WHILE the cast and production crew were filming ‘Chances Are, You and I’ in Korea during winter, the biting cold was undoubtedly distracting. They filmed in negative 20 degrees, towards the end of winter in Seoul in February 2022.

“Pero malamig pa rin,” recalled male lead Kelvin Miranda. “Maganda naman visually ang turn out sa movie. While we were shooting, every time we would hear ‘action,’ we would readily get up and start working. The cold was uncomfortable for us.”

No sooner did they acclimatized in the freezing weather. “But when we heard ‘Cut,’ we would feel cold again,” Kelvin shared. “The ones who will start the fire would approach us to make us feel warm. They would give us blankets even when we were already wearing three kinds of clothes already.”

The entourage that went to Seoul to film ‘Chances Are, You and I’ numbered 33, led by director Catherine “CC” Camarillo, who is making her directorial debut.

“We were supposed to stay for only seven days,” said the 25-year-old Kelvin. “But we extended a few more days, so we ended up being in Korea for a total of eleven days. That included our rest days already.”

The Filipino entourage worked with the Korean production crew. “The Koreans were very strict with the time and very meticulous with the schedule,” Kelvin said. “When they tell you the bus would leave at 6 a.m., it would leave on time. If you are late, they would leave you behind.

Thankfully, we were never late and we were never left behind.”

“While we were shooting, we got used to waking up early. At least two hours before the bus leaves. There was a day the shoot was delayed, so other production crew were left behind.”

Kelvin made it a point to wake up at 4 a.m., so that gave him time to work out. He also did his make up early, so by the time they get to location, he simply had time to sip his coffee while waiting.

“I don’t want to be in a hurry all the time,” he admitted. “I get tensed when that happens. I get rattled in the preparation.”

They shot for a total of 14 hours a day. “The Koreans were so strict,” Kelvin lamented. “Sometimes, we would extend to a total of 15 to 16 hours. But that was the maximum that we would work to shoot. That would be long for them. But they were all very nice. They adjusted to us.

They were very helpful.”

The script was written by 27-year-old Ellis Catrina Camarillo, who made her screenwriting debut for the big screen in ‘Chances Are, You and I,’ which will be shown in local theaters starting May 29.

“Whatever we read on the script on the first draft, nothing was changed,” said Kelvin, who has been into showbiz for seven years now. “That was the script we used all throughout the shoot. Maganda talaga ang script.”

“Mixed emotions when you read the script. May lungkot, mayroon din saya. Marami akong fears as a person. But my character, Sol, he was very brave. He already accepted his fate that he was dying.”

Kelvin added, “It helped that you should not fear death and I’ve accepted that. I believe in the saying that when one door closes, another one opens. Or when you reached the summit, there’s another height that you need to climb.

“If others think death is the end, for me, it’s a new beginning. I studied how emotions can be manipulated that the truth will be above what your character is doing. Your character needs to transcend what you do on the big screen. Hindi kailangan na you only acted it out.”

The most challenging for Kelvin being in Chances Are, You and I are his scenes in Korea, mostly with leading lady Kira Balinger. “It was really hard to shoot because it was super cold,” Kelvin admitted. “Masakit sa balat when we were out.

“Even when you need to focus on your emotions, it was really hard and distracting. Masikip sa balat. Parang ‘pag may sapatos kang sinuot na masikip, masakit sa balat. Uncomfortable talaga.”

Kelvin, who was into motocross when he was 16, needed to train again in motocross to use it in this film. “The motocross precautions are different when you are shooting a movie,” he explained.

“A lot of things can happen. You can get into an accident and hurt yourself. Dapat tama ang pag-jump mo. ‘Yung cue, dapat exact.”

Chances Are, You and I is a family affair for Pocket Media Productions. Aside from being a director, direk CC also functions as executive producer. Her husband is her finance head, while administrative head is her sister. Paralegal is her lawyer-son who drafts their contracts. Caterer is her daughter, who is a chef.

On May 24 and 25, Chances Are, You and I will be screened at the Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival in Japan. Cast and crew are slated to leave for Japan.

Supporting cast in the film are Ina Feleo, Al Tantay, Gian Magdangal, Tart Carlos and introducing Jinho Bae.