MANILA, Philippines – Many of our favorite movie moments are improvised and unplanned (Jack Nicholson sneering “Heeere’s Johnny!” in The Shining, for example) –  and sometimes, as the writers and director of A Second Chance know, the unplanned scenes can turn out to be gems. 

A Second Chance writers Carmi Raymundo and Vanessa Valdez, and director Cathy Molina-Garcia, revealed to the press on December 3 that the interview scene in the first teaser actually started out as a camera test. (READ: ‘A Second Chance’ earns P300M in 6 days – Star Cinema)

In that video, main characters Popoy (John Lloyd Cruz) and Basha (Bea Alonzo) are asked how they feel about married life so far. Popoy answers with an unsure “Okay naman. Masaya. (It’s okay. Fun.)” while on Basha’s end – silence. (READ: Bea Alonzo on Popoy, Basha’s journey in ‘A Second Chance’)

The teaser then cuts to a scene of them fighting.

“Everybody thought it was already a teaser, but actually it was a cam test lang (only), kaya nga may (that’s why there is a) blue chair doon (there),” said Cathy. (READ: ‘A Second Chance’ Review: Ode to stubborn love)

“TV yun diba (That was a TV right)?” asked Carmi about the chair, to which Cathy replied yes. “Sabi ko pa sa kanila (John Lloyd at Bea), ‘O, TV ‘to ah,’ ‘tas yung wig sinalpak ko lang sa buhok niya. Sabi ko, ‘Hayaan mo na, hayaan mo na… sabihin ko na lang sa manager na ayusin natin ‘yan… So talagang, it was very rough.”

(I told them (John Lloyd and Bea), ‘O, this is a TV okay?’ and the wig I just put it over her hair. I said, ‘Leave it be, leave it be… I’ll just tell the manager to fix it… So really, it was very rough.)

At the time, there was no script for the fight. Cathy wrote Popoy and Basha’s argument on the spot and John Lloyd and Bea memorized it right then and there, too. (IN PHOTOS: Bea, John Lloyd thrill fans at ‘A Second Chance’ premiere)

The interview, though, was completely improvised. “Sabi ko lang, ‘Surprise lang yung tanong, basta sagutin mo as Popoy, sagutin mo as Basha, 7 years later.’ So binabato yung tanong, kung anu-anong tanong, ang gaganda ng sagot nila, as in parang nakita namin sila Popoy at si Basha 7 years after,” Cathy recounted. 

(I said, ‘The questions will be a surprise, just answer as Popoy, answer as Basha, 7 years later.’ So I threw them questions, any question, and their answers were so nice, as in it was like we saw Popoy and Basha 7 years after.)

The interview scene in the teaser isn’t in the movie itself, but it did inspire the similar scenes in the movie. “So naisip talaga yung interview, naisip naming, ‘Bakit nga ‘no? Magandang tingnan na yun yung pang-tawid mo ng kwento.‘”

(So we really thought of the interview, we thought, ‘Why not? It would be nice to see that as something to move the story along.)

They then showed the clip to Charo Santos-Concio, ABS-CBN’s president and chief executive officer. “Pinanood ni Ma’am Charo, lahat sila natulala. Sabi, ‘Ipalabas niyo ‘yan sa premiere night [ng The Love Affair].’ O, namatay kaming lahat,” said Carmi, as everyone in the room laughed.

(We showed it to Ma’am Charo, all of them were gawking. They said, ‘Release it on the premiere night [of The Love Affair]. O, we all died.)

The teaser was released online on August 17, and The Love Affair premiere was on August 11. According to Carmi, they squeezed a week’s worth of work into one night.

And what did Charo say when they told her it was just a camera test? “O, and then?”

It looks like the team made the right call, though – the interview scenes in A Second Chance added to the tension and overall feel of the movie. And the teaser which showed the original improvised camera test did an amazing job subtly communicating to fans that all wasn’t well between the once-happy couple. 

Have you seen the movie? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below. – Rappler.com

More on A Second Chance:

• ‘One More Chance’ sequel ‘A Second Chance’: 7 heartbreaking lines
• Bea Alonzo on Popoy, Basha’s journey in ‘A Second Chance’
• WATCH: A glimpse of Popoy, Basha’s wedding in new ‘A Second Chance’ teaser
• ‘One More Chance’ sequel ‘A Second Chance’ release date announced
• ‘One More Chance’ sequel is happening
• WATCH: ‘One More Chance’ sequel teaser released
• Erik Santos on that unforgettable ‘One More Chance’ song ‘I’ll Never Go’
• Confirmed: Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz to star in new movie
• Will fans get ‘One More Chance 2’? Bea, John Lloyd weigh in
• Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz share their favorite ‘One More Chance’ lines
• ‘One More Chance’ adapted into novel
• ‘A Second Chance’ earns P300M in 6 days – Star Cinema