Thai Director Shows On-Set Photo

Forty or 50 people watched as Thiti Srinuan defecated on camera during a film shoot. Srinuan, the director of the Thai blockbuster “The Undertaker,” shared a photo of the moment during a panel at Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei. The scene comes from his time as a supporting actor with Taibaan Studio, where he played a character described as crazy. The production chose to have him use the bathroom for real rather than rely on props.

Srinuan entered the film industry as an extra and supporting player. The crew consisted of a small group from rural Thailand with limited formal training. He volunteered to write scripts and assist with directing, working on five films in those capacities. Those early projects were shown primarily to audiences in Thailand’s northeastern Isan region. A viral music video convinced Srinuan that films from the region could reach a wider audience. When no other director took his script, he directed “The Undertaker” himself.

The 2023 film became the highest-grossing Thai movie in nine years. It earned more than THB700 million, or $20.8 million, at the box office. The franchise is built on the language and culture of the Isan region. A sequel arrived earlier this year. Srinuan noted that before “The Undertaker” succeeded, much of the Taibaan universe was funded by revenue from online music videos.

Srinuan’s approach to filmmaking mirrors his work in music videos. He constructs features from segments four to five minutes long, similar to the length of a typical music video. He places these segments end to end to reach a two-hour runtime. This method suits audiences accustomed to short-form content, though some viewers find the emotional shifts jarring. Srinuan compares this to life, where laughter and sadness often alternate.

Marketing strategy has shifted with the rise of user-generated content. Srinuan said the studio values comments more than likes or shares. A trailer is expected to reach roughly 20,000 shares and 2 million views without paid advertising. If viewers focus on an unexpected character in the comments, the marketing team adjusts the campaign to feature that character. Srinuan also adopted a Marvel-style approach of announcing a slate of films before scripts are written to maintain momentum.

Srinuan took on marketing classes after finishing the first “Undertaker” film. The movie opened only in Isan to build a core fan base before expanding to other regions. He likened this strategy to a forest surrounding a city. The director noted that the success of “The Undertaker” has encouraged Thai YouTubers to make features, assuming their followers will automatically buy tickets. He warned that if the first viewer has a negative experience, the rest of the audience may decide to stay home.

Srinuan’s music videos have passed 4 billion combined views. He often asks clients for a share of view revenue instead of a flat fee. This arrangement means he earns nothing if a video fails, which pushed him to learn marketing. He has applied the same model to his films, asking to be paid from ticket sales rather than a fixed fee. The team raised THB2 million, or $59,000, for the first Taibaan film, which grossed THB35 million.