Hi-So Diary 9: Bangkok
The shooting for the second half of High Society has begun in Bangkok. Whether consciously or not, we have always avoided shooting in the city. Coming from the school of low-budget filmmaking, shooting in the middle of Bangkok poses a lot of technical problems. Most places are too loud to record dialogue, cynical urban folks charge more for location fees, and the mass of people/cars/dogs/planes increase the chances of unforeseen stuff screwing you up. Compared to this, shooting in the countryside where wind and insects are your worst enemies, seems like a breeze.
Bangkok however, is still Bangkok. Though it comprises a relatively small percentage of land area and population (once you discount all the upcountry labor), it occupies a huge space in our consciousness because of its political, economic, and cultural importance. Okay, that previous sentence sounded like something out of Wikipedia. Maybe a better way to put it is…this is where it’s at yo! So for us, finally making a movie that not only takes place here, but is about here, is a refreshing change. Practical problems aside, how do you represent a city that’s inherently unrepresentable?
After the first day of shoot, that has become the main challenge. We’ve begun in an office location on Sukhumvit and man - shout it out across the land and let it be known - shooting in an air-conditioned office is the shit! Practical problems seems to still be on her New Years vacation because our first day has been entirely smooth. The place is nice and comfy, the walls seem to be sound-proof, and there’s an amazing crab fried rice restaurant right down the street. What more can you ask for? The question now is will our footage reflect what it really feels like to live here? That’s the thing.
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