In a bizarre twist on real life, the 11 contestants from the first season of UBC's popular reality show "Academy Fantasia" recently found themselves competing against each other again.

This time though, they were playing characters in a TV reality show, competing for a B5 - million purse and living in a dungeon rather than a comfortable house. The result of their reunion - a horror flick titled "Ghost Game" - opens on Thursday at cinemas nationwide.

"The dungeon scene in particular was beset with difficulties," says director Sarawut Wichiensarn. "The underground room wasn't well ventilated. Not only was it stuffy, it was also packed tight with the 11 characters and our 15-member production team. It was really hard to fix the lights."

The horror film was inspired by the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh in Cambodia, which was originally built in 1962 as a high school and then converted into the notorious S-21 interrogation and detention centre after the Khmer Rouge took power in April 1975.

The Khmer Rouge turned the classrooms into torture chambers, detainment cells and interrogation rooms for people considered enemies of the regime. It was there where confessions were forced from people through various means of torture before they were sent to the nearby "killing field" in Choung Ek for extermination. More than 10,000 men and women and 2,000 children perished at the hands of the Khmer Rouge there, among the estimated two million Cambodians who died during the three-year Khmer Rouge domination of Cambodia.

The director travelled far to research the film, taking photos of the genocide museum and the killing field, but in the end he decided against filming on location and opted instead to shoot in Saraburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi and Rayong.

"The atmosphere out there was frightening and at the same time very sad," says Sarawut, who wore his Buddha amulet while directing several scenes.

Thanyanan "Jeen" Mahapirun plays photographer Jay; Watcharin "Mam" Jinamusi, a pretty girl Ant; Panwet "Por" Saiyaklai is a sorcerer's son, Yos; Taweesak "Kay" Pamornpol plays actor Mick; Kittilak "Jumjim" Jullasatien is pharmacist Kate; Pongsak "Off" Ratanapong is a hi-so young man, Khemthis; Seenam "Nam" Sunthorn plays a student, Khwan; Natkamol "Naen" Korsuwan is pizza delivery staffer, Koong; Chanetpaka "Noon" Korsuwan is her sister Kung; Supatsiri "Namtarn" Pathomupong is the first season winner Dao; and Pacharapol "Vit" Chanthieng is the first runner-up Yuth.

In "Ghost Game", the 11 are locked up inside the genocide museum in Cambodia and spend all their waking and sleeping hours together in front of the cameras.

The concept of the game is that the contestants must provoke the wrath of all the vengeful spirits inhabiting the faded walls of the former prison where thousands suffered and perished years before. The contestant who manages to endure the nerve-rattling atmosphere the longest walks away with Bt5 million.

Disturbed by the knowledge that the most atrocious acts of torture and murder once took place inside their improbable funhouse, the contestants quickly begin to feel trapped in a nightmare from which there is no escape. And what's worse, their panic, terror, screams and nervous breakdowns are being broadcast for a nationwide audience.

Last week, the horror film was screened for the media and the "Academy Fantasia" fanclub.

There is one particularly sensitive scene where the contestants provoke the spirits by destroying skulls and skeletons.

"I was so afraid that I turned out a lot of artificial skulls and skeletons," says the director. And even though the game show's location has been changed from S-21 to S-11, the reference to Phnom Penh's brutal past is evident.

"I don't want to bring back memories of the genocide but rather to impart a feeling of sorrow along with the story," Sarawut says.

"Ghost Game" opens at theatres nationwide on Thursday.

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Acting out the experience

How did you feel about your first time in a movie?

Por: We were all very pleased to be acting in this movie together. It was like going back to the "Academy Fantasia" home. Above all, we learnt more about acting.

How much time did you devote to acting?

Naen: We didn't know how hard or easy the movie would be, but we worked hard practising our acting skills because we wanted to do well.

How did work on expressing yourselves emotionally?

Jeen: This is the first time we have acted professionally, so we needed to get away from our image as singers.

We all have regular jobs as well as time allocated to studying, so the extra work has been tiring. But up till now it's been worth it.

Did you face many obstacles?

Senam: There were a lot of obstacles on location, especially at the abandoned dungeon, which was full of dust and spider webs.

Plus, the smoking dry ice had me gasping for breath. Other difficulties were the sunken boat, the collision of vehicles and heavy rain.

What did you do to relax while shooting the movie?

Off: We finished shooting most of the scenes at 2 or 3am but it was fun. Senam and I kidded around, while Vit and Por provided the rhythms.

What impressed you on the set?

Kay: We were very impressed with the production team. They worked from 6pm until 6am, while we took turns in shooting the scenes.

What did you enjoy the most?

Jumjim: We all loved doing the movie. At first it was difficult adjusting to a new discipline, learning our lines and then doing scenes from 4pm to 4am over the next few days.

Did you learn any lessons from your first movie?

Noon: We had the courage to make our own decisions and try out several things. We are very proud to be appearing in a full-length film.

How did you feel about taunting the spirits even if it was make-believe?

Mam: It was creepy. After I finished shooting my scene, I was going back to my accommodation by boat and on the way I saw an abandoned house where apparently the whole family committed suicide by hanging themselves.

As we went past the boat started wobbling. I laughed it off saying there was nothing to be scared about, but one of the residents said I shouldn't show contempt. Then, 10 minutes later our boat overturned.

Vit: Kay and I also had a frightening experience. When we returned to our room at the hotel, I felt like there was a cloud of smoke permeating the whole room. Both of us slept on our sides facing the window.

I woke up during the night and saw an old man sleeping with his back to Kay and looking at me... well, actually through me. I pulled the blanket over my head and started chanting religious verses.

Kay: I woke up in the dead of night when I felt someone staring at me. He was an old man and I could see his wrinkles and white hair. He was wearing white clothes. I got goose bumps all over.

I was so scared I got up.

Would you like to do another movie?

Namtarn: Acting is another step in our chosen career. We would like our fans to give us a chance and support our first movie.

Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul

The Nation