E.S.P.

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Are you ready to hide behind the couch? This February, GMA-7 premieres another astounding program that sure to get viewers glued to the screen -- while scaring them out of their wits.



We’ve seen a lot of horror movies and television shows, and we’ve read a whole lot more. But there’s always something new to be seen -- and getting scared never gets old.

“Hindi naman namin sasabihing totally different (ang show),” Redgie Magno, program manager, says. She explains that the show was inspired by a lot of programs -- both local and foreign, but it doesn’t mean that the show doesn’t have an original plot. “Actually, ‘di ba, halos pare-pareho lang ‘yung mga kwento ng panggulat, pananakot, at iba pa?”

She reveals that to give the show a unique touch, the director Argel Joseph refused to watch the shows that inspired the program. “Para daw ‘yung sarili niyang execution ang makita dito sa show.”What sets ESP apart from other horror-suspense programs is that it doesn’t center on the supernatural. At the heart of it all, it’s the story of a woman who’s trying to change her life."

And that woman is played by Iza Calzado. Iza is happy with her new role as she gets to do something she has always wanted to try: news casting.

The actress says that her character is all her own, though she couldn’t help but pick up tips from other newscasters as well. Iza even says that Cherry Pie Picache’s role in Bikini Open was very helpful to the creating of Cassandra, her character on ESP.

Francine Prieto, who also stars on the show, says it’s hard to peg a character on someone real, a statement that Iza also agrees with.

ESP will air every Thursday night, replacing the successful and long-running Magpakailanman. Both Iza and Francine admit being intimidated by the show they would have to live up to.

“Siyempre po, five years ang tinagal niya,” Francine says of the show they’re replacing. “Lahat po kami, pressured talaga.”

But she also says that they are confident with the work they’ve done and will continue doing.







Iza, on the other hand, says there will always be pressure. But for her, there’s “less pressure, dahil ibang-iba ‘yung format nung show. And marami kami, so I believe ‘yung teamwork namin, if we work together and really hard at this, maganda ‘yung (magiging) produkto.”

Both actresses and the rest of the creative team hope that ESP will do well. Especially because everyone involved in the show is giving a hundred percent to make the program the best it can be.

“I have done several horror and suspense films,” Iza explains that though this is her first TV show that deals with horror and suspense, there is no difference in the way both are filmed. “Matagal po talagang gumawa ng horror dahil sa shots, pero lahat kami willing mag-stay up late.

“And kung lahat kami ganito ang prinsipyo sa pagta-trabaho, then I know na maganda ang magiging resulta.”