Film in Thailand

D e p a r t m e n t o f To u r i s m

Volume 3
Whats News? Whos Saying What

Issue 6

2011
Film Me & Pitch it to Me

Whats Up Private Sector?

Whats News?

Produced by Conference/2011 Location Show Issue

The Producers Guild of Americas third annual Produced by Conference (PBC) joins this year with the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Locations show to be held at The Walt Disney Studios on June 3-5, 2011. Reaching across film, television and new media industries, PBC is an educational forum that involves acclaimed producers, including countless Academy Award-winning filmmakers and Emmy Award winners, as well as creative entrepreneurs. This unique collaboration of Produced by Conference along with AFCI Locations brings together the producing field with an extensive number of domestic and international film commissions. And the Department of Tourism, Thailand Film Office will be there! Please visit with us at the Walt Disney Studios, Section A Buena Vista Lot #712 & #714 While our stay in Burbank is a short one, we hope to meet with as many of you as possible. And dont forget to sign up for our monthly Film in Thailand e-magazine. By the Numbers Its that time of year again when we analyze our performance by quarterly statistics.

What is strikingly apparent is productions during the first quarter of 2011 are up 20% over the same period last year. According to the Department of Tourism, Thailand earned Bt1.87 billion (US$60 million), in 2010, double the more than Bt900 million ($30 million) earned in 2009 - this revenue from 578 foreign productions shot in the country last year. 194 productions were shot in Thailand during the first three months of 2011 earning B435 million ($14.4 million). In terms of types of productions during the first quarter, 93 TVCs, 53 documentaries, 29 TV series, 10 features and 9 music videos were shot. Traditionally Japan and India (respectively), have filmed the greatest number of productions each year in Thailand however for the first three months of 2011, Europe has taken over the number one position with Japan following behind (despite the devastating earthquake that hit the Japanese island on March 11) India falling to third place. Bump in European productions may be from renewed European interest in filming in Thailand after the $28.2 million French production Largo Wince II (The Burma Conspiracy) was filmed & produced largely in Thailand.

Film in Thailand
Whats News? Whos Saying What Whats Up Private Sector? Film Me & Pitch it to Me

D e p a r t m e n t o f To u r i s m

Whos Saying What

So What Makes Thailand Special?
Partial Reprint with permission from Asia Image May/June 2011 by Scott Rosenberg This writer will not try to answer the question of why Thailand is a popular location for shooting and producing films. Instead, the following are quotes from well known directors, producers and a production service coordinator who works on a daily basis with international film and TV makers. When asked what he thinks of Thai production services, Academy Award winning actor William Hurt, who concluded shooting Shadows in Thailand in early March 2009 said, They were phenomenal! Elephant White (Millennium Films, 2010) producer Frank DeMartini: It has been a pleasure working with the entire Thai team. They are dedicated and hard working. We could never have gotten as much done as we did in the short period of time we had if it were not for their commitment to the project. Vietnamese Director Le Thanh Son ( Bay Rong Clash ): Vietnamese film makers like using post produc tion ser vices in Thailand because the technicians both foreign and Thai are well trained. But it is not only better training, their attitude toward work is photo courtesy AMW International Co. Ltd., director Le Thanh Son much more focused than in Vietnam they seem to care about their work and do it quickly and proficiently. Thailand has the best post production facilities in all of Asia. Hollywood director Darnell Martin (Cadillac Records, USA TV episodes Homicide: Law on the Street- Thai production services people are very informed, professional and serious about their industry. Besides that, the country side is beautiful and people quite hospitable. Morio Amagi, producer of the Japanese film Oba the Last Samurai : Actually, Saipan was not so convenient a location for filming so we decided to shoot in Asia and we scout for locations that had landscape similar to Saipan. We narrowed our search down to the photo courtesy Morio AMagi from Oba the Last Samurai shot in Thailand Philippines and Thailand. We finally chose Thailand because of the abundance of equipment available here and the capability of production staff. Largo Winch I & II director Jrme Salle: The Thai crew worked very hard because they truly love what they do they have a very dynamic way of working.

photo courtesy AMW International Co. Ltd. left to right: William Hurt, wife of former US Ambassador to Thailand Eric John, Ambassador John, Secretary of the Board of Investment of Thailand Achaka Brimble, former managing director of Technicolor Asia, Paul Stambaugh.

Singaporean director Jack Neo ( I Not Stupid, Money Not Enough): The theatres and facilities in Bangkok are excellent. I do my post-production work here. ... Im ...amazed by the facilities! Anthony DSuza (Tony), director of one of Bollywoods most expensive movies Blue, who filmed 55 days on location in Thailand with a crew of 85 from India, said that the production services industry in Thailand is better than in India. Overall, infrastructure is better here. While India has the same or better landscapes - communication, transportation and professional crews are all superior in Thailand: crews work hard and get the job done in the shortest amount of time. And we all know that time is money...so the money that we have to spend on travel and accommodations here in country is more than compensated for in money that we save in production time.

photo courtesy Largo Winch II production left to right: Tomer Sisley (lead actor), Mamee (Thai actress), French director Jrme Salle

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Whats News?
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Director Roel Reine: Scorpion King: Rise of the dead (Universal Pictures, 2010): Thai crews are amazing. They work hard and really enjoy their work. They are ver y p ro fe s s i o n a l i n t h e i r approach to their jobs a lot like Dutch crews in that they all chip in to get the job done. In Hollywood, things are a bit more segmented.

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craftsmen available in all fields at astonishingly inexpensive rates. Our set construction personnel, Art Directors, and Production designers are second to none. Thailand has many sound stages with modern air conditioning, soundproofing, green rooms, wardrobe room, makeup rooms and overhead rigging structures in place. We have a long track record of doing foreign films of all kinds. For film processing, we have complete facilities for digital post production as well as well as film processing. Thailand is a fun place to shoot and the crews are able to find the best in food and entertainment after work.
photo courtesy Don Robinson Siamlite: Red MX camera mounted on

photo courtesy AMW International Co. Ltd.

When asked why he thought Thailand was so popular with foreign film crews, Don Robinson, head of Siamlite International Co., Ltd. (Thai film equipment provider) listed the following: 1. Because Thailand has a large clothing manufacturing industry, costumes are easy to have made and inexpensive. 2. Because of the extremely well developed tourism infrastructure there are excellent hotels spread throughout the country, be it a remote island or in the farthest jungles and mountains. Therefore, when shooting in remote locations you are likely to find a place for your crew to stay. Also, this has increased the number of people who have learned English. 3. The technical facilities are very advanced with several camera, lighting and grip companies providing state of the art equipment including the latest in digital cameras like the Red MX and Arri Alexa. 4. The equipment rental companies are staffed with, full time, highly skilled crews to accompany the equipment. Each crew person is put through rigorous training, is familiar with the equipment and used to working together as a team. They can provide English speaking crew in all key positions. 5. Thailand is number one for set construction with skilled

an elephant for the feature Cutting Loose

Film in Thailand
Whats News? Whos Saying What Whats Up Private Sector? Film Me & Pitch it to Me

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Location Thailand was contacted for an urgent job from Australia two days prior to Songkran (Thai New Year in April). Film Headquarters was returning to Thailand after shooting in January to double locations of England, Germany, Scandinavia, Latin America, China as Asia and Russia in Thailand. Timing was critical to shoot straight after Songkran New Year. In addition, accident damage was the order of the day and vehicles were required both left hand drive and right hand drive for those countries. Each countr y required vehicles specific to them, thus England wanted London Taxis, Range Rovers, Minis or Jaguars - and a double decker London Bus! Germany required Mercedes & Audis. Scandinavia, Saabs and Volvos. Latin America, Peugeot, GM, Fords or Fiats. Thailand, Tuk-Tuks, taxis, Toyotas and Mazdas and finally Russia, Skodas, Mercedes and Opels. Then the kicker - we had two days to shoot and a day to edit. Locations were hundreds of kilometers apart for the coast road shot however most of the other locations were grouped within Bangkok. Logistics had to be resolved to move 87 crew and 12 foreign locations and 40 cast and extras plus talent who were being leap-frogged due to the tight schedule between locations. O ffline editing & grading was done in-house at Location Thailands offices and the shoot completed photo courtesy Location Thailand on time. Again Thailand was able to provide multiple country locations all within the confines of budgets and one stop shooting. Participating companies included: Location Thailand Limited - Production Services Freeland Films - Production Co-ordination Cinerent - Cameras and Equipment ChobChingChai Movie Cars - cars Location Thailand Co Ltd - offline Post Production Oriental Post - color grading Producers: Ric Lawes Maew Trachai

photo courtesy Location Thailand

photo courtesy Location Thailand

To match the country locations required to the storyboard English Architecture, modern European styled buildings and streets for Scandinavia and Germany were selected. Coast roads with blue waters and tropical looks for Latin America, Thailand and Asia - special requests for a vibrant Chinatown and Russian buildings were also matched. Logistics involved were substantial with producers flying in from Australia and Russia, US director coming in from Lebanon and United Kingdom DP from New York apart from client and agency from Northern Europe.

Film in Thailand
Whats News? Whos Saying What Whats Up Private Sector? Film Me & Pitch it to Me

D e p a r t m e n t o f To u r i s m

Film Me & Pitch it to Me

Chanthaburi Province
Chanthaburi is 245 km from Bangkok and covers an area of 6,338 km2. It is famous for tropical fruits & gems. It is rich with lush forests and scenic waterfalls. Quiet fishing villages & peaceful sand swept beaches can be found here. History O n ce a p re h i s to r i c habitation area, a number of stone tools and artifacts from the Neolithic Age were discovered during sur veys at several archaeological sites in Chanthaburi.
photo copyright and courtesy Chanthaburi Province

The province was officially established in 1933. After the Paknam crisis in 1893, French colonist troops occupied Chanthaburi, returning it to Thailand in 1905 when Thailand gave up ownership of the western part of Cambodia. A significant minority of Chanthaburi citizens are native Vietnamese, who came in three waves - first in the 19th century during an antiCatholic persecution in Cochin China, a second wave came in the 1920s to 1940s fleeing from French Indochina, and a third after the communist victory in Vietnam in 1975.
photo copyright and courtesy Chanthaburi Province

Chong was the first Mon-Khmer hunting-gathering community to have settled in the eastern forests in what are now Chanthaburi, Trat and Rayong provinces in ca. the 13th century A.D. The first settlement in Chanthaburi was near Khao Sa Bap. The forest area, especially on the boundary between Chanthaburi and Trat, was abundant in herbs and forest products. A new city was established in 1657 A.D. at Ban Lum on the west bank of the Chanthaburi River. At the fall of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya in 1767 A.D., King Taksin the Great, then Phraya Wachiraprakan, led a photo copyright and courtesy Chanthaburi Province t ro o p o f s o m e 5 0 0 soldiers to break through and head eastward to occupy Chanthaburi. He took 5 months to store foodstuffs and recruit a troop of 5,000 Thai and Chinese soldiers to regain the independence of the kingdom. Monuments and memorials built to commemorate the historic event well reflect the pride of the people of Chanthaburi.

Thus the town of Chanthaburi is the seat of a Bishop of Chanthaburi since 1944. The Catholic Church, Chanthanimit Road on the river bank is the largest Catholic structure in Thailand. Built in 1909, it is of Gothic architectural style. The original tall roof was taken down during World War ll to make it less conspicuous as a possible target.
photo copyright and courtesy Chanthaburi Province

Now you know so Unleash Your Imagination and Film in Thailand!

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