I’ve just read an article in the hollywood reporter that insiders say the mass street protests in Bangkok have had a limited impact on movie projects, but they worry prolonged conflict or an outbreak of violence could threaten the country’s reputation as the go-to destination in Southeast Asia. www.hollywoodreporter.com – problems in bangkok
My comments regarding this situation are -
- With a good fixer / local production company, you won’t see the political strife, as us local experts will work hard to avoid it
- The protests may not have impacted current shoot projects – but what about future ones? I’m sure the Thai Film and Television Office are not exactly working at break-neck speed to get new filming requests approved (for many reasons – including their inability to get to the office to process them)
- Reputation….Dah…Of course it’s hurting Thailand’s reputation – in some way, shape or form. It affects all industries. At the forefront is tourism – but that will flow into others, including the film industry
- Let’s hope that the film industry, and those who make decisions on where to shoot their projects, don’t ‘clump’ all SE Asia countries into this political turmoil. Neighbours of Thailand – Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia are all functioning normally.
- Producers – why not consider other countries in SE Asia as a suitable location/place to shoot? Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia are definitely options for asia based shoots. *If you do decide to come, you may want to ‘cherry-pick’ some talent from Thailand, and get them the appropriate visas/work permits for other locations
- Isn’t it time that other countries got the opportunity to support large overseas movie projects? It’s not only Thailand and Philippines that have the talent (though they do have a big head-start)
- Production companies like Beach House Pictures (Singapore) , In Focus Asia and CreaTV (Vietnam) are three production companies in SE Asia that could provide support to large productions.
- Make sure you higher reputable and trustworthy local consultants, fixers, production coordinators who will keep you up to dated with events and not ‘sugar coat’ the bad news (if and when the shooting starts).
Let’s hope Thailand can sort out all their political dramas, and get back to a safe environment for all.