• Share |
• 
• 

After a long career in show business, GTH producer Visute Poolvoralaks has donned a director's cap to realise the dream that was forefront in his mind when he signed up as a rookie with a film company 25 years ago. His debut, one of five shorts in the horror omnibus "Haa Phrang" ("Phobia 2"), marks the first time he has called "action" and "cut!"

"When I started, I really wanted to be a director. Now, at 51, that feeling has evaporated so when I was first asked to direct a segment, my first answer was no," he says.

He was asked to step in on the "Haa Phrang" project following Yongyooth Thongkong-toon's serious car accident during the filming of his "Khwamjum Sun Tae Rak Chan Yao" ("Best of Times"). Yongyooth was set to direct a segment for "Haa Phrang", which needed to start filming. Other GTH directors pleaded with the studio chief and he reluctantly agreed. He says his duties on the set were mainly supervisory, as he had plenty of help from a recovering Yongyooth as well as producer-director Jira Maligool and Komkrit Treewimol, who was working as acting coach for the cast.

His contribution to the new horror flick is "Hong Tiang Ruam" ("Ward") and stars singer-actor Worawech "Dan" Danuwong as a teen hospitalised after a motorbike accident. He shares his room with an old man (Kecha Plainwithee) who is in a coma with his family about to pull the plug.

Out of control

Visute says that while he had every shot clear in his head after reading the script, the actual shooting wasn't quite as clear cut. "Everything was late and there was so much I just couldn't control," he says.

But he admits the experience taught him a valuable lesson about what his directors go through on the set. He says that while directing is not difficult, it is depressing to have to work to a schedule.

"Afterwards I asked my filmmakers if being a director could be described as happy work," he says.

"The truth is exactly as Jira has told me time and time again: if we want perfection, we need to invest time and money. I don't know whether he had a hidden agenda in making me understand that through this project," says Visute with a laugh.

Asked how he sees his movie coming out, the producer says it's up to standard but nothing exciting.

"It is like made-to-order food, not really different from the basic recipe. And it's quite a short film, so there's no real surprise in the story. Maybe if I had the opportunity to direct a full-length feature, it would be a little more exciting and interested," he says.

Does that mean he's eyeing a new project?

"No," he says firmly. "It may be years before - or if - I ever want to do it again."

 WHAT GOES BEFORE

>> Visute founded Tai Entertainment, which produced Nonzee Nimbutr's 1999 hit ghost drama "Nang Nak".

>> Tai Entertainment merged into GTH with GMM Pictures and Jira Maligool's Hub-Ho-Hin in 2003 after the successful co-production of "Fan Chan".

>> "Haa Phrang" is a follow-up to the 2008 four-part anthology "See Phrang" ("4Bia").

>> Other directors of "Haa Phrang" are Banjong Pisanthanakun, Paween Purikitpanya, Parkpoom Wongpoom and Songyos Sugmakanan.

 >> "Haa Phrang" opens in theatres on Wednesday.