Thai Production Internships

Since its inception in 2009, LPFF has seen a marked improvement in the Lao film industry, both in terms of quantity and quality of short and feature films being produced. It\’s clear that the interest in filmmaking in Laos is growing quickly, with more companies being established specifically for the purpose, and more media freelancers getting regular work in production.

However, aside from the select few who have studied filmmaking abroad, most people have essentially learned from experience here in Laos, which, in some cases, can be limiting. LPFF felt that it was important that Lao filmmakers be exposed to larger and more established film productions outside of the country.

In September of 2015, with support from the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, LPFF selected, via an open-call, two young filmmakers who have shown great promise in Laos\’ media industries, Soulisack Vongduangdy (from KPY Entertainment) and Khamlar Keosawat (from TK Productions). These two professionals were sent on a two-week long internship on the Bangkok-based production of GMM\’s series \”Club Friday,” directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul (Love of Siam, Home).

Each day, they worked closely with the Thai filmmakers on various tasks on set, receiving a well-rounded experience in multiple aspects of film production, while also developing their own network of regional filmmaking contacts. They kept a daily log of their activities and what they learned, and were asked to think critically about how they can use their newly-gained skills on upcoming Lao productions. LPFF looks forward to following these up-and-coming talents, and their development of the local industry.