The hardest day of shooting began at 3:55 AM.
Notice Bembol Roco in the back.
At the set the cast and crew ate a spam/hotdog/egg breakfast with coffee which Garret Dillahunt described as "needing a knife and fork to consume," the soldiers waited for makeup with Mami (Apocalypse Now/Platoon).
At around 9:00 the soldiers were called to a tent in a nearby field where they received rifles, bayonets, ammunition belts, satchels (man purses), canteens, and direction from Mr. Sayles on how a soldier would conduct himself in the field.
We cannot divulge any details of what took place in this scene, but it required 15 takes and three hours. Despite the alternating rain and sun the crew reported that continuity would not be an issue. "Luckily everyone knows we are supposed to be in the Philippines, if it was sunny the whole time or raining all day no one would believe we're here."
Lt. Creighton and his soldiers in between takes
After a fried chicken lunch and a warm reception from the local village, despite this day marking the 111th anniversary of the beginning of the American-Filipino War, the cast changed locations to the hills.
Mr. Sayles set up multiple cameras at different levels to capture a march up and down the Philippine hill country. Mr. Sayles complimented the actors on their ability to feign exhaustion and to "sweat at will," while marching up the muddy slopes and back down again for 3 hours.
Sayles with James Parks and Jemi
Back at Ladaga Inn the cast was rewarded with complimentary massages in Tagbilaran. After dinner and dailies from the night before most went to sleep before another early morning.
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