Phuket

syeatman · #1 21-04-2006, 15:09

Phuket Post

A movie is due to start filming in Thailand at the start of May that will take a fictional look at people involved in the tsunami and the impact of its aftermath. The screenplay has been written by Abi Morgan, who also wrote acclaimed Channel 4 drama "Sex Traffic", and the cast will include Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo as well as Tim Roth, Hugh Bonneville and Gina McKee.

The movie will be divided into two 90 minute parts and be shown on HBO in America and the BBC in the UK. The film will cover the event from the viewpoints of a couple that are on holiday, an official from an aid agency and a diplomat sent to help locate survivors.

The film may be controversial as it attempts to deal with the politics of the tourism industry, how some governments may have downplayed the initial impact of the tsunami and also how aid agencies may have poorly targetted their relief efforts. Kudos, the production company behind BBC dramas Hustle and Spooks, is filming the movie on location in Phuket and Southern Thailand.

While some people have commented that it may be too early for a feature film about the Boxing Day disaster others point out that countless documentaries have been produced already and that feature films about subjects like the 9/11 terror attacks or even the Iraq War have also been released or are currently in production.

I've never been a fan of fictional accounts of real life stories, so will be interesting to see how this one comes out. I think inevitably it will attract a lot of criticism due to the fact that it cannot possibly cover all angles of a natural disaster that was so immense in it's scale, and indeed does not look like it will even attempt to do that.

I say leave it to the documentaries, rather see factual info than someone's interpretation of an event when they were undoubtedly not even in the affected area at the time.

LivinLOS · #2 21-04-2006, 17:04

Lots of us have already been approached and asked to do extra work.. Jock woman came by handing out flyers, giving it the hard sell of how much fun it would be (but low paid) etc... Spend days standing around a hot film set for nowt.. erm think I will pass..

I asked her how she would sort my work permit out and she just looked blank.. Then she asked if I thought they would need work permits for western extras.. Nice to see they have thought this through properly.. She pretty much got laughed out of the offshore..

Tim Roth has got some hand in this (so she claimed) but I think she was playing that up personally.. Probably more like executive producer in that he looked at the script or sat in on a financing talk or two..

EDIT sorry should have read post 1 more carefully.. Already mentions Tim Roths involvement.

jimbob6 · #3 21-04-2006, 17:07

I saw Sex Traffic, it was pretty good. Gritty and realistic. I hear they are looking for extras to be in this film. Try contacting Kudos Prodcutions if interested I think. Pay is good.

jimbob6 · #4 21-04-2006, 17:09

I heard it was 3,000 baht per day, anybody hear different?

syeatman · #5 21-04-2006, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbob6

I saw Sex Traffic, it was pretty good. Gritty and realistic. I hear they are looking for extras to be in this film. Try contacting Kudos Prodcutions if interested I think. Pay is good.

Without knowing everything about it and actually seeing a script, I wouldn't want my ugly mug to be associated with it. As you can tell I'm very sceptical of productions like this - I'm much more a factual based person - would rather watch Nat Geo/Discovery all day than watch dramas/movies etc..