‘The Missing’ director Easy Ferrer thanks Japan film commission: ‘Ang laki ng tulong nila’

Rhea Manila Santos

Regal Entertainment director Easy Ferrer said that 80% of the Metro Manila Film Festival entry The Missing was shot in Saga, Japan last year.“Meron din kaming shooting days dito sa Pilipinas para lang ma-establish yung character. Tapos the rest shinoot namin dun in the autumn of 2019. Sinubukan namin na kung hindi man malagpasan ay mapantayan yung mga iconic horror movies ng Regal. So iniba namin yung atake para bago ang mapanuod ng audience, ibang experience naman makuha nila kasi overseas shoot and at the same time bagong bago yung timpla ng kuwento. It’s a typical horror Filipino attack,” he said.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2020/12/1/fresh-scoops/watch-official-trailer-of-mmff-entry-the-missing-190075' target='_blank'>WATCH: Official trailer of MMFF entry ‘The Missing’</a>Even though his film is under the horror genre, direk Easy said it is perfect for the holiday season. “I think naman the Filipino family Christmas won’t be complete pag hindi sila nakakanuod ng horror film from Regal Entertainment. So taon taon yun. After Noche Buena, sugod sa 25 sa sinehan para manuod ng horror film from Regal and this time we have The Missing. You can watch it from your own home by Upstream.ph so exciting siya dahil madami tayong makakanuod and buong family. You don’t have to go outside the house,” he explained.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2020/12/21/fresh-scoops/the-missing-cast-share-their-scariest-moments-on-190525' target='_blank'>READ: ‘The Missing’ cast share their scariest moments on and off the set of the MMFF horror film</a>The talented director said it is a good idea to start with his film first for those planning to support the MMFF lineup this year. “Unang una kasi siyempre, sa lahat ng lineup, yung movie namin yung horror so una mo siyang panuorin for the thrill and the excitement and yung maximum entertainment value, yun yung you would watch something for the spectacle. Feeling ko yun yung reason why they should watch it first. Para pag nalagpasan na nila yung takot, puwede nila panuorin yung iba na parang puwede na silang kiligin, puwede na sila umiyak, ganun. Unahin na muna nila yung horror para to get it out of the way (laughs). And after nun para makapag-banlaw na sila sa horror sa kanila,” he added.While shooting in the Saga prefecture last year, direk Easy said it was like a trip back in time. “When you shoot there, para siyang 1980s Japan, yung mga napapanuod natin na mga palabas noon, kung anong itsura nila sa mga ganun. Hindi pa sila kasing modern ng Tokyo yung mga infrastructures pero you feel like you’re in the ‘90s or ‘80s Japan. it was very filmmaker friendly, especially the weather, the people, the locations, very cinematic kahit saan mo itapat yung camera. Ang Saga Film Commission actually ang laki ng tulong nila sa amin. From conception pa lang nandun na sila. So tinulungan nila kami during ocular, tapos nag-advance shoot kami dun for the festival. Tapos pagdating dun tumulong sila sa logistics and of course malaki din yung financial help. Meron din silang funding na binigay sa amin para makapag-shoot kami dun. And then when we were there, lahat ng logistics namin nakaasa kami sa kanila, even sa pinakamaliliit na details like pagkain or yung sasakyan namin and locations and all, pati matitirhan namin mostly sila gumawa. Parang sila talaga yung nasa production side, parang ganun,” he explained.For his film’s scare factor, the Regal director said he borrowed aspects of both Japanese and Philippine superstition. “Actually isa din yun sa mga binding factor ko para maging relatable siya sa audiences. Kumuha ako ng superstition from Japan na malapit sa isang Philippine na superstition para maka-relate din tayo. So paranormal siya, as in ghost yung villain dito pero ito yung tipo ng ghost na hindi mo basta basta matatakasan, na very close to home. Kasi bahay agad, it’s the safest place that you can ever be pero what if nandun sa mismong safe place na yun yung mag-ho-haunt sayo. Parang dun ko siya nilalaro. Feeling ko yun yung isa sa mga unique selling factor sa pelikula, na na-bind niya yung sensibility ng J-horror at saka ng Philippine horror by putting together a common denominator which is the superstition na meron tayo at meron din sila,” he explained.

Even though his film is under the horror genre, direk Easy said it is perfect for the holiday season. “I think naman the Filipino family Christmas won’t be complete pag hindi sila nakakanuod ng horror film from Regal Entertainment. So taon taon yun. After Noche Buena, sugod sa 25 sa sinehan para manuod ng horror film from Regal and this time we have The Missing. You can watch it from your own home by Upstream.ph so exciting siya dahil madami tayong makakanuod and buong family. You don’t have to go outside the house,” he explained.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2020/12/21/fresh-scoops/the-missing-cast-share-their-scariest-moments-on-190525' target='_blank'>READ: ‘The Missing’ cast share their scariest moments on and off the set of the MMFF horror film</a>The talented director said it is a good idea to start with his film first for those planning to support the MMFF lineup this year. “Unang una kasi siyempre, sa lahat ng lineup, yung movie namin yung horror so una mo siyang panuorin for the thrill and the excitement and yung maximum entertainment value, yun yung you would watch something for the spectacle. Feeling ko yun yung reason why they should watch it first. Para pag nalagpasan na nila yung takot, puwede nila panuorin yung iba na parang puwede na silang kiligin, puwede na sila umiyak, ganun. Unahin na muna nila yung horror para to get it out of the way (laughs). And after nun para makapag-banlaw na sila sa horror sa kanila,” he added.While shooting in the Saga prefecture last year, direk Easy said it was like a trip back in time. “When you shoot there, para siyang 1980s Japan, yung mga napapanuod natin na mga palabas noon, kung anong itsura nila sa mga ganun. Hindi pa sila kasing modern ng Tokyo yung mga infrastructures pero you feel like you’re in the ‘90s or ‘80s Japan. it was very filmmaker friendly, especially the weather, the people, the locations, very cinematic kahit saan mo itapat yung camera. Ang Saga Film Commission actually ang laki ng tulong nila sa amin. From conception pa lang nandun na sila. So tinulungan nila kami during ocular, tapos nag-advance shoot kami dun for the festival. Tapos pagdating dun tumulong sila sa logistics and of course malaki din yung financial help. Meron din silang funding na binigay sa amin para makapag-shoot kami dun. And then when we were there, lahat ng logistics namin nakaasa kami sa kanila, even sa pinakamaliliit na details like pagkain or yung sasakyan namin and locations and all, pati matitirhan namin mostly sila gumawa. Parang sila talaga yung nasa production side, parang ganun,” he explained.For his film’s scare factor, the Regal director said he borrowed aspects of both Japanese and Philippine superstition. “Actually isa din yun sa mga binding factor ko para maging relatable siya sa audiences. Kumuha ako ng superstition from Japan na malapit sa isang Philippine na superstition para maka-relate din tayo. So paranormal siya, as in ghost yung villain dito pero ito yung tipo ng ghost na hindi mo basta basta matatakasan, na very close to home. Kasi bahay agad, it’s the safest place that you can ever be pero what if nandun sa mismong safe place na yun yung mag-ho-haunt sayo. Parang dun ko siya nilalaro. Feeling ko yun yung isa sa mga unique selling factor sa pelikula, na na-bind niya yung sensibility ng J-horror at saka ng Philippine horror by putting together a common denominator which is the superstition na meron tayo at meron din sila,” he explained.

Regal Entertainment director Easy Ferrer said that 80% of the Metro Manila Film Festival entry The Missing was shot in Saga, Japan last year.“Meron din kaming shooting days dito sa Pilipinas para lang ma-establish yung character. Tapos the rest shinoot namin dun in the autumn of 2019. Sinubukan namin na kung hindi man malagpasan ay mapantayan yung mga iconic horror movies ng Regal. So iniba namin yung atake para bago ang mapanuod ng audience, ibang experience naman makuha nila kasi overseas shoot and at the same time bagong bago yung timpla ng kuwento. It’s a typical horror Filipino attack,” he said.<a href='https://push.abs-cbn.com/2020/12/1/fresh-scoops/watch-official-trailer-of-mmff-entry-the-missing-190075' target='_blank'>WATCH: Official trailer of MMFF entry ‘The Missing’</a>

‘The Missing’ director Easy Ferrer shares his shooting experience in Saga, Japan last year for his 2020 MMFF entry. 

‘The Missing’ director Easy Ferrer thanks Japan film commission: ‘Ang laki ng tulong nila’ | PUSH.COM.PH