We all know him as singer-songwriter but Mcoy Fundales has been working behind the camera as writer for a number of TV shows including "Pepito Manaloto," "Bubble Gang," and "All-Out Sundays."
It's a job that came out of the blue for him.
It all started with him trying on-camera work after leaving Orange and Lemons.
"Curious lang naman ako. Di ko balak mag-artista," he said.
It was the late director Bert de Leon, his father figure, who helped him get his start.
Mcoy said he and the director became buddies, hanging out at the same bars, jamming.
During one of these sessions, Bert offered him a role for a project but Mcoy felt awkward in front of the cameras.
Soon he realized what he really wants.
"Maaga ako dumadating sa taping. Dun ako na-expose sa creative team - sila pala nag-uusap, ano isusulat na episode," he said. "Nagulat ako kasi habang nag-brainstorm, nag-pi-pitch in ako ng ideas on what to do and what to write."
Then show director Jojo Nones offered him a writing opportunity.
It was for "Pepito Manaloto."
Mcoy pitched several ideas. Luckily those he submitted were picked and developed as full-blown scripts.
"Dahil gustong-gusto ko 'yung ginagawa ko, nagkukusa ako. Nanunuod ako ng episodes, binabasa ko 'yung scripts. I learned on my own," he shared.
"Nung napansin ni Bitoy (actor-writer-director Michael V) na purisigido ako, sabi niya 'Sulat ka nga ng intrusion, maliit na eksena lang, papasok 'yung product sa scene.' Pumasa. Hanggang sinabi na, 'Sumulat ka na lang buong episode.' Pumasa naman yung script ko."
And the rest is history.
Mcoy has been writing for "Pepito Manaloto" for more than seven years now.
And GMA has since offered him a writing contract.
He would go on to write for the likes of "Dear Uge" and "StarStruck."
At the moment, Mcoy likes scriptwriting more than songwriting, inasmuch as it allows him to explore and fathom the depths of his imagination.
"Mahal na mahal ko scriptwriting," Mcoy declared. "Lagi ko kinukwento na ito pala 'yung mahal ko na late ko na diskubre. Ito pa lang 'yung forever na late ko na discover."
He added, "I am a storyteller. even back then, nung nagbabanda ako, as songwriter, gusto ko magkwento. When I discovered scriptwriting, mas malaya pala, mas maraming room to express my imagination."
Mcoy differentiated the two.
"Sa songwriting mas gusto ko dumating na lang yung idea sa akin without me consciously thinking about it. Sa scriptwriting, inuupuan ko talaga. I always spend my mornings writing and thinking of episodes for 'Bubble Gang,' 'Pepito Manaloto,' for 'All-Out Sundays.'"
Mcoy admitted he always finds it a challenge writing scripts.
"For me ang scriptwriting parang puzzle, meron kang theme. Usually 'Pepito Manaloto,' halimbawa, meron kang main plot, meron kang subplot. Ang challenge sa akin para siyang puzzle. Paano mo pagdidikitin yung mga topics na to na nakakatawa?" he related.
As for common difficulty, it's writer's block.
"Hindi naman araw-araw talaga nasa mood kang magsulat," he maintained.
But he believes that if someone is born to write, the ideas will come.
He added: "Kapag nasimulan na 'yung isang sentence, dire-diretsyo na."
To further hone himself, Mcoy studied under National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, Ricardo "Ricky" Lee.
Now, he also has materials for movies.
"Dito na talaga ako, it's something na I'd like to until I get old," he said.
If ever, he wants to try directing next.
He's looking forward to working on a drama with comediennes Eugene Domingo and Pokwang.
Mcoy has just released "Ang Forever Ko'y Ikaw" under AltG Records.
Note it was originally a song he wrote as theme for the 2018 drama romance comedy of the same title that he also conceptualized.
The track was short with just one stanza and a chorus.
He decided to finish it, deeming it an apt follow-up for "Bakit Kita Hahabulin."
"For posterity," he said, smiling.