Doing the horror film “Bahay na Pula” for young actress Julia Barretto wasn’t a walk in the park. It was a meticulous preparation from pre-production to principal photography to post-production including marketing and promotion.
From the start, Julia was ready to face up all the challenges in making a film—a fantasy at that—which was intended for Vivamax live streaming.
It was the first time Barretto would work with internationally acclaimed director Brillante Ma. Mendoza who is known to be a very professional and thorough film artist. How would she fare with him was the initial reaction she evoked.
Then the shoots of her scenes would be done in a faraway place in Oriental Mindoro.
Julia was oriented about the travel, itinerary and accommodation to the location of the movie which was Pola, a coastal community where Noli de Castro was born and raised.
She was told that she would be ferried from Batangas seas to Calapan City port and to the town proper.
Days before the shoots, Julia and co-stars Xian Lim and Marco Gumabao were riding in four separate vans as they convoyed, complete with security escorts from Manila to Batangas City where the port is located.
Barretto, Xian and Marco were considered VIPs as high profile film artists apart from doing a film with Brillante who is a national treasure.
The stars were whisked away in Batangas Pier where they were to board a boat to Calapan. From Calapan, they were sent to their designated quarters in Pola.
Of course, doing “Bahay na Pula” in the heart of the town would also require adherence to health protocols like wearing masks and face shields, applying disinfectants and sanitizers and observing social distancing in their private tents and on the sets.
According to Barretto, she enjoyed her stay in Pola.
When the film was wrapped up, Julia still had to do dubbing and other requirements of the project. In the marketing and promo side, she had to attend press previews and interviews.
“Now, I can say that this is my first time to attend an in-person mediacon unlike the virtual presscons before,” said Julia.
“I also learned a lot from Direk Brillante. It’s a different experience doing a project with him. He has his own style as a filmmaker. It’s all worth it,” the actress complimented.