Film/tvc Acting In Bkk?

[Conan]

I am a pro-actor from Australia here for the next year or so interested in the local acting/modeling scene

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I have a ton of experience and am suited for roles for big guys, and am willing to travel, esp higher paying countrues

I have contacted two agencies here (one indian and one thai) - since I have not been asked to sign any exclusivity contracts what would be the best way to get in contact with other reputable agencies.

I cast for a TVC on sunday and made the short list already, so I am happy with that, although pay is about 10-20% of going Aus rates.

An unfinished profile can be see at www.conanstevens.com which shows I am serious with this - action, fighting scenes, villans, thugs, bad farang , etc parts are particularly easy for me

Any help, advice or pointers will be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Rinrada]

Have you got a work permit?

[Conan]

NO, but in Australia they would bring actors over to do some shoots here and the agency/producers would sort all of that out. I was assuming that it would be sorted out by any decent budget film.

I can get a business visa if required though.

Edited September 27, 2005 by Conan

[The_Moog]

In order to appear in a modest part, one won't be asked to exhibit a Work Permit. Upon receiving payment, a copy of your passport page has to be provided and there may be a small Withholding tax deduction.

I'm not aware of anybody doing acting here who has a Work Permit.

For larger productions, eg: with Stars coming here and obviously working for a lot of money, the entire permitting matter is resolved by the Production Company in conjunction with the relevant branches of the Thai Government that handle arts and tourism.

[terdsak_12]

He's a big bugger!!!!

[Bobcat]

You should contact Tony Ja, of "Tom Yum Goong" and "Ong Bak" movie fame. There was a large farang bad guy in his last film. You'd be perfect for something like that. Find out who the directors/producers of those movies were and contact them. You never know.

[steveromagnino]

You will be somewhat wasting your time contact modelling and talent agencies here, as your talents are very specialised; based on your wrestling comment I am assuming stunts, character roles and the like.

The problem is.... in Asia your massive size and stuff is not as respected as perhaps someone who can do athletic stuff...and there are a ton of locals who can do that...so it will be a case of simply being able to put yourself forward for something major.

I would suggest that a few major production houses may have use for you for advertising, which is where the big money is:

- Matching Studio

- Film Factory

- Go Getter

- Hub Ho Hin

- Siam Studio

- Kantana

The first and last three also do some other stuff as well.... going into gameshows and the like.

For movies, you want to get in touch with Sahamongkol Films and Seea Jiang is the guy who finances all the projects basically personally... they are in the IBM Building on Ari.

If you are not here, I cannot see how you will get any roles. If you are based in Aussie and they want someone here, they will scour agencies around the world to get that person, so being here won't have any major bearing on that. If you are here, you might get a few character parts, but you are going to be poorly paid; there is no way you'll earn as much as the lead male and definitely no way you'll match a lead woman. Since lead males earn as little as 20,000b a day for TV shown locally (and less for white people ever since some of the farang kee nok from Khao San got into this business) you are going to be earn way less than Australia or other markets.

Direct bookings are the way to go my man; I cannot think of a single project I have ever been involved with where someone of your stature would be required, and so that leads me to believe that for the few major roles (such as Tom Yung Goong) it will be direct booking; getting in touch with Kantana, Matching Studio, Siam Studio and Sahamongkol can be done easily enough from where you are.

Of course, most of these will use a casting house; there are probably 100 of these and many are one person shows; however I think your physique is such that someone is going to remember if they get your portfolio or faceshots stuff.

Kantana does a lot of soap operas; possibly there is work there although with no language you would be earning very little. Other soap opera companies include TV Thunder, Polyplus, Lanintus... I have listed, you can figure out internet or something to find their contact details for email.

Re. shortlists... I made almost every short list I test for, and even then my hit rate used to be around 10-15%. Your hit rate may be higher because you are a lot more special than me; however I think that you should not put too much into 1 or 2 tests; the hard part will be to build a career on such a specialist role. Bear in mind there are Thai guys who play the part of gun wielding and boxing gangsters already and they earn must less plus can play the sceen with Thai language. For most soap operas, the action scenes are shot single take 3 cameras, so it is not like you will get to use your skills. Movies and ads are where it is at, and the demand is just not so great.

If this is to be a stepping stone, that is one thing.... I would have thought USA has much more demand for this; or HK in Asia.

[steveromagnino]

I reread and you are here already!

Ah...ok. Well, regarding the work permit, technically you need it, and you WILL have problems if you acheive some success then decide you want to stay; or you reach a higher status; the police may decide to see you.

Or more likely, some other dodgy person may dob you in, and then avoid paying you/get the work you were getting/etc.

Get the permit if you are doing anything of scale with you name attached to it. You won't be hard to find.

I also suggest you might like to expand your repotoire while here; Muay Thai is on a whole other level; you won't find anyone for sparring but you may be able to learn some new moves anyway.

Best of luck; if I know of any relevant job I will private message you. I haven't worked in this indsutry a while though :-)

[The_Moog]

You will be somewhat wasting your time contact modelling and talent agencies here, as your talents are very specialised; based on your wrestling comment I am assuming stunts, character roles and the like.

Yes, but one needs to make a living, and a half hour job doing advertising pays the same as 2 days running around a field in a suit of armour.

The problem is.... in Asia your massive size and stuff is not as respected as perhaps someone who can do athletic stuff...and there are a ton of locals who can do that..

7 ft tall Thais? No, rubbish. Anyway he's athletic, he jumps from turnbuckles for heaven sakes. Look at his photos coming off the top rope.

If you are not here, I cannot see how you will get any roles.

He is here. He said that already. Please pay attention.

Direct bookings are the way to go my man; I cannot think of a single project I have ever been involved with where someone of your stature would be required,

I can think of lots. He would have got a 'Silver Shield' role in Alexander.

Anyways, Conan is looking for slots rather better than Channel 7 dramas, and he'll get them.

Forget this obsessing about work permits, nobody takes any notice. I mean, really Conan, you've come to Bureaucracy-Grand-Cental here in this place. If you end up getting THB 1 million a day like Gary Stretch (who resides in Pattaya) worry about a Work Permit then.

Edited September 27, 2005 by The_Moog

[steveromagnino]

Yep Moog; read my second post; guess I should read more carefully.

Alexander?! I suspect that is a good example for direct bookings; local market didn't know much about that one; they sourced Hollywood style; exactly the point I am making here.... not sure who did the casting; Conan you need to find out who the casting agencies are for any of these big projects, and hook into those. The leads I gave you for production houses may be able to assist.....

Modelling agencies here look after models. Talent agencies are mostly extras and children. and maybe dogs. all poorly paid; you are well ahead of that.

Of course there are no 7 ft Thais; ppl like the athletic stuff (Thai boxing, kungfu, etc AND there are plenty of people who can do that (not that are 7 ft tall!); also they are cheap!

I am sure there are parts; but there is a big difference between doing a couple of days work a month earning 20,000b as an extra and earning a decent amount doing foreign ads and movies - I hope that the companies I listed have some of the second type available.

For locally produced movies, FYI big guy, the Thai leads often earn as little as 200,000 working full time for up to 3 months; the movie business is not where the money is for most of them; the top soap opera actors actually make more. That's why you rarely see top actors in the movies.

Of course, Tom Yung Goong and a few other films are exceptions, but in general of the 50 local movies made a year, most are fairly low budgets... if you can hook into the foreign productions or advertising...well that is where it is at. Any extra work is kind of a bonus.

Also...work on your Thai skills; who knows, there may be some use for that; and it is easy enough since you are here already.

[The_Moog]

Steve - fair dinkum, but your numbers are way over-the-top.

a couple of days work a month earning 20,000b as an extra

Thai leads often earn as little as 200,000 working full time for up to 3 months;

Even as a credited part in a movie, THB 10,000 a day is 200% the normal fee !

For an extra its more like THB 1500 baht a day now tops.. I've got a gig in October that pays THB 2000 per day and thats good !

For a Thai actor lead in a big movie, shooting over a month- 6 weeks it may be just THB 80,000.

Edited September 27, 2005 by The_Moog

[steveromagnino]

Well, I quote based on the numbers i know; never have worked as an extra, but my girlfriend makes this much; then again she has a fairly unique look and so one country's ads shot here who tend to pay well like her in the background. Again, I am rereading what I wrote and wondering how I ever passed english?! She earns that a month working a few days (and going to well more castings than that sometimes).

I have been offered/in discussion for movie leads, and that is about what the lead role pays; it could have dropped a lot in the last 2 years, but I would guess some productions are around the numbers I am talking... no matter what though this is still a pretty poor amount of change when we consider 5 days a week...for 3 months.... long hours... and all that for only 200k! - 3 months at 200k is not so different to 1 month at 80k BTW; I think you are probably on the lower end; I am on the upper end but the picture compared to a western market is not so good in this business....

But to put in perspective, I know the lead of 999 earned 1m for about 2 months of work, so it does depend to some degree... and that is so much the case for this business - one role in a 3 days ad can pay 1.6m; then the same role for a simliar company taking a similar amount of time can pay 15k.... and there is no rhyme or reason to it at all!

I think the money is easiest made on ads; they have the best budget per second of film....plus some of the trick tools in the business - motion master and so on; well they can afford to use that for the ads... but not always for the films.

Good luck for the gig in Oct Moog :-) Enjoy the set food...that was always my favourite bit

[The_Moog]

I am on the upper end

Pfft ! Heh heh Heh !

[steveromagnino]

Man, I have to take another english course...

I mean... you estimate lower pay, I estimate higher pay...

I am in no way on the hoity toity upper end of anything!

All good Moog...you be a well good synthesizer innit.

[Conan]

Great information, thanks guys.

I'll get in touch with the agencies you recommended Steve.

And thanks for the help Moog.

You're right in that I need to meet these guys so that they know I am available, otherwise there is no chance they will cast for someone my size.

I would like to be Thai Action Movie Star - recognised in every Thai restraunt around the world

I want to use the local films to get more experience and move on to more lucrative countries later. Though the acting is not my full time career I certainly make time for it as often as I get work and I am enjoying being here at the moment.

It seems that there are a few European (French) movies shot here and near-abouts too - something we never see in Australia, that would be interesting as I plan on going to live in .eu for a while if my plans go well.

As to learning Thai I am up to Khao, Gai and Nam so at least I can get food and water

[highonthai]

I'm in the film industry here in Los Angeles. Tough biz. Over the years have seen many a actor wait tables waitng for their break....

I'm a 2nd AC (assistant camera) and use to do stunt work. Here is a link to a CNN interview I did a few yeays ago.

http://checkersoffroad.com/videos/CNN%20interview.wmv

[steveromagnino]

I don't think that it is that easy to move from market to market.... I used to get a lot of work here, but when I went to Singapore where my look is still good, it was like starting from scratch again....

I would say that personal contacts, the right agent and so on are tough to get... you sort them out and you are ready to bat....

So getting some basic experience here is good, but you have to hope that somehow you'll meet the right person who can take you to USA; tough tough market otherwise.

[Conan]

I agree, otherwise my move from Australia would be easier. Finding the right agent is definitely the hardest/most important part. But you have to have experience too.

Asian markets being close to each other you will meet others who have contacts and can make the jump easier.

Personal skills and experience do move with you, and additional experience from one Asian market will transfer more readily into another Asian market as the movies types are similar.

I don't know why everyone assumes the US is the holy grail of the industry, there are more films, more money and more opportunities floating around in the Asian/Indian markets.

Sooner or later if you do something of note the US will come knocking and offer you the "big ticket" - Tom Young Goong style.

Though a girl I know is doing very well in Bollywood at the moment and absolutely loves it. Whereas I personally know 2 people who were doing well in the US and left because of all the bullshit that goes on there.

Or you could spend the last 19 years in the gym pumping iron, learning pro-wrestlling, unarmed combat, melee combat, and small arms, taking on small acting roles, etc in preparation to then move to a market where action movies proliferate.

Or you could have a real business and just do the acting because it is fun.

Edited October 3, 2005 by Conan

[steveromagnino]

Conan -

all very true... for myself, I chose to be a big fish in small pond rather than tiny minnow in massive lake of Hollywood....worked for a while, never made the big money but enough to be happy with, well, 1 million baht paycheck for a single job; that was the best i did regionally....so there is some money to be made, even for a fairly talentless sod like myself :-)

I also know someone kicking butt in Bollywood and India; more on the modelling side than acting....is the person you know 1/2 Thai 1/2 English?!

For action, and your style of action, I really do think HK is probably where it is at, but I am not expert in this particular market; I know the Tony Jaa guys and his gang are all well skilled and train super hard; this may become another centre for that kind of stuff..... plus with so much more stuff being shot overseas these days....well it is all good to live here and do something other than the WAM of LA.

[sabaijai]

Steve - fair dinkum, but your numbers are way over-the-top.

a couple of days work a month earning 20,000b as an extra

Thai leads often earn as little as 200,000 working full time for up to 3 months;

Even as a credited part in a movie, THB 10,000 a day is 200% the normal fee !

For an extra its more like THB 1500 baht a day now tops.. I've got a gig in October that pays THB 2000 per day and thats good !

For a Thai actor lead in a big movie, shooting over a month- 6 weeks it may be just THB 80,000.

Thai TVCs can pay well. I'm auditioning for a TVC role this week that pays THB30,000 a day for two days' shooting. Probably won't get it, but someone will ...

[The_Moog]

If you come across Joe Cummings, the Lonely Planet guy, ask him for tips.

He was at the Mysterious Island audition to be cast as a pirate.

[steveromagnino]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai TVCs can pay well. I'm auditioning for a TVC role this week that pays THB30,000 a day for two days' shooting. Probably won't get it, but someone will ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depending on the category, that definitely sounds about right for most work, with liquor, main lead roles in beauty and electronics paying quite a bit more sometimes....best of luck with it; always grease up the casting agents; they only present about 3 of the multitude that audition, so it is well worth while making sure that you are one of the 3,....

[Rinrada]

I was a token yank extra in a war film in V/N about 10 years ago and although there was no pay we did get some nosh and a few beers later.

Lots of fun rolling about in the mud and shooting the "cong" until I got blown up.(noisey bugg...s)

Dont know if /when and where it was ever released but I was the one who says ....Mooove out...... ...sort of kentucky accent ...think.

Also one of our members was Doctor Bill in the Thai soap (again about 10-12 years ago)believe called Rak-Rak-rak-ran...or something....anyone remember it?

Tom Cruise eat yer heart out.....