Anna Marie Lukban

Behind-the-scenes: "Incognito" stars on braving extreme snowstorms for action-packed filming in Japan

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746416931382Incognito-stars-on-braving-extreme-snowstorms-for-action-packed-filming-in-Japan-.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>Viewers are finding the recent episodes of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/incognito"><strong><u>&quot;Incognito&quot;</u></strong></a> so cool as the snow-coated cityscape of Yamagata, Japan becomes the backdrop for the Kontraks’ newest mission of hunting down Kenji Lee, a highly trained assassin linked to an organized crime group, and is portrayed by Lance Pimentel, an actor and stunt director (this explains the ‘angas’ in his fight sequences). </p><p>In the story, Kenji is the man behind the assassination of political figure Benicio Avila. The Kontraks must capture him alive to uncover the true mastermind behind the killing. But in their pursuit, they’ll face Japanese hostiles and be thrown into intense, bloody showdowns on the icy streets of Japan.</p><p>So, in the coming episodes, expect more adrenaline-pumping sequences, from ski chases through snow, shoot-outs in blizzards, sword-wielding fights, cars skidding across frozen roads, and breathtaking shots of the white-washed landscape in the fictional country of Kaigen. </p><div> </div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJBr_x0SH0O/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=675&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A10935921.699999988%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="882" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" 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> </div><p>While other productions might rely on modern tricks like CGI, &quot;Incognito&quot; chose authenticity. In a behind-the-scenes reel shared by producer Star Creatives on Instagram, the cast talked about their experience filming in Japan’s fierce winter. </p><p>They worked as one solid unit while braving the extreme cold across different locations, and even filmed in the middle of actual snowstorms, which was a real challenge since it&#x27;s a stark contrast to the Philippines&#x27; tropical climate. In fact, just before flying to Japan, the cast had wrapped up a story arc in Itogon, Benguet, where the temperature was basically summer levels of warm.</p><p>&quot;Siyempre hindi tayo sanay sa ganitong lamig,” Richard Gutierez  said, discussing the challenge of doing heavy action sequences in Japan. Kaila Estrada recalled nearly freezing, “My face was so cold that my mouth was going numb.”</p><p>But despite the harsh weather, everyone served thrilling winter action. Daniel Padilla added, “Hindi talaga biro ’yung mga ginagawa namin. Hindi lang kami nagsusuot ng gear at magpapa-cute.”    Even Ian Veneracion,  who’s been in the industry for decades and has done his fair share of action projects, admitted that &quot;Incognito&#x27;&quot;s Nihon Saga might just be the biggest one he’s done yet. The same goes for Baron Geisler, who is always amazed by the level-up action sequences in the series. </p><p>As Anthony Jennings shared, the snow was slippery, so they had to look out for each other’s safety while performing the choreography. In one scene, his character Tomas joked about how brutally cold the place was, and now we know he meant it both in and out of character.</p><div> </div><div><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e8-hFmRdouM" title="The arrival of the Kontraks in Kaigen | Incognito (with English Subs)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div> </div><p>Meanwhile, Maris Racal mentioned that the set was a mix of Filipino and foreign crews, and that she was excited to work with Japanese stuntmen. As the team’s top-notch chameleon, she also had to learn a few Nihongo lines for her role.</p><p>The recent episodes have offered viewers glimpses of action on ice, and even the Kontraks admit that Kenji is a skilled fighter after witnessing him single-handedly take down a group while they were on a surveillance mission.</p><div> </div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABYMboYKHsAfXCbj"></script></div><div> </div><p>But, with the cold, there have been hints of romance, too, including that low-key kilig moment of JB and Max, and the intriguing &#x27;meeting&#x27; between Greg and Misaki. Who exactly is she in the life of the Kontraktor?</p><div> </div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABYP_8ZJtRPD0ANB"></script></div><div> </div><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABYP6Lfxiyffu8sY"></script></div><div> </div><p>Catch all episodes of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/incognito"><strong><u>&quot;Incognito,&quot;</u></strong></a> weeknights, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), TV5, and A2Z.</p>

<p>Get an exclusive look at how the cast of "Incognito" braved harsh snowstorms and freezing temperatures in Japan to film heart-pounding action scenes. </p>

Get an exclusive look at how the cast of "Incognito" braved harsh snowstorms and freezing temperatures in Japan to film heart-pounding action scenes.