‘Incognito’ director wants the world to see Philippine action

Director Lester Pimentel Ong, a former stuntman and wushu athlete, has a unique background that profoundly shapes his filmmaking. Despite initially entering the film industry "by necessity" and not foreseeing a directing career, his time working closely with directors ignited a fascination with storytelling and the craft, eventually leading him to create his own visual narratives.

Ong's latest project, the 2025 action drama "Incognito," marks a significant moment as the series wraps up. Produced by ABS-CBN Studios, Star Creatives, and Studio 360, the show offers a fresh perspective on Philippine action, centering on themes of redemption and second chances through the story of disgraced former military personnel.

Since its debut on Netflix, "Incognito" has garnered critical success and a growing viewership, building anticipation for its upcoming finale set in Marawi. The director expressed his aspirations for the genre, stating, "I hope the Philippine action drama can break barriers and reach foreign shores," envisioning a future where global audiences enjoy Filipino action narratives just as they do Korean and Thai dramas.

His directing portfolio, which includes action-packed series like "Bagani," "One Good Day," and "Ironheart," clearly reflects his roots in martial arts and stunt work. Ong draws creative inspiration from both Western cinema's narrative structures, citing greats like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, and Eastern cinema's technical artistry, particularly admiring the filmmaking techniques seen in 80s and 90s Hong Kong action films by masters such as Jackie Chan, Zhang Yimou, and John Woo.

He highlighted how Hong Kong filmmakers, despite operating with "very very limited budgets" in those decades, managed to capture Hollywood's attention, enabling directors like John Woo to cross over. These influences are evident in "Incognito," which is praised not only for its carefully designed action sequences but also for its compelling dramatic exploration of its characters' paths to redemption.

The cast of the Netflix series, featuring notable actors like Ian Veneracion, Richard Gutierrez, Daniel Padilla, Baron Geisler, Maris Racal, Kaila Estrada, and Anthony Jennings, portray a team of seven individuals with troubled pasts specializing in missions against the criminal underworld. Their on-screen journey seeking second chances resonates with Ong, who believes these story beats are vital in depicting characters striving to rebuild their lives after setbacks.

Interestingly, the show's theme of redemption mirrored some real-life circumstances among the cast before filming began. Ong shared during a media conference that prior to production, some actors faced their own challenges, and he felt thankful that "Incognito became part of the healing process" for them.

The director spoke with pride about the cast's dedication, noting their commitment to rigorous physical and mental preparation despite working under challenging conditions, specifically on what he termed a "drama budget" rather than a typical action series budget. He emphasized that they successfully created an action series despite limited resources and manpower.

Production involved extensive travel, shuttling between different countries and various Philippine provinces, culminating in the Marawi finale. Ong pointed out that filming in locations like Japan and Itogon, Benguet, presented particular difficulties due to factors like a smaller-than-usual team for a TV series and challenging weather conditions, including shooting for 12 hours a day in sub-zero temperatures and snow during their Japan winter shoot.

The post-production phase, especially editing, was described as "bloody," requiring significant fine-tuning to achieve a "filmic" quality. Ong acknowledged the limitations of their "very modest camera" and limited lighting equipment compared to industry best standards, necessitating substantial effort in post-production to realize his vision.

However, these constraints did not deter him from pursuing his creative goals. He explained the meticulous attention paid to every technical detail, from scoring and color grading to action sequencing and wardrobe, ensuring each element contributed meaningfully to the narrative and character development. Ong's background as an action choreographer provides him with an expert ability to assess the feasibility, time, budget, and risks associated with stunts, which proves invaluable in production.

Collaboration was also a key aspect of the process. Ong encouraged the actors to share their ideas, particularly for dramatic scenes, fostering a very collaborative environment for mounting sequences. While the action design was primarily led by his team, the approach to delivering dramatic moments involved sit-down discussions with the cast.

Despite the success of "Incognito," Ong admitted his biggest concern is the potential decline of the action genre in the Philippines. He feared that this series might be their last large-scale action production due to perceptions that such projects are "matagal gawin" (too long to make), "mahal" (expensive), difficult to compete internationally, and might not resonate with the local audience.

Through "Incognito," Ong hopes to demonstrate the potential of local action series and encourage producers and broadcasting companies to greenlight more projects in the genre, fostering its continued growth. He credited the show's success to the trust placed in his vision by the producers and showrunners, viewing it as a testament to what Philippine television is capable of achieving.

Looking ahead, Ong's ultimate dream for the industry is to see international financing come into the Philippines to enable larger-scale productions. He believes attracting such investment could significantly elevate the local film and TV landscape. Personally, he also intends to broaden his horizons by directing other genres, such as family drama, simply aiming to "keep contributing to the film industry as a whole," without a specific desire to cement a particular legacy beyond continuing to do what he loves.