Bisaya action film ‘Aset’ premieres tonight

CEBU, Philippines — Elcid Camacho, writer, director and editor of the Cebuano actioner “Aset”, is proud to have completed the film without the help of stunt doubles.

“Aset” revolves around Alexander Montenegro, played by Camacho, a hitman who transitions into a spy (or ‘asset’ in local parlance) for undercover agents. The movie unfolds through a series of twists and turns, centered on crime scenes and setups that lead Alexander into the world of undercover work.

It is the second full-length movie produced by Camacho after February’s romance drama “Sugdan na ang Sakit” which starred him opposite girlfriend Akiko Solon.

While Camacho had worked on an action series, he called “Aset” significantly different because the action sequences were ramped up and performed by the actors themselves.

“All of the characters, like in scenes with rolling and running, did their own stunts because I wanted to show that we can level up. I wanted to demonstrate that even our actors can do what others do,” said Camacho.

Camacho’s Alexander is an orphan who grew up alone and decided to delve into the criminal underworld. He’s on the police watch list, though not officially ‘wanted’, as they lack strong evidence against him. He gets framed, leading him to uncover deeper truths and eventually become a spy.

Vlogger Sean Red Fernan portrays the film’s primary antagonist Congressman Rex Santos – a BPO industry executive who loves to go on international trips. He’s a politician who’s also a member of a criminal syndicate.

Also in the cast are TikTok sensation Aiana Juarez as Katherine, Ari Simangan as John Paul Garrido, and Mark Geston as Edwin Rodriguez.

Challenges

Camacho said it was very challenging to direct and act at the same time, especially during heavy scenes. Despite that, he feels their efforts to showcase authentic action paid off.

“I had to think about camera framing, angles, and acting all at once. Stunt scenes were particularly tough, as wrong takes meant starting over,” he said.

Fernan also said playing a dirty politico wasn’t as hard for him since the character is angry – which isn’t far from his real personality.

“I’m often perceived that way [being angry]. Playing a fake goodie politician was challenging. It required me to think about how ‘plastic’ politicians act,” said Fernan.

Another challenge was working with a minimal budget. “We wanted to include scenes with damaged cars and explosions, but we couldn’t afford it,” Camacho shared. “The idea is achievable, but we’re not there yet.”

Camacho also had to juggle the different schedules of his actors, as well as deal with script changes.

“It was tough to follow the storyboard and screenplay because I also had to adjust to the availability of the cast members to shoot, especially since they participated pro bono because they believed in the film,” he said.

One chase scene was shot at the South Road Properties without any supervision from traffic authorities.

“We were greatly challenged while making this movie,” added Camacho, “but you will see that even though it’s difficult, we succeeded.”

Inspirations, aspirations

Camacho said he took inspiration from Hollywood action flicks as he aims to elevate Cebuano filmmaking to national and international levels.

“I wanted to create a non-typical Bisaya film with twists and a good story. Hollywood action movies have great twists, and I wanted to bring that level of storytelling here,” he further said. “Audiences can appreciate Bisaya filmmaking more than just relating to the movie.”

For Fernan, “Aset” will show that Cebu can produce this kind of movie on its own. “If it succeeds, there’s a real possibility that we can upgrade further, hire a new crew, and secure a larger budget. Budget is important because it enables us to access top-tier resources.”

The production

The almost two-hour film took less than two months of making – this includes 15 days of shooting all over Cebu and the post-production phase.

“Despite the limited budget, the pride comes from knowing we made this movie ourselves. If it succeeds, it could open doors for bigger budgets and better resources in the future,” said Fernan.

Camacho said he learned filmmaking by watching YouTube video tutorials to lessen the expenses. “I need to adapt to ideas that fit within the budget,” he said.

Making “Aset” made him realize that “nothing is impossible.”

“We can really do it if we want to, it depends on our mindset on how willing we are,” said Camacho.

Despite the difficulties of being in an indie project, Fernan is grateful for the experience and would gladly do it again.

“Proud of the experience, especially as the shooting days went on, I feel with each passing day that the experience is different that you’ll be proud and grateful that you are a part of ‘Aset,’” said Fernan.

For now, Camacho is busy with BisayaFlix as he plans to hold a noontime show. More importantly, he is set to launch the BisayaFlix app tomorrow, June 25, the same day that “Aset” will hold its premiere night at the SM Seaside City Cebu Center Stage.

“Just a disclaimer, we are aware that we lack something when it comes to acting and in terms of delivering the emotions,” Fernan forewarned.

Nevertheless, Camacho’s goal is to build an entertainment industry to provide a platform for talents in the Visayan region without having the need to go to Manila.

“Just discriminate us, and I will show you the results,” said Camacho. “We cannot avoid this, it’s normal in life to face discrimination.” — Neicol Elirey Rosel, CNU Interns (FREEMAN)