Staying for a night inside Bahay na Pula
As part of my Halloween post, I would like to track back in time and share my overnight stay inside Bahay na Pula. Yup, that's the famous haunted house in San Idelfonso, Bulacan.
It was around 7am when our production team arrived in Bahay na Pula, we needed to shoot a lot of scenes here for one of our episodes. Seeing our taping guide, I bet we will be working here until past midnight.
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| Bahay na Pula (photo credit: chrisbanez.multiply.com) |
Bahay na Pula in Anyatam symbolizes the oppression of the Bulakenyas in the hands of the Japanese forces when they served as “comfort women”. It served as the garrison of the Japanese soldiers where they killed a lot of Filipino soldiers and guerrilla fighters. It is indeed haunted!
Little at that time did I know that our location for that day was a famous haunted house I've seen on TV. I just wasn't fully aware at that time. I guess it doesn't interest me that much because I was so busy early in the morning solving a major technical problem, some needed equipments that haven't arrived yet. There were just so many production requirements during that shoot - ambulance, fire truck, smoke and fog machines etc.
Night comes and we were still far off from finishing the shoot. The system was set up inside the house at the left side area where there's an old door leading outside. Direk Erick, me, our technical director, audio and vtr man, gaffers, few art dept and a bunch of artists has been there since morning, trapped with all huge fallen pieces wood (don't worry, that's part of the scene). The inside of the house is basically dark, without lights coming from our lighting equipments it would indeed be a total black out. I was staying inside for the past 15 hours now but I still haven't felt a thing, not even a slight tingling of goosebumps. I guess being overly busy, surrounded with a lot of people and basically not knowing the history of the house, staying there would be tolerable after all. Except the fact that it looks creepy inside and out, I honestly didn't feel a thing. I mean without google, I wouldn't realize that I have courageously stayed overnight in a haunted house!
After taking our midnight snacks, we headed to shoot upstairs. I didn't go there, it's dangerous. Why? The house is so old, we honestly don't have any idea how many people it could still hold. While others were going up, I could hear cracks here and there! Now that's scary!
We ended the shoot with a major scene - rain effects! That particular shoot was for Star Magic Presents Abt Ur Luv, Ur Lyf 2 - Episode 17 "Survival". You can watch this on youtube if you want. Here's the link :)
Now will I again stay here for a night? Uhm.. I guess not :)
