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Director Lester Pimentel on being proud of 'Incognito' cast

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>Known for his work on series like <em>The Iron Heart, Bagani, One Good Day</em>, and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/incognito" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><strong>Incognito</strong></em></a>, director and stunt choreographer Lester Pimentel admitted that it was in his latest project that gave him one of the biggest challenges behind the camera. During the <em>Incognito: Final Mission </em>finale presscon held last June 25, the talented auteur revealed how long it sometimes took to shoot even just one scene in the popular action series. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-15" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DK7ALSfycZ9/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A15%2C%22os%22%3A11064256.899999976%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1041" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-15" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Matagal. Mahirap bawat eksena, bawat episode. For example, there are seven of them (actors) in an action scene, so you have to repeat all the movements that are very good takes ng seven times because  we have to keep on shooting it. They have to repeat it, the whole action scenes ng paulit ulit ng ng ganun, iba ibang angle to give them their own highlight shots. So we have to keep on doing it ng ganung ka-intense, ganung ka-nakakapagod. So it’s seven times more difficult to do than other action projects that I did because all seven members are bida, superstars in their own right,” he shared during the Incognito finale presscon. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-16" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DH2buDLT7V2/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A16%2C%22os%22%3A11064276.699999988%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1023" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-16" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/6/26/maris-racal-reveals-how-doing-the-series-incognito-actually-saved-her-0848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Maris Racal reveals how doing the series &#x27;Incognito&#x27; actually ‘saved’ her</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Being at the helm of stars like Richard Gutierrez, Ian Veneracion, Daniel Padilla, and the rest of the cast members, direk Lester shared how proud he was of the preparation that his cast went through.</p><div><br/></div><p>“Several months before the show, we made them fit and made them acquire a certain amount of skills that was needed for the show. The amount of skills that they got is just not normal skills but high level skills. Preparing for this, they acquired high level skills of martial arts and then sa shoot naman, we made sure they are well rested, they are well prepared, well fed,” he shared. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-17" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLUrXvvy0V6/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A17%2C%22os%22%3A11064286.399999976%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="838" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-17" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-18" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLUhtXjytdV/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A18%2C%22os%22%3A11070906.799999982%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="770" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-18" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/6/26/baron-geisler-proud-of-his-work-in-incognito-natapos-ko-na-hindi-ako-nagkalat-0938" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Baron Geisler, proud of his work in &#x27;Incognito&#x27;: ‘Natapos ko na hindi ako nagkalat!’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Aside from what <em>Incognito</em> fans see onscreen, direk Lester revealed just how close the cast members have become on and off camera. “They carry each other. Pag pagod na, they support each other. One thing I like about the cast is, kahit tapos na yung scene nila, hindi sila aalis. Susuportahan nila yung mga kasama nila na nag-shu-shoot pa. They would really support each other. Yung moral support is with each other.</p><div><br/></div><p>&quot;Even ako, I get my energy from them and my other co-directors and the rest of the production staff. So yun yung support. Other than mentally and emotionally draining yung ginagawa, physically it’s really, really tiring. Lalo na kung we’re shooting under extreme weather,” he recalled. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-19" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLM6yVGzTa1/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A19%2C%22os%22%3A11070928.299999982%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="974" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-19" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-20" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHuUzAQTOsi/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=630&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A20%2C%22os%22%3A11072227.5%2C%22ls%22%3A151585.69999998808%2C%22le%22%3A151782%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="963" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-20" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/6/26/maris-racal-reveals-how-doing-the-series-incognito-actually-saved-her-0848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Maris Racal reveals how doing the series &#x27;Incognito&#x27; actually ‘saved’ her</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>After shooting their finale episodes in Marawi in Mindanao, direk Lester shared in a recent interview with <em>Philippine Star</em> the choice for their controversial location.</p><div><br/></div><p>“We wanted to help rebuild Marawi by boosting its image to the whole Philippines and even the world — that Marawi is a safe place. Kung kami nga, ang dami namin, including all the A-list actors that we have in our team, and we went there to shoot, it’s to show it’s really safe. And we were able to shoot content that shows the modern side of Marawi that was rebuilt. So, it’s our way of giving back to the community — to promote them.”</p><div><br/></div><p>Watch the last thrilling episodes which marks the finale run of <em>Incognito</em> weeknights at 8:45 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, TFC, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL) on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Advance episodes also available on Netflix and iWantTFC.</p>

<p>'Incognito' director Lester Pimentel talks about his most unforgettable experiences with his lead stars while working on the hit action series.</p>

'Incognito' director Lester Pimentel talks about his most unforgettable experiences with his lead stars while working on the hit action series.

Director Lester Pimentel on being proud of 'Incognito' cast: ‘I get my energy from them'

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Director Lester Pimentel on being proud of 'Incognito' cast: ‘I get my energy from them'

Rhea Manila Santos,

Push Team

Published June 27, 2025 09:17 PM PHT

Read More:

Incognito

Director Lester Pimentel

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