A WHOPPING P3 million was what it cost GMA 7 to turn a 1,900-sq.m. warehouse in the heart of Metro Manila into a surreal paradise we will henceforth know as "Encantadia."
It is also the network's latest fantaserye, hot on the heels of "Darna."
DAWN Zulueta as Inang Reyna
"Actually, this is only one of four sets. This is just the castle," explained director Mark Reyes as he ushered Inquirer Entertainment into the air-conditioned warehouse in Pasig. "It's so big, though. What you're seeing is just the royal chamber, the garden and the main hall. We just don't want it to look too messy... and we also wanted to keep it a secret."
Reyes pointed out that "Encantadia" is divided into four kingdoms-Adamya, Lireo, Hathoria, Saphiro-each bearing the gems that represent the four elements, wind, water, fire and earth.
Later, he said the Adamya set is in Calatagan, Batangas, while the Hathoria set is in Kalinawan Cave in Tanay, Rizal. The forest of Lireo is around Daranak and Batlag Falls, also in Rizal.
Reyes said "Encantadia" was originally a movie for GMA Films. Viewers had a sneak peek into mythical worlds in the hit series "Mulawin," also on GMA 7.
"The movie was supposed to be an entry to last year's Metro Manila Film Festival. In fact, we started working on it as early as May 2004," Reyes revealed. "But we were not able to assemble the cast that we wanted, and the network became busy with so many other things. Management decided to put it aside... until it reincarnated into a soap series."
To come up with the final look, Reyes said, he consulted with designers Rodell Cruz, Chito Zamora and Benny Batuctoy.
Fantasy-soap
In the world called Encantadia, balance is destroyed when Hathors become greedy and attempt to steal all the gems that represent the four kingdoms. Encantadas in Lireo are charged with guarding the gems, but they are rendered helpless in the face of another attempt, this time a successful one. Unless the four stones are brought back together, peace will continue to elude Encantadia.
The story, which revolves around the characters of Karylle and Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado and Mark Herras, is "multi-layered," said the director.
"This is a merging of tele-fantasy and the traditional soap," Reyes explained. "It starts with Jennylyn's character who realizes, 'Oh, I'm not just a mortal. I have a secret.' And then Lireo comes into the picture. Here, we will introduce characters like Menandres, the god-figure in Encantadia, and the creature called Imaw, one of the most complicated animatronic creatures ever done for Philippine television. He is our Yoda. And then we have Awu, an eight-foot creature that walks on its own."
Reyes said the job of his team is to make the audience believe that Encantadia is real, even the fairies and encantados.
Inquirer Entertainment recently visited "Encantadia" and asked the cast members about their roles.
"I play the role of Milagros. I'm an encantada who grows up in the world of mortals. Cinderella-like ang kwento ko. The character of Allan Paule adopts me. I grow up with a scheming stepmother (Ira Adlawan) and stepsister (Gail Valencia).
"Anthony (Mark Herras) is my childhood sweetheart. We get separated when we are young, but meet again when I decide to work as a maid in their household. We make a vow to love each other forever.
"I discover my ability to control the wind while growing up. There's this one time when I get so angry at a playmate that she is blown away."Mark Herras
"I play the role of Anthony here. I am Jennylyn's (character) childhood best friend. Then I go to the States to study. When I come back, I'm all grown up and I don't remember her, even when she becomes one of our housemaids. Milagros, on the other hand, remembers me. I am a mortal here. That's why I wear ordinary clothes."
Karylle
"I am Alena. I am one of four daughters of Inang Reyna (Dawn Zulueta). I have the power to control water and the ability to hypnotize. I am the only daughter who has no desire to become queen of Lireo.
"I'm a warrior, just like my other sisters. I'm skilled in fighting, using a long sphere. I'm independent and I don't need a man to defend me. I'm not interested in finding my knight in shining armor.""My character's name is Ybarro. I'm a warrior. Warriors are like the royal subjects here. We live outside the palace.
"I don't have special powers here but I am Encantadia's bravest and strongest warrior. Karylle is my love interest here but there is also a love triangle between Karylle, Iza and myself.
"I have four layers of costume here. Unlike the royals, I only have one costume. I play another character named Ibrahim... but I am not allowed to talk about him."Iza Calzado
"I portray the character Amihan. I have the power to command the wind, and the ability to float in the air. I am also skillful with the sword. My father (Richard Gomez) trains me well.
"I'm second to Pirena, who is the eldest among the four daughters. The scheming Pirena plays an important role in my life. She will attempt to claim what is rightfully mine. Amihan has a good heart. She is very patient. She believes that Pirena will eventually change her ways."Diana Zubiri
"I play Danaya. I am the youngest of the four children of Inang Reyna (Dawn Zulueta). I am the youngest but I'm the most fearless. But I'm not really a kontrabida.
"I'm now wearing my warrior costume. I also have a royal gown. Putting on costumes is kind of hard. Part of the preparations was for us to learn martial arts. Since my character bears the power of the earth, the weapon given to me is arnis. The others have swords.""I play the role of Pirena and I hold the crystal of fire. Pirena is not really bad. She is just brainwashed by Gurna, her guardian. You'll understand, as the story goes along, the reason why Pirena becomes evil.
"This (points to her warrior costume) is just one of my three costumes. I also have a gown and a cloak. Instead of the usual fitting, I had to undergo body casting for this one. Pati ulo ko binuhusan. That freaked me out. It takes time to wear just this one costume. This looks like it's only one piece but there are actually 10 separate pieces, the footwear alone consists of four pieces.
"Our costumes were created by Benny Batuctoy and are made of fiberglass.""I play Muyak. I was first seen in the soap series 'Mulawin,' but here I look different. I am a little fairy. I think my character has been patterned after Tinkerbell.
"While I'm in Encantadia, I'm always around Inang Reyna and Alena (Karylle's character). I'm Alena's guardian.
"One day, I see Pirena stealing Amihan's daughter; she brings the baby to the mortal world. So since my character is also like a curious George, I also go into the vortex. When Amihan finds out that Pirena has gone to the mortal world, she closes the vortex. In the mortal world, I'm invisible to everyone except the baby, who is Milagros. So I'm stuck with Jennylyn's character who grows up in the mortal world. I'm the only one who really knows for now about the secret. Ako yung susi.""Inang Reyna is the heiress to the throne of Encantadia. She has four daughters, who are actually the lead characters in the series. "Inang Reyna's role is really to mediate in the squabble between the four daughters. Some of them want to be queen.
"The encantadas have basic powers but they each have specialties. They inherited these from Inang Reyna and their fathers.
"As Inang Reyna, I have several powers, one of which is the ability to change my figure and form."Girlie Sevilla
"I'm Gurna, an ordinary diwata. I am Inang Reyna's lady-in-waiting. But I'm faithful to Pirena only because she's my ward. My character is actually the one responsible for bringing out the bad side of Pirena. I am also a spy of the evil forces of Hathoria here in Encantadia."
Era Madrigal
"I am Gigi. I'm Milagros' best friend. She runs to me whenever she's depressed. We're neighbors. We're both poor and live by the railway."
Gail Valencia
"I play the role of Dina, Milagros' wicked younger sister. I'm always mean to her because I blame her for the death of our father. I call her names and ask her to do all the household chores at home."
Pinky Amador
"I am Anthony's mother, Carmen. I am very strict because I raised him by myself. I'm a single parent.
Anthony and Milagros are childhood sweethearts here. When Mark comes back from the US, as fate would have it, they get back together. I make Milagros' life miserable, too. I don't want my son to end up with her because she's poor."Polo Ravales
"I'm the warrior Hitaro. I work hand in hand with Ybarro. We protect the kingdom of Lireo from the Hathors who all want to conquer us.
"There's a love triangle between Ybarro, Alena and my character. I'm secretly in love with Alena."Yasmien Kurdi
"Mira is the name of my character here. I am Ate Sunshine's daughter whom she swaps with Jennylyn, the real daughter of Ate Iza. Ate Sunshine does that so that I will inherit the throne. I don't know if Mira is supposed to be bad. I think she is only brainwashed to be bad."
Jay Aquitania
"I'm Banjo. I'm one of Jennylyn's best friends. I'm involved in a love triangle with Jennylyn and Mark. I don't have a costume since I play the role of a mortal. I was not given an encantado role because GMA 7 does not want my my character here to be compared with my character in 'Mulawin.'"
INQUIRER EXCLUSIVE
Welcome to 'Encantadia'
April 14, 2005
By Marinel Cruz, Kathryn Fatima Reyes
Inquirer News Service
Also published on page A3-2 of the April 5, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
Editor’s note: GMA 7 is a parent company of Inq7.net.
Warm Welcome
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