webfact Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 By Cod Satrusayang Thailand’s film crews are sought after. Directors and producers around the world want to work with Thai film crews because of their low cost and high professionalism. Though Thailand likes to boast about its beautiful locations and diverse environments as major selling points to international movie and commercial productions, the biggest drawing points for foreign films to Thailand has been our crew. From grips to costumes to props to set construction, decades of experience have contributed to a mature and highly competitive industry. That is why Thai film crews are even flown abroad to places like Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea to work on film production. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/37473/thai-film-crews-are-sought-after-across-the-world-why-then-do-thai-films-lag-so-far-behind/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-02-14 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isaanlife Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 (edited) Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea are not across the world. Edited February 14, 2022 by Isaanlife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Misterwhisper Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 If the penny finally drops with Thai film makers that not each and every film MUST have a token villainous transvestite, foul-mouthed maid or ridiculous ghost woven into the story... that might be a good start. Oh, and please do away with the comically melodramatic over-acting that is so prevalent in Thai films. Good looks alone shouldn't be the sole criteria by which to choose the main cast. And because cinematic movies are no low-brow soap operas or childish game shows, the assorted cartoonish sound effects (bang, clang, hoot, whistle!) are superfluous, too. 16 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Farang Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 23 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said: If the penny finally drops with Thai film makers that not each and every film MUST have a token villainous transvestite, foul-mouthed maid or ridiculous ghost woven into the story... that might be a good start. Oh, and please do away with the comically melodramatic over-acting that is so prevalent in Thai films. Good looks alone shouldn't be the sole criteria by which to choose the main cast. And because cinematic movies are no low-brow soap operas or childish game shows, the assorted cartoonish sound effects (bang, clang, hoot, whistle!) are superfluous, too. Steady on, next you'll want to ban the practise of people jumping from one body to another in Thai movies. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Thai films do not lag behind in Thailand! They only lag in countries in non Thai speaking countries. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jacko45k Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 9 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said: Thai films do not lag behind in Thailand! They only lag in countries in non Thai speaking countries. Everywhere else then? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikke1959 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 especially horror movies, where people can scream ..... I think. Because screaming is common in all movies. It seems that nobody can talk normally...But for me Beautiful Boxer is a favorite.. It shows they can do good movies 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, jacko45k said: Everywhere else then? Films tend to be language based. The issue is the disparity between the quality of the Thai film crews and their lack of international success but it is exactly the same with Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, French productions..etc etc. Their strength is their home market. Bollywood is bigger than Hollywood. Portugal is the biggest European film producer but non of these place have international audiences..The question posited by the OP very easy to answer. As I have explained its a matter of linguistics. The real issue is the Hugh esteem Thai film crews and sound crews are held in. AMAZING THAILAND! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dddave Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 I've worked in a lot of TV commercials and have had small roles in a few movies shot here in Thailand and have always been impressed by Thai film crews. There are no SAG work rules here. Shoots often go from dawn to midnight and not a lot of comfort provided yet the crews are always on point and fast at what they do. One of the pleasures for me working on set was watching lighting, set and camera crews transitioning from one scene to another, working fast but usually staying out of one another's way. Everyone has their own specific task and their skills are impressive. One shocking and disturbing thing is the total lack of work rules for young children. I have worked on several commercials involving large numbers of very young kids, from 3 to 6 years old and no allowance is made for them. They are expected to be available for costume and make up at 6AM (a parent always accompanies the kids and stays throughout the shoot) and shooting usually starts around 9AM. Getting large groups of young kids to stay attentive and act in unison is not easy and directors and especially assistant-directors can be pretty harsh at times...there are a lot of tears. It is not unusual for these shoots to last well beyond 6PM with minimal breaks. One commercial for an ice cream company started at 5AM and didn't finish until after 11PM. The kids (and parents) were totally blitzed. This could never happen in most Western countries. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hotchilli Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 3 hours ago, webfact said: From grips to costumes to props to set construction, decades of experience have contributed to a mature and highly competitive industry. That is why Thai film crews are even flown abroad to places like Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea to work on film production. Cheap labour... that's all. 10 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer2021 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 7 minutes ago, dddave said: I've worked in a lot of TV commercials and have had small roles in a few movies shot here in Thailand and have always been impressed by Thai film crews. There are no SAG work rules here. Shoots often go from dawn to midnight and not a lot of comfort provided yet the crews are always on point and fast at what they do. One of the pleasures for me working on set was watching lighting, set and camera crews transitioning from one scene to another, working fast but usually staying out of one another's way. Everyone has their own specific task and their skills are impressive. One shocking and disturbing thing is the total lack of work rules for young children. I have worked on several commercials involving large numbers of very young kids, from 3 to 6 years old and no allowance is made for them. They are expected to be available for costume and make up at 6AM (a parent always accompanies the kids and stays throughout the shoot) and shooting usually starts around 9AM. Getting large groups of young kids to stay attentive and act in unison is not easy and directors and especially assistant-directors can be pretty harsh at times...there are a lot of tears. It is not unusual for these shoots to last well beyond 6PM with minimal breaks. One commercial for an ice cream company started at 5AM and didn't finish until after 11PM. The kids (and parents) were totally blitzed. This could never happen in most Western countries. Kids are tough here. They will survive what you describe. Nothing compared to rice paddy workbook dawn to dusk.. Unions helped destroy the British Film Industry which saw a renaissance once their power was diminished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hotchilli Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 3 hours ago, Isaanlife said: Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea are not across the world. It is for most Thais... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Thailand does actually possess some film talent, and they have made some good films in the past, and many foreign films have been done here, using local talent. I have no idea why there are not more films made, that are finer quality, and artistic. Not referring to the junk that is churned out, but the more serious films. Not enough of an audience for the work? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj230 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Ive yet to hear of Thai film crews being sought after 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josephbloggs Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 22 minutes ago, hotchilli said: Cheap labour... that's all. Cheap jibe and, as usual, utterly incorrect. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josephbloggs Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 35 minutes ago, dddave said: I've worked in a lot of TV commercials and have had small roles in a few movies shot here in Thailand and have always been impressed by Thai film crews. There are no SAG work rules here. Shoots often go from dawn to midnight and not a lot of comfort provided yet the crews are always on point and fast at what they do. One of the pleasures for me working on set was watching lighting, set and camera crews transitioning from one scene to another, working fast but usually staying out of one another's way. Everyone has their own specific task and their skills are impressive. Yes, this is all correct. Thai crews work with incredible efficiency, speed and skill - everyone knows their role and they carry out their work as a single well oiled machine, it's very cool to watch them work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poskat Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 thai film crews just execute the creative vision of the director, i.e., they just do what they are told to do. The lack of creativity and understanding what makes a good film by those responsible for the content are the ones responsible for thai films not being on the level that they are in other countries. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdey Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Not enough artistic integrity. Steal ideas and make a buck before moving on. They won’t spend money on local films because they can’t sell to China and the US. Auteurs here are few and far between. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hotchilli Posted February 14, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2022 29 minutes ago, josephbloggs said: Cheap jibe and, as usual, utterly incorrect. On the contrary, take South Korea as an example, it makes superb films, has a plethora of dramas, variety shows, other entertainment shows, not to mention a huge music industry. But they all come at a cost, one way to cut that expense is to bring in cheap set-labour to meet the budget. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawadee1947 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 5 hours ago, webfact said: Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea True, these countries are the hub of international block busters ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveE13 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 50 minutes ago, hotchilli said: On the contrary, take South Korea as an example, it makes superb films, has a plethora of dramas, variety shows, other entertainment shows, not to mention a huge music industry. But they all come at a cost, one way to cut that expense is to bring in cheap set-labour to meet the budget. I do like alot of Asian made films especially some of the Korean and Japanese made ones 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drake Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 (edited) The industry in Thailand isn't big enough to support the type films dreamed about in this article. Filmmakers end up a lot of the time working in advertising and making commercials in order to eat and take on film projects when the money sometimes comes together. The industry here is also small. Everybody knows everyone else who is involved. Hang around for a year or so and you'll run into just about everybody. Lots of scuzzy Westerners here too, trying to survive on the margins mostly or hustle soft porn and video work. At the bottom, production services in Thailand is a race to the bottom in terms of pricing. Lots of people want in and are desperate. Problem is, not many people can write stories. Manipulate cameras, lights, and equipment (although notably weak on sound), yes, but hard to find scripts. (I wish they would stop bringing old Joe into all these stories about the Thai industry. Fact is, he's repetitive and an emperor without any clothes.) Edited February 14, 2022 by John Drake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H1w4yR1da Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 4 hours ago, Misterwhisper said: If the penny finally drops with Thai film makers that not each and every film MUST have a token villainous transvestite, foul-mouthed maid or ridiculous ghost woven into the story... that might be a good start. Oh, and please do away with the comically melodramatic over-acting that is so prevalent in Thai films. Good looks alone shouldn't be the sole criteria by which to choose the main cast. And because cinematic movies are no low-brow soap operas or childish game shows, the assorted cartoonish sound effects (bang, clang, hoot, whistle!) are superfluous, too. And Thai TV still features the mentally-challenged in comedy skits. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermike007 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 1 hour ago, DaveE13 said: I do like alot of Asian made films especially some of the Korean and Japanese made ones The Japanese are easily the most talented and creative in SE and East Asia. But, they have the budgets and strong local markets, as they have highly defined culture. Also, Japanese cinema has a following worldwide. Their anesthetics are unmatched. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thingamabob Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 Don't confuse Thai movies with Thai soaps. The Thais have made some excellent movies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humqdpf Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 4 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said: Kids are tough here. They will survive what you describe. Nothing compared to rice paddy workbook dawn to dusk.. Unions helped destroy the British Film Industry which saw a renaissance once their power was diminished. The last time I looked the British Film Industry was doing rather well. The post production speciality based in a certain part of London ran into some problems with Brexit (who didn't) and covid had an effect. But it seems that the UK is making a huge amount for the 'made for TV' and the streaming services, where the real growth is, apparently. By the way, I am not British although I lived there for ten years. So no axe to grind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Meeseeks Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 28 minutes ago, Thingamabob said: Don't confuse Thai movies with Thai soaps. The Thais have made some excellent movies. I'm struggling to name one... Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Street Fighter... all keek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clivebaxter Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 13 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said: I'm struggling to name one... Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Street Fighter... all keek. Monrak Transistor, saw it 3 times at Ekami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H1w4yR1da Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 1 hour ago, Thingamabob said: Don't confuse Thai movies with Thai soaps. The Thais have made some excellent movies. Which ones? I can think of 4 or 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzaa09 Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 8 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said: Thai films do not lag behind in Thailand! They only lag in countries in non Thai speaking countries. Indeed. So that might apply to all films that aren't English-language worthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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