Why 'When Magic Hurts' writer-director Gabby Ramos opted to shoot in Atok than abroad

Gabby Ramos

The Philippines has always been full of surprises---from being one of 18 mega-biodiverse countries of the world to having people who can smile even through the worst tragedies.

Director and writer Gabby Ramos of "When Magic Hurts" had another come at him in Atok Benguet. At a press conference held at Luxent HoteI recently, he shared that they initially wanted to shoot the movie abroad, particularly South Korea or Japan, for that "look" so admired worldwide thanks to the popularity of K-dramas and J-dramas.

"But then someone suggested Atok," he said to that effect. "So, we went there to check out the place, and we were blown away. Nandito lang pala sa Pilipinas ang pinaka-magandang pag-shootingan para sa isang pelikula."

Beaver Magtalas

Actually, Baguio and Sagada were suggested but Gabby's team passed up on both since the two locations have been used many times in other Filipino movies. And while Atok has also been featured in one, two movies, the director promised that what "When Magic Hurts" will show are picturesque locations that have never been shot beforeand are under the radar of most tourists.

"Eto yung mga lugar na kahit sa Instagram or Facebook, di niyo pa nakikita..."

While beautiful to be sure, the shoot in Atok wasn't easy. First, it takes at least 10 hours to get there from Metro Manila. And last September when the movie was set to shoot there, a typhoon coincided with their scheduled dates. According to cast Dennis Padilla, they saw many debris of landslides along the way.

Why did they schedule shoots there during the rainy season?

"Hinahabol kasi namin ang ganda ng mga bulaklak dun," Gab said. "Kung sunflower lang pala ang maipapakita namin sa movie, wag na lang, nakita na yan so many times. Gusto namin yung mga bulaklak na bihirang nakikita lalo dito sa Pinas."

Beaver with Maxine Trinidad (left) and Mutya Orquia

But, alas, because of the typhoon, most of the flowers in Atok were damaged when the production team got there. They didn't give up, though, and returned to Atok in December so they could shoot in full bloom of beauty.

Gab revealed that shooting in Atok was also challenging because of the temperature. He said that some of the scenes were shot outdoors where actors had to say their lines in chilling weather (up to five degrees Celsius!).

"Pero dun mo makikita how much of a trouper my actors are," he said.

There was a hidden positive to the conditions: Because there were times they had no choice but to stay indoors, Dennis and co-star Claudine Barretto got the chance to "bond" again. The last time they did so on set was years back, for the TV series "Okidoki, Doc." Needless to say the two talked about family matters as Dennis used to have a romantic relationship with Claudine's sister, Marjorie.     

Some of the cast members of 'When Magic Hurts'

"When Magic Hurts" is rom-com with a touch of drama. Co-written by Jerome Baguio, the story sees a shy guy and miserable girl stumble upon each other in the breathtaking mountains where they find comfort mutually with the help of love and magic.

"In the stunning Atok Mountain of Benguet, fate orchestrates an encounter between a young man and a woman who each carries a burden. That is, he is determined to prove himself to his parents, while she is still reeling from the loss of both her parents.

"Once a believer in magic, she finds herself disillusioned and unable to trust its power. But when their paths cross, a spark ignites between them, and they find solace in each other's company," read part of the synopsis. 

Indeed, Atok Benguet is not just featured in the movie as eye candy but the location is integral to the storyline, Gab added. 

The movie stars Beaver Magtalas, Mutya Orquia, Maxine Trinidad, Angelica Jones, Archie Adamos, Soliman Cruz, Pantene Palanca, Aileen papin, Mohaira Sanama, Julian Roxas, Denna Bautista, Whitney Tyson, Blumark Roses, Cassie Kim, Josie Tagle, Kris Valdellon and Quia Barretto.

Under REMS Productions, the movie is set to open in theaters this summer, sometime after Holy Week.