.
I don't know.
It's kind of like a comedy, butit's also a drama and it's also
a biopic, but it's like thisimaginary, weird drama drama
(24:10):
with some science fiction andsome fantasy.
And it blew my mind thatPatricio Saiz, who was my how do
you say my tutor in the in thisin La Beca, he told like, dude,
this is a story that is not.
You know, you're talking abouta giant in a small town.
(24:32):
You have to go crazy.
You cannot just tell, you knowthis linear story, like this guy
was born and this guy was Blah,blah, blah, blah, blah and then
this guy died.
You know, it's like you have togo crazy.
And when I was in the processof restructuring the film, I was
like, okay, so Pepito Trese issomeone who was mostly known by
(24:52):
people as this giant whoeveryone has a different story,
like they said that he he turneda patrol car like the car of
the cops.
Yeah, he was so strong that heturned the patrol car.
And there's this little storythat they said, like in the 1955
hurricane he started rescuingpeople and like people were
(25:15):
drowning in the streets and hejust like lifted them up but put
these people on the roofs oftheir houses.
Oh my gosh, there are so manydifferent stories, like you know
.
People say like, oh, he wasvery famous with the ladies
because you know, he was a giant.
So, yeah, the ladies wanted tobe with him.
So all these little things Iwould like.
Okay, I was researching a lot inthe process in Tampico about
(25:38):
who Pepito really was and I wastrying to find the truth of who
Pepito el Terrestre was, youknow.
So in this process of rewritingthis story, I was like, okay,
there is not a single.
How do you say there's not onesingle truth about Pepito?
You know the truth about Pepitois that there is not one truth,
you know.
So, like in that moment, I waslike, okay, so what if I tell
(25:59):
this story through five or fourdifferent characters who are
speaking to this journalist typecharacter?
And he's like, okay, so thisguy goes with a guy who worked
with him in the circus and hestarts telling his version of
Pepito, and it's this wholeadventurous thing.
And then I intercut with anotherstory of Pepito's mother, who's
(26:22):
like oh, pepito was a saint andhe was never.
You know, he was this great guy.
And there's this story of thiswoman who broke his heart and
what she thinks.
And then what would Pepito delTerrestre's best friend say?
So then I became like, okay, sothis is.
I think this is a nice way totell Pepito's story.
You know, like with differentversions that always contradict
(26:45):
each other and start in thiscomic tone, this kind of absurd
thing.
You know, this story basicallystarts with a homeless guy who's
blind and he's telling thestory of Pepito of what he hears
in the streets of Pepito delTerrestre, and then he's like
okay, you want me to tell yousomething about Pepito del
Terrestre?
Just give me a coin and I'lltell you everything about him.
(27:06):
Because, when Pepito was a child, he was so big that he weighed
like six kilos and when he cameout of his mother's womb he was
like a little boy.
He was not a baby.
He was not a baby, he was alittle boy.
And then it all happens like inthe middle of a storm, and then
the guy who interviews asksPepito's mother and she was like
(27:27):
no, but Pepito grew up, just,he was a normal child, he was
just like every single child and, you know, like all these
little things that are all Allthese great things when they
come together, like right now.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
I'm imagining that I definitely have to see this
movie.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
That's the first thing right, I definitely got to
see this movie.
This is one of my passionprojects, right.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Oh my gosh, we got to watch this movie.
It feels like a combination of300 where the story is so much
bigger, right Than what thetruth was right.
But you're listening to thisperson tell this gigantic story
of what these people did, andalso like A Stranger Calls.
(28:09):
Have you ever seen that movie?
The Liam Neeson as the dragonof?
So almost that, along with thegrandness of 300, but not the
action and the blood, but justthe exaggeration of it.
And then Tom Hanks could play.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
No, yeah, exactly Tom Hanks could play Pepito.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Tom Hanks is Pepito.
You also worked on a Netflixseries, right, or a series
that's live on Netflix right nowcalled Include.
Now, that's a series versus afilm.
What are your thoughts aboutworking on either Like?
Is one better than the other?
Is one more fun?
Is one more challenging?
Speaker 2 (28:52):
That is something I was talking to someone just
yesterday and writing on.
I think the big difference is,you know, writing a TV show is
way more complex.
You start basically from asingle premise.
You know like this is going tobe a story about this.
In the case of Include, youknow like rich kids who are
(29:16):
selling drugs.
You know so it's like okay, sothis is the premise, how do I
make this bigger and how do Iwrite all this other?
You know the context andcharacters throughout 25
episodes.
That's a, you know, like that'sa really big challenge, yeah,
and.
But it's also less lonelywriting a TV show because you're
working with.
You know there's a head writerand you're working with other
(29:38):
screenwriters, so it's alwayslike this back and forth of
ideas and plot lines andcharacters and all those things.
I personally enjoy more thescreenwriting process for movies
, but they each have, you know,their certain challenges.
But I would say writing a TVshow is like it takes way more
(30:02):
time and you're like okay, sothis is going to be interesting
because you're structuring awhole different way and movies
are more like small morepersonal, more intimate, and TV
shows are always have a certainrhythm, you know, and a certain.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
the project has certain needs and when you're
writing a movie you can try tobe a little more personal, it
feels as almost like you'resaying that writing a movie is
more like writing a story,whereas writing for television
it's writing a story, but thenslowing it way down to make time
right, Because you have to fillin 13 episodes, 24 episodes,
(30:48):
especially if it's onecontinuous arc, versus like
writing a series that's adifferent story every week,
right.
So you feel that you had tolike slow things way down or
just come up with new ideasevery week.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Yeah, especially in a few it was.
There was this we were likeseven people in that writer's
room and it was always like,okay, you come up with new ideas
and everyone was pitching allthese stories.
But we always had a very clearfrom the beginning like what was
the arc going to be?
So it was like okay, so we havethese three main characters and
(31:26):
how does this situation changeas these characters in a way
that can be intertwined with thestories of other characters and
, at the same time, how theyprogress and how the how?
It was like okay, so this, thischaracter.
There was one character in theTV show who is just Mattias and
(31:47):
he was like this naive guy andhe's like this computer geek and
throughout the story he startsbecoming, he starts kind of
breaking bad in a way.
Oh, okay, yeah, so it's likeokay, so this is interesting.
Okay, so this is going to bekind of like the arc of this
character.
Now it's time to say, okay,what is the?
(32:08):
Who would this character fallin love Like?
Who would have to be a person?
Who can, you know, take thischaracter out of his comfort
zone?
It's like okay, so what if weput this other character who's
kind of like this quirky girland she's more and more of an
extrovert.
How how is she going to changehim?
And so so it's like, okay, soyou have this clear, like A to C
(32:30):
linea dramática no y loconductor.
And then you go and say, okay,so so in all this, in between,
how do I divide that in allthese different characters?
How does every single one ofthese characters connect to the
others?
It's, it's a process.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
It's a process.
It's a process, it's achallenge.
I can't imagine.
I can imagine.
You know what's interesting tome and I'd love to get your
thoughts on this.
It seems as though a lot ofteen oriented or school oriented
shows today are starting to geta bit more.
(33:11):
I see real right To an extent,shows like a group, shows like
euphoria, right, right it's,there's a real element of of
danger to an extent, right Interms of, you know, whether it
be drug use, so whether it beyou know, promiscuity or
something like that, it seems.
(33:32):
Does this seem to be becoming atrend in the industry right now
to like take that age group andmake it a little more real than
than it used to be?
Speaker 2 (33:42):
I think there is, I don't know you were mentioning
before and I was thinking likeevery single, I think every
single producer who's makingteen dramas right now is like,
okay, I want to make the nexteuphoria right, because there is
something about that show thatis very real in a way and very
risky and ambitious.
But I think what connects witheuphoria mostly is that
(34:06):
characters are picking about alot of teenage angst.
You know things that normallypeople wouldn't speak about
before or they wouldn't talkabout, like you know certain
subjects I don't know, likeabortion, or maybe I don't know,
(34:28):
like subjects that were taboobefore and the way teens are
used to be represented.
You know, maybe in their teendramas from the 90s and the
early 2000s they were more howdo I say, like medicine novels,
like very yeah, now there's thiskind of like okay, how do I
(34:50):
take this?
You know, how do I make itedgier, how do I make it more
real?
And the thing is, I think thatthese TV shows are they have to
be again.
You know the thing abouthonesty and thinking about
people have access to so manythings now, like teenagers have
access, you know, to TikTok andto all this information on
(35:12):
social media and they are ready,I think, for more realistic
portrayal of the issues they'regoing through, without having to
be, you know, withoutcensorship in a way, or without
like okay, I'm gonna talk aboutthis, but I'm just gonna touch
(35:33):
the surface.
So people are like okay, Iwanna see how these things that
I went through, that nobody elsehas spoken to me about before,
how is that represented?
And how do I feel less lonelywith TV shows that are telling
me the truth up front?
And you know, like it's justthe Silla Neta, right, like how,
(35:54):
and it's hard.
It's hard because once you getin a process and I'm gonna talk
about my personal, you know likefrustrations with writing TV
shows, especially which is alsodifferent than film is that when
you're writing a TV show,there's always this little voice
at the back of your head calleda, you know a producer or an
(36:16):
executive, and he's telling youlike, hmm, that is not what I
would do, I would do this, youknow.
So that is that happens in everysingle TV show.
And shows like Ophoria are likesome living son has you go
ahead and write whatever youwant.
You know Like, so there's thislike okay, we want Ophoria, we
wanna make something likeOphoria, but we are gonna limit
(36:39):
you.
Like I think stories need, likethe people who make the big
decisions from the platforms,need to be more open in the way
that they portray teenagers.
Because you mentioned it withOphoria, these TV shows are
always like pushing the edge andbeing more real and more honest
(37:01):
, and I think that is somethingthat industry really needs right
now, like trying to just behonest and say and depict these
real issues that teenagers aregoing through.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Yeah, and it feels as though every generation will
have their kind of pushing pointright, like everybody tries to.
You know, young screenwriterslike yourself always try to push
the boundaries right as timegoes on.
In the 80s it seemed as thougha lot of it was really about the
boundary to be pushed was like,you know, if you watch those
(37:38):
movies from then, pregnancyright, it was always, you know,
oh man, that was the big thing,the big to do, like, oh my gosh,
she's pregnant.
I can't believe it.
Today it's like, at least thatright, it's like so and every.
You know the 90s were different,the early odds were different,
(37:59):
or the odds were different, andnow you know we're pushing it to
be as real as possible.
It seems no holds barred.
I mean, we all remember when wewere younger.
It certainly was not like themovies.
It was a lot more real, a lotmore raw, you know, in a lot of
ways.
And now those stories are beingtold as well and it shocks
people, which is nuts.
But I feel your frustration.
(38:21):
I could definitely understand,you know, you wanting to tell it
all and then somebody be likeeh eh, eh, eh.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah, exactly, I made something right.
I think every single writergoes through like you're like,
oh my God, this is such a greatidea and this is gonna be.
And someone is like, okay, justtone it down a little bit.
You're like, oh, I wanna putthis in the video.
It's you know, it's part of thecharm as well.
This project, it's acollaboration.
(38:50):
At the end of the day, whenyou're writing stories, it's not
just you, you're the firstwriter, and then the director
rewrites in his own way, thenthe editor rewrites his own way,
and then people just go with it, whatever they wanna interpret
about it.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
So yeah, let's see go .
Yeah, you have a podcast rightnow La, como se llama La, la
Comadreja.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
La Comadreja.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Tell me a little bit about your podcast man.
What can I expect when I tunein?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
La Comadreja is.
We started the, we did a fewepisodes and then we're going
back for another episodesanother season, I would say.
But it's me and my one of myclosest dearest friends, who's
an actor from a club he's thecharacter I was mentioning
earlier he and I it's just likecomadreando, you know, like
(39:40):
being very like just him and mejust talking about movies and TV
shows.
But it's very light and it'svery.
It has this, it has a lighttone, but it's also very much
like two friends talking aboutmovies and TV shows, but with a
little, you know, with depth andwhat we think, but it's.
(40:03):
I like it because it's veryfree style.
You know we have this, what wewant to talk about, but it's
also like speaking about showsand movies that we want to talk
about and that are theconversation mainly.
But it's a lot.
We have so much fun.
(40:25):
Ah, that's okay, Comadrejathat's Weasel, the Weasel, the
Weasel.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (40:30):
call it the Weasel.
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I don't get it.
I mean, maybe I get it, but whythe Weasel?
Porque la comadreja it is.
We were speaking a lot about it.
Like what are we going to namethis thing?
Like what is it going to becalled?
And I remember my mom and herbest friend always said like
(40:53):
comadre.
We were like ay mi comadreja,este Me dame, la, ya mi
comadreja, este mi comadreja lotomaba.
Like okay, this could work.
And then I told him like okay,what if you do the comadreja?
And then we do this little likeweasel cartoon where it would
be so much fun Because like,yeah, we're going through, like,
because I like the concept oflike comadreja, because it's
(41:14):
kind of absurd and it hasnothing to do with the TV shows
and movies, okay, yeah, lacomadreja.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
Yeah, indeed.
Nothing to do with that.
I mean, the Weasel play outwords guys.
Yeah, you can look it up.
Comadreja, comadreja.
But then you're havingsomething completely different
when you add the eh to it.
That's pretty cool.
You hold screenwriting classes,is that correct?
Like you, tutor, you're lookingback now and you're you know,
(41:48):
now that you've made it, you'relooking back and trying to help
other people into the industryas well.
It was the biggest piece ofadvice that you can give any up
and coming screenwriters thatare watching right now.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
One is like never give up.
It's the biggest cliche thatsomeone is gonna biggest cliche
advice.
But it's like in this industryand trying to make it in it is
hard Like it's a lot of hardwork and it's a lot of rejection
and it's a lot of, you know,like you go with a producer and
(42:23):
you're like oh my God, I lovethis script and I want it to be
made.
And then people are like no,I'm not interested and you're
gonna be rejected many, manytimes and it's fine, you know.
So it's like I think, when youdon't give up and when you push
through and you confiasse andyou I mean confiasse lo
suficiente in a project and youtrust your God, and you're like
(42:47):
okay, so this is gonna be aproject that I wanna, that I'm
gonna put all my energy in itand all my talent and all my
time as well.
So it's gonna find its way, youknow, and if it connects with
you and if it connects withother people, it's if it
connects with you.
It's gonna connect with otherpeople.
And I also think that one of thethings I usually tell my
(43:10):
students is right, what you know, I mean, even if you're writing
a, you know a story about agiant.
There's something about thatgiant that speaks to you.
It's like, okay, what was itlike growing up in some people,
feeling like you didn't belong,you know, when you were young.
(43:32):
And it's like this the giant isa metaphor of that, you know.
So it's like always trying tofind that thing that speaks to
you about your characters andyour plot.
Even if it's not something thaton the surface you can easily
relate to, there's always gonnabe something deep down that and
that is what you need to stickto.
(43:53):
And also I've mentioned thisbefore but try to be honest.
Try not to write something thatis gonna be, you know, just
efficient or just write for thethrills or just write for the
laughs.
If it doesn't, the storydoesn't need to be funny.
Just don't force the laugh, youknow.
Don't force the dialogue thatis just to make people feel or
(44:17):
think a certain way.
Just try to always follow yourgut and say, okay, so this is
the story, you know Like it'sgonna be about.
Many things are gonna happen inthe movie, but if you have
clear, like, what you're tryingto say with the story and what
your perspective about that is,then it's gonna be way easier
and all the things that aregonna happen in between.
(44:39):
They're just gonna be more, aregonna flow with a more organic
rhythm.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Yeah, Be honest.
Never give up.
Tell the story the way it'stelling you to tell it.
This is great man, this is sogood.
Okay, do me a favor 30 seconds.
Sell me Enfermo Amor.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
Why do I need to go see that you need to see Enfermo
Amor, because it is a lot offun, because it's nine stories
that are speaking with about somany different perspectives of
love, but through a light tone,but it's also deep and it's also
something that you are gonnaenjoy and, man, I don't know
(45:22):
like it's gonna be at least oneof these stories that is gonna
you're gonna say, okay, I'vebeen through that, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Ladies and gentlemen, ovidio de León, I appreciate
you.
Thank you so much for beingwith us today, man.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, man.
Thank you all so much forwatching when Zay Zay met.
Don't forget to like the video,subscribe to the channel and
hit the bell to be notified whenwe upload more conversations
with celebrities and otherinteresting people.
Now, if you'd like to see yourfavorite celebrity on the show,
(45:50):
it's simple Just tell us whothat is by leaving us a comment
down below.
We hope you enjoyed today'sepisode and we'll see you on the
next one.
Hasta la próxima, no quiero delcorazón.
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