A script writers workshop presented by two Thai experienced experts: Lecturer Nathaphon Amorntut from Siam University, Bangkok and Mr. Phairat Chaikaweephun specialized in doubling music of films, took place at Park Cafe (2nd floor, or 1st floor by British call) opposite L' Institut Pasteur, near Calmette Hospital on Preah Monivong boulevard, Phnom Penh.
The seminar -- coordinated by Prof. Khem Chan SoAkHaing ឃឹម ច័ន្ទសុអហំ and Mrs. Sreychhouk, General Manager of Chlang Den Production and sponsored by Mr. Ly Bun Hien, owner of this entertainment company -- initially scheduled from 8 to 11 am, started around 8:30 and prolonged to 1:30 pm, with a Cambodian writer Mak Suong (who speaks Lao, and Thai to some extent) on the mic helping the two Thai-speaking presenters with interpreting for the event.
Two movies, a 30-minute film by Prof. Nathaphon Amorntut and his now-defunct friend that won World Number One Award of short films at International Films Festival in the past, and recognized by The USA's Defense and Foreign Affairs Ministries, as asserted by the artist himself and another 90-minute-long film by unnamed foreign artists -- were screened along with their interpretation for the seminar followed by a Q&A session.
Phairat who spent one year learning music in Australia after gaining his bachelor's in music from a Thai college showed his skill playing an electronic instrument to tune the environment. Of those pieces of music, some are Khmer tunes, he said of his knowledge of Khmer musical sources.
A girl student at Build-Bright [Private] University in Phnom Penh Serey Sang, a young Khmer rapper was spotted, recognized and asked by Mr. Nathaphon to perform her skill before the audience who applauded her. The Thai presenter went on saying if he made a film that needed her performance he'd ask for her participation as an actress.
The attendees were asked to work in 3 groups to write film scenarios in 15 minutes. I was in Group 3 (with Hang Borin, Mrs. Ly Marady, Proeung Pranit, Chan Panha, Kettya, the girl rapper Serey Sang and another man) that discussed and wrote a short story on Hang Boring's theme, just each of us put some inputs to develop it: A widow liked buying second hand goods from different countries. The initial [dead] owners of the items [without being observed by the tenant] came to the woman's house to be or play with their respective objects of love at the notice of her neighbours.
The items should, in Borin's initial ideas, be collected to a museum. I suggested they be ritualized in Khmer traditional ceremony -- to put some Khmer national spirit in our imagery movie for the potential viewers of it -- and before they be sent to their country of origin, to end our scenario.
Group 1 wrote about "Glasses" -- the inspiring object worn by Prof Khem Chan SokAkHaing, one of the group's members -- whereas Group 2 wrote their theme on a girl's death while having a vacation at seashore, related to the social media use.
Then, Professor Nathaphon and his co-presenter Phairat gave their thumbs up praising the three groups' works as originally good he had never heard of. "We hope to have such opportunities next time," assured Prof. Nathaphon, to the applause of the workshop participants. "We [Thai and Cambodian writers and film makers] have to cooperate," he went on.
At the end of the workshop, family-photos were taken. Apart, some posts as shown here -- with me at the centre, Lecturer Nathaphon on my right, Phairat on my left and another Thai girl kneeling on the latter's left -- were kindly shot by Mr. Ly Bun Hien, the sponsor of the seminar, using my phone camera, on my request.
Thanks to all participants -- both those who were there throughout the event and those who left before the Q&A session and the practical writing of scenarios -- especially, Mr. Ly Bun Hien of Chlang Den Production, his manager Mrs. Chhouk Meas, Prof Nathaphon, Musicain Phairat, Prof SoAkHaing, the Park Café and those who read this article. My thanks also go to brother Mak Suong for taking some of my photos there.
No comments:
Post a Comment