Tips for filming in Thailand

Original post is from KFTV

Thailand is one of the most popular countries in Asia for filmmakers and not just because of low production costs. The territory has excellent infrastructure especially for production equipment, plus with picturesque views and friendly locals the nation has become a production hotspot.

Dozens of foreign films were shot in Thailand, including Hollywood movies: James Bond 007: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974); The Beach (2000); Around the World in 80 days (2004) and Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason (2004) to name a few.

In 1923, Miss Suwanna of Siam, a romantic film, written and directed by Henry MacRae was filmed in Thailand starring Thai actors, making the project Hollywood’s first co-production with the country. After this filmmaking flourished and still continues to attract foreign film producers. In recent years, Bollywood projects have also chosen Thailand as the preferred location for their movies.

So if you are planning to shoot a film in Thailand, here are some helpful tips to keep handy.

• Shooting Permit – Remember shooting without a permit is a violation of law. This permit must be taken from the Thailand Film Office. Filmmakers are required to hire a Thai coordinator that is officially registered with Thailand Film Office, Office of Tourism Development, to help obtain permits as there are procedures to follow both before and after it is granted. They can also help out in contacting local crews you may need for your production.
  
  However, separate permits are issued for specific locations such as, National Parks and Historical Parks; you should arrange this if necessary in advance of shooting dates. You can apply for these permits at One-Stop-Service Centre for other types of productions e.g. Feature Films, Docu-dramas, TV dramas, Mini-Series and Reality Shows. Applications should be made at the Thailand Film Office at least 14 days (10 working days) in advance as script approval must be sought from the Film Board.

• Know the fees – There is no fee for obtaining a filming permit, however after the approval a representative from the Thailand Film Office is required to attend the shoot and all his/her expenses has to be covered by the production company depending upon your kind of permit and location. Location Fees - this fee depends upon the location and the discussion with your Thai coordinator.


• Production Crews – Since Thailand has a good experience with foreign film projects their production costs are very reasonable compared with other countries in the area.They have also established a very good reputation in providing top of the line crews. Your Thai coordinator can help you out on where to find the best crews in town or you can always search ahead of time.


• Language – It is always good to mingle with the local crews in order to learn some words or phrases to have a smoother production workflow.


• Culture – Prior to your arrival in Thailand, we recommend that everyone should at least brief themselves with the do’s and don’ts in the country. Thais have several social customs that you should be aware of:

1. Thais greet one another with a ‘Wai,’ the traditional closed hands and a slight bow of the head, younger people will usually initiate the wai. More recently, western visitors will generally receive a handshake on meeting.
2. Thais consider the head a sacred part of their body. One therefore should not touch anybody’s head. Apologize immediate if you happen to touch anyone’s head by accident.
3. Thais consider the feet lowly and therefore one should not put his feet on a table or chair or point it at people or objects.
4. Expressing sexual feeling in public is unacceptable in the Thai culture.
5. Showing an image of the Thai National Flag on packages or goods is allowed only if done by government’s agencies and for commercial purposes with approval.  
6. Clean water and proper utensils should be used during the Songkran Festival or the Thai New Year and water should not be thrown at those who do not wish to be part of the celebration.

• Weather- Thailand is a tropical country and its climate depends on three seasons. Hot-Dry Season: Feb-May where average temperature may be 34˚c with 75% humidity. Wet Season: June-Oct with average temperature of 29˚c with 87% humidity. Cool Season: Nov-Jan with average temperature of 32˚c to 20˚c and a drop in humidity.

When all is set, welcome to Thailand and enjoy your stay.

Thailand Location Series: The Northern Beauty

Thailand is increasingly becoming a popular destination for the productions from all over the world. In one of our last blog, we covered reasons for shooting in Thailand despite the lack of incentives. In this new series of blogs, we cover locations from each part of the country.  Many might already know of the locations we will cover. A few we believe are unknown to many of the international location scouts. The series will show that there is more to the country than the notorious nightlife and the beautiful beaches.

We begin with the Northern Thailand. The north of Thailand is geographically a hilly area. There are many national parks, indigenous villagers and rare wildlife and plants. The area is often hailed as the most culturally significant part of Thailand. Chiang Mai is the largest city of this part of Thailand in addition to being the second largest city of the country.

Below are few of the locations

Doi Inthanon Chedi

Doi Inthanon National Park: Imagine for a moment. A beautiful location populated by beautiful waterfalls. All around you can see the source of the rivers. And this location is located at the highest point of the country, at 2,599 meters to be exact. This is Thailand’s most well known national park and one whose beauty make your work more than enjoyable.

Doi Mae Salong plantation

Doi Mae Salong: The area’s plantation doubled for many local and international productions notably American Gangster (2007), Ridley Scott’s helmed project starring DenzelWashington and Russell Crowe. It is however a beautiful tea, coffee and fruit plantations and not drugs as depicted. It has also been featured in many productions for romantic backgrounds.

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang: This particular location is very popular for local productions for many reasons. The main reason is its location among the beautiful hills. The second is the long staircase with what is believed to be the most beautiful man made methodological serpents rambling from the entrance of the chapel to the door, on both sides of the staircase. For a shoot that covers exotic Thai temple not flanked by the usual skyscrapers of Bangkok, this is total ideal.

Doi Phu Kha

Doi Phu Kha National Park: If you have watched a little known movie titled “The Elephant King”, this location’s beauty will not be of a surprise to you. The pink flowers are in here in this park, Chomphu Phu Kha to be exact. They are in full bloom during February. This location has been a favorite for both local and international productions alike. Permits can be applied for and accommodation services inside the park are available.  

Some of the international productions shot here in Northern Thailand included American Gangster (2007), Rambo(2008), Rambo 3 (1988), Surf Ninjas (1993), Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), TheElephant King (2006), Somewhere (2004), Hot Potato (1976) and Sniper 3 (Video2004).  Northern Thailand has also been featured in the famous TV series “The Amazing Race”. Lost in Thailand(2012), the highest grossing Chinese movie was also shot around in the area. 

In the next series, we will move downward to cover the beautiful locations in the north western.

Top 5 Tips For Filming Abroad

The original post is by Nia Genelis of Global Media Desk for KFTV

As anyone in this industry knows, filming can be a complex business, with obstacles and hurdles to overcome even for the shortest project. Shooting in another country can present very specific challenges as well as rewards, with plenty of research to be done ahead of time.

When done correctly however, venturing beyond your borders can be a once in-a-lifetime event. So how do you ensure a drama-free shoot in a foreign country? The experts at Global Media Desk have put together a list of tips, tricks and advice to make your shoot a complete and total success.

1. Plan ahead

When arranging crews, permits, visas, travel, hotels and other services, book as far in advance as possible. Booking ahead of time will ensure that you get the best rates and save a lot of money.

Also, don’t forget the time difference. If you’re reading this during the daytime in the United States, it is already evening in Europe. And in Asia, it’s already tomorrow. So, if you happen to be organising a shoot in either of these regions, and you’re based in Berlin, you’re already a day behind.

You can look at the KFTV country guides to find time zones of 149 countries around the world, or visit sites such as the Time Difference Calculator.

2. Things you need before you travel

Some countries require visas to be obtained in advance. This process can take anything from one week to one month to complete. KFTV has details on specific visa requirements and where to find them listed country by country. Or you can refer to VisaHQ.

Another vital point to remember before you travel is that voltage and power outlets vary around the world. You should have the right plug adapters and power converters before setting off. Most plug adapters do not convert the power.

Laptops and video cameras usually have built-in converters, but you will need to buy a separate power converter for all other devices. If your voltages don’t match you could end up blowing a fuse. You can find a list of electrical systems around the world here.

3. Go local

By working with local film crews in the country or region you are shooting in, you end up killing two birds with one stone.

First of all, you reduce or eliminate travel expenses considerably, and save on having to ship in large amounts of equipment. This can often incur customs fees, not to mention the hefty extra baggage charges at check-in.

Secondly, and most importantly, you will be working with people who know the local terrain, language, and customs. This kind of local knowledge is the single most effective way of reducing potential problems, because your locally based team will know how to avoid country-specific risks.

4. Know the local laws, customs, do’s & don’ts

Imagine your reaction if your production had to be shut down because you did not get the right permit, or decided to shoot on a major local holiday when everything was closed? What would happen if you chose to shoot on a forbidden location, or didn’t follow the specific local shooting code?

You can spend quite a lot of time researching the filming laws in your destination country, checking with the local film commissions and other government organisations.  Alternatively, hire a local fixer, scout or production assistant who knows the right people and permits, and who can take care of everything prior to your arrival, thus saving you valuable time.

5. Have fun

Don’t forget what a gift it is to travel and to have the opportunity to discover new places and people. If possible, schedule some time to get out there and explore a little.

Your local crew will probably have some great advice on places to visit in the area. Enjoy yourself; you won’t regret it