It was a collaborative effort from start to finish for the cast and production team of the hit Kapamilya action series Incognito, shared director Lester Pimentel Ong as he looked back on how they prepared and worked together throughout the project.
In an intimate media conference with PUSH ABS-CBN, Direk Lester revealed how the team constantly exchanged ideas on story, settings, and acting techniques.
“Normally, we would discuss. Noong nasa Baguio kami, nagkukwentuhan na kami. Everyone is welcome to pitch in their ideas. Very collaborative kami,” Direk Lester said.
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“We are very collaborative when it comes to mounting a scene. For action, definitely they would rely on us, but kunyare kapag drama, sila rin. Sample scene is si Daniel at tsaka si Tita Malou De Guzman noong namatay si Jun. We will just sit down and we will talk on how we would execute. Normally, I would tell them na ito gusto ko ma-achieve natin, na ito ang gusto ko nararamdaman ng audience and then sila magsasabi ano gagawin nila and then I would let them to do it,” he explained.
Now that Incognito is entering its final week, Direk Lester shared feeling relieved and fulfilled by the show’s success and positive reception to it.
“Relieved, kasi lahat ng takot namin before creating the show, nawala. Kasi before we started the show, may mga challenges din ‘yung mga artists natin on their own, and I think I’m thankful kasi Incognito became part of the healing process of many of them. It’s the one thing that I’m happy about,” he revealed.
He went on: “Yung healing process na iyon ay hindi mapapalitan ng pera o kung anumang ratings. Pero thankful din kami na maganda ‘yung pagtanggap sa show. Ayon ‘yung ipinagpapasalamat namin.”
READ: Director Lester Pimentel on being proud of 'Incognito' cast: ‘I get my energy from them'
Direk Lester also recalled how the team prepared mentally and physically months before filming began.
“Not directly about their personal lives because it is none of my business, but we bonded 4 months before the shoot. We created a training camp and that camp is like a real camp na they would spend 5 hours a day — 2 hours training, 1 hour lunch break and 2 hours training different courses. Para silang pumapasok sa school. Doon pa lang, naging focused kami sa discipline, sa work ethics. Doon namin unti-unting binuo.,” he shared.
He emphasized the team’s shared mindset going into the project.
“Ang lagi ko lang sinasabi, ‘Whether this show is successful or not, wala tayong control. Pero kung ibibigay natin ang lahat natin, at least we will finish the show with no regrets. Wala tayong regrets kasi binigay natin ang lahat.’ Ayon ang naging mindset namin,” Direk Lester added.
Incognito, starring Richard Gutierrez, Ian Veneracion, Daniel Padilla, Kaila Estrada, Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings, and Baron Geisler, is heading into its grand finale with its biggest and most explosive climax yet.
As the show wraps up, Direk Lester expressed his gratitude to viewers for embracing a bold and fresh take on the Filipino action genre.
“Gusto naming magpasalamat sa mainit na pagtanggap ng mga viewers, kasi when we first conceptualized Incognito, it was very non-traditional. We wanted to tell a story na something different, and we wanted to create every scene na hindi siya parang traditional na teleserye. Kasi meron tayong intentions na when we try to conceptualize and try to create it. We were given the freedom, the liberty to tell the story, mount it and shoot it and present it the way we wanted to present it,” he said.
“We were given the chance to do it, and when we were able to do it and present it and show it, we were very happy and very relieved na tinanggap siya ng mga manonood,” he added.
Direk Lester also noted that the creative choices behind Incognito were meant to push boundaries.
“Why we wanted to show something different than the usual teleserye is because we think it's about time na kailangan nating mag-compete sa international level,” he stated.