What’s missing in The Missing?

Horror takes one of the 10 spots in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) with Regal Entertainment’s The Missing. Taking the lead in the ensemble cast of the fear-developing scenes-filled movie are Miles Ocampo, Joseph Marco and Ritz Azul.

Basing from the movie clips, The Missing guarantees more intense, heart-pounding scenes so memorable that one could find himself gasping for breath upon recall of the movie directed by Easy Ferrer and produced by Roselle Monteverde. Scenes were mostly shot in Saga, Japan where Miles, Ritz and Joseph also got to work with Japanese actors for the first time.

Miles, Ritz and Joseph agree the story is the foremost element needed to ensure an excellent movie outcome but they also emphasized that acting should be done in a manner that is realistic without resorting to exaggeration in order to give a more spine-chilling and skin-crawling kind of feel to viewers.

Acting alongside Japanese actors allowed them to discover another approach to horror. Ritz observed that a subtle acting is effective as a scare tactic.

“When we started shooting, most of the scenes required a reaction na takot and my Japanese co-actor, in one scene was the villain,” began Ritz on learning another acting technique. “And probably, ang nakuha ko sa kanya ‘yung sobrang subtle lang as in. It’s (acting style) a lot different from us na masigaw na mataas. And Ms. Roselle also suggested to me not to scream so loud and I realized na tama dahil when you are alone, feeling scared, you can never really scream so loud but a bit lang na parang impit lang. So, the more subtle, the more realistic.”

Miles said that for her to be effective in horror, she always keeps in mind not to feel overly conscious about taking on her role “because the more you think how to attack the role, the more it will be hard to achieve what is required of you and, automatic, it will not appear natural. That’s why, I just jump on agad dun sa eksena or situation in order for me to bring out my natural emotions on screen at ‘yun ang makikita ng tao.”

The Missing, Joseph added, is very refreshing and he assured it has a different flavor compared to other Pinoy horror flicks.

“We are not just focused on giving a scare out of your wits moments but at the same time, it also has lessons in life. Apart from that, the location is really eye-catching, ang gaganda talaga ng mga lugar,” said Joseph who also shared that they didn’t stay in just one place but transferred to another location after their shooting break. Shooting, if he is not mistaken, lasted for eight to 10 days in Japan.

As to his acting method, Marco said, “I don’t think there is such a technique because for me to be effective lalo na sa nakakatakot, it’s all about imagination; you’re playing with imagination. You have to believe that whatever it is that’s happening is real.”

Asked if he easily gets scared in real life, Joseph replied, “Well, there are guys who are easily frightened but me, I’m so adventurous to the point na nung bata ako, I would go with my friends in haunted houses to find out if there was really a ghost and unfortunately, we didn’t see or feel anything. That probably explains why I don’t get easily scared. Pero kung makakakita ako (ng multo), feeling ko maduduwag din ako (laughs).”

(This year’s annual MMFF goes online. With this, The Missing and other filmfest entries can be streamed via Upstream.ph until Jan. 7, 2021.)