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Recently a friend and a website reader emailed me the same day with the same advice - get the fcuk out of the third world. Great advice except for timing.
I cannot wait to get out and make a movie that actually pays me enough to allow me to think of investing instead of just surviving, or even taking a holiday to where I want to go rather than the affordable local places like a $10 hotel room in Pattaya, or a $1 hotel room in Cambodia.
But for the time being I will stay where I am, the reason for this is timing...
I have been in Thailand now for 18 months, it has taken me that long to get established in the movie industry here, many people now know me - and more importantly many people who I need to know now know of me.
Let explain what I mean in more detail. When I first got here I was limited to shooting crappy little 30 second segments as a stunt man or TV commercials. No one would hire me for a serious role even though I had experience as no one knew if I could work, or if I could be worked with. See if you are stuck on set for 6 weeks 12 hours a day with someone who is an ass then it is going to make your life hell and a lot of the foreigners living here have bad reputations.
In the movie industry, especially here in Thailand they want to see you working with others first, to see if you can act, to see if you can do your stunts professionally and to see if you are able to interact with Thai people and Thai culture on an ongoing basis. Many Western personality traits are looked down upon here.
So now after 12 months Ray Huber approaches me and says he is going to make his own movie, but he is having difficulty finding someone to write a movie script. I volunteer, we do a test day, he is overwhelmed. We agree and I am retained to write the script.
We do it, we get funding, we shoot the movie, my character is the second most shown character in the film, just after Ray, not surprising since we wrote the movie to give ourselves good parts to display our abilities.
Now while writting the script, I get called in for a meeting with Baa Ram Ewe. Now I have worked with Baa Ram Ewe twice before and got along well with everyone on set and I followed the Directors cues well. They liked my work and I did not make problems. I walked into the office to meet with Art
Baa Ram Ewe Movie Producer Art & Conan
As you can see Art and I got along well, we were joking about and having a laugh. I left with Art telling me don't worry you'll be in my movie (which is hopefully shooting in September). I am certain that I will play the lead part against Thailands #2 action star, I will be his nemisis throughout the movie. This is not set in stone but I am sure when time comes closer for contract signing that I will make a suitable impression. I had just better pick my Thai up a little more.
Now near the end of shooting Bangkok Adrenaline I was called into Baa Ram Ewe again for a different movie. 'Som Tam' (pronounced Som Tum) this is their next International movie, after the success of Tom Yum Goong they are looking at overseas markets to pull in the $$$$.
This is to be a big budget production and probably the major movie of the year from Baa Ram Ewe. I have been signed to play one of the 2 bad guys who play the nemesis (again) throughout the movie. It is a major role. There are 5 characters central to the storyline, I am one.
It also turns out that the script seems to have been re-written to incorporate me into it!!!
OK, so now I have 1 major movie in post production, 2 major movies in pre-production and then I get a phone call again from Baa Ram Ewe (they make about 12 movies a year - it is the biggest production house in Thailnd). I get called in for another audition. Day before the audition I get a call back to cancel, but come in next week for a wardrobe fitting - huh? That can only mean I already have the part. Then I get called backto delay that until after Thai New Year, so I am expecting a call this week - I am very curious as to what this movie and role is. I know it is a big production and they are looking for a 'man like a giant'.
So from 18 months from bit parts to major acting and action roles, for me to go to Hollywood now would be silly I think. I think it would be better for me to stay here and complete these movies, and take anything else that comes up this year then hit Hollywood as a major Asian Movie Star with the big exception that stops most Asian movie stars from making it in Hollywood - I am a native English speaker.
If I were to go to Hollywwod I would need enough money saved to last until I got a part, I would also have the additional problem of not having a green card. And even if I did get a part, it would not be for months that I finally started shooting and started getting pay.
Now I am not sure of the costs of living in Hollywood but I am sure that I cannot afford to live there for 6 to 12 months with no income while looking for work and going through the whole process of getting known again.
Better to wait here, and make the occassional scouting trip for 2-3 weeks at a time. Go see agents, drop off footage from the Asian movies, get to know people and most importantly arrive as a successful somebody - somebody to be taken seriously.
America is the goal but the approach has to be taken correctly and to throw away the work of the last 18 months to get where I am today would be wasteful and impulsive.
Also for those who do not know Thailand is a major emerging movie production country, there are dozens of foreign movies (including US) made here every year Alexander, Blackbeard, I'll Aux Tresors, Rambo not to mention the many Hallmark made for TV movies and the other European and East European movies shot here. To be in a major growth market is not such a bad thing either.
:)
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