Are you looking for how to get started on getting acting roles? Well, here’s why you should jumpstart your acting career in Thailand.

1. There is less competition

There are a lot of international movies or international productions coming to Thailand. Alas, there are not many foreign or Caucasian actors here. So chances are higher that you can get involved due to less competition. With the current situation of COVID-19, and what comes after, it’s likely there will be even less competition.

2. There are no unions

In the U.S or the UK, the amount of jobs that you can be a part of is pretty limited if you don’t have an agent or if you’re not a part of a union. But the great thing about Thailand is that they don’t have unions. Hence, you are eligible for any kind of job. You can work on any kind of production that you want if you’re fit for it. Or if you have the talent to lead the role you want! 

3. There are lots of international productions shooting here that need foreign talent

There are a lot of international productions coming here. You have international movies, Hollywood movies, Bollywood movies, movies, and series from China. They all come to Thailand because production costs are low and there are diverse talents. Speaking of diverse, Thailand is also a one-stop to find an incredible range of diverse actors—Caucasian actors, black actors, Indian actors, East Asian actors. These attract international productions to shoot here. And you can be a part of that talent pool! You can work on international productions as well as get the international experience here. You can work on films, short films, and you have a higher chance to work on commercials and any of that sort.

4. You can get experience, build a resume, build a reel that can help you to get jobs abroad

With the experience you get working in Thailand, you can build your resume, your acting reel, and your showreel. And then you can send these to international productions abroad and get jobs there. So people in Thailand can get international success from working in Thailand at first. They can build on all the things they have done here.

So jumpstart your acting career in Thailand and see how far you can take it!

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More information on how to enter the acting industry in Thailand: How to become an actor in Thailand!

By now, you’ve heard the word ‘reels’ a lot of times already. But there are different types of reels you should know about.

The first type of reel you should know about is:

1. Commercial Reel

A commercial reel should be around 1 minute long. The attention span of the casting directors you’ll be sending this to is very short. Which is why you should pack it in with your best works, your best commercials, and the many different types of characters you’ve played. This lures in their attention and shows them what you can do commercial wise.

The second type of reel you should know about is:

2. Action Reel

This should also be around a minute long. My friend, Ron Smoorenburg, who is knowledgable in the action area, mentioned that an action reel should change to the beat. So it’s recommended to have background music and every time there’s a beat, the shot should change. It’s going to short but fast-paced which means your best action shots should be in there.

The third type of reel you should know about is:

3. Acting Reel

Acting reels are common in the West—Europe and the U.S, especially. They look for acting reels if you want to get any kind of acting job there. They should be around 2 minutes long, maybe a little more but don’t over exceed. Within these two minutes, you’re focusing on dialogues and interaction with other people. Each shot should be around 15 to 20 seconds, a little more if the dialogue is really good. It’s important to show your best stuff in these 2 minutes. Start with your best work—don’t save it till the end—because people don’t have time. They’ll stop watching if it’s not a good tape without a second thought. Give an overview of your acting skills as well as the kind of characters you can portray!

The fourth type of reel you should know about is:

4. ShowReel

My reel from 2017 is pretty much of a showreel with a mixture of both the commercial and acting reel.

In Asia, a showreel is a combination of a commercial reel and an acting reel. You want to impress the casting directors as well as show them your talent in both commercial and acting. You can have some music in the background that can have a certain rhythm to it. It should be around 2 minutes long and so, it will be fast-paced. But it should not only have the dialogues and interactions. Strike a balance to accommodate the mixture of the commercial and acting reels.

3 Reasons why you should have a reel:

1. To show what you are doing as an actor (Your business card)

By showing what you’ve done so far as an actor, you’re not only just telling them, you’re showing them proof—the credibility of your talents.

2. To send to agents/casting directors for work

If you want to attract agents, you should show them what you can do. If you want to send a profile for a job you want, you should include a showreel as well.

I, myself, got booked for a couple of jobs through my showreel. I didn’t need to audition because they knew I was suitable for the job. Showreel really helps showcase your talent and the agents and casting directors can see it too if you send them yours.

3. To show that you are professional

Having a showreel is just the standard in the industry. If you don’t have a showreel, it shows the lack of seriousness in what you do. If you are serious about acting and establishing a career in this industry, you should have been—or at least, should be working on building your showreel.

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Contact Ron Smoorenburg to create your reel: ron_smoorenburg@hotmail.com

Contact Manu Zirnheld to create your reel: zirnheld.manu@gmail.com

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Subscribe to my Youtube channel!

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More information on how to enter the acting industry in Thailand: How to become an actor in Thailand 

To be perfectly honest, there are a lot of crooks out there working as so-called talent agencies. A lot of people that want to cheat you out of your money and take a higher cut.

Here are the 8 best talent agencies that I have worked with before and have made good experiences with:

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1. MasterClass Studio

We do a lot of agency work.

MasterClass Studio is specialized on international productions for commercials, TVCs, film / movies.

We work all around.

MasterClass Studio is a talent agency in Bangkok, Thailand. At the same time we do castings, provide experienced international casting directors, and we also have our own productions.

Contact MasterClass Studio Casting Agency:

Line ID: @masterclassstudio

Email: robin@masterclass-studio.com

Phone: +66869488384

Website: https://masterclass-studio.com/casting-services-bangkok-thailand/

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2. Bo Booker
Bo gets a lot of good international jobs. He used to be a talent agent only, but now he is working as casting director as well. As talent agent Bo will fight for your money and make sure you get a good rate. He works on movies, especially French ones, and commercials.

https://www.1plus1agency.com/oneu.html
Email: 1plus1agency@gmail.com
Line id is: 1plus1agency
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/1plus1agent

The other : sunlight.talents@gmail.com
Line / IG / fb: bo.booker.bkk

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3. Gug – ByUs Modeling

Gug is a good talent agent. He friendly and forthcoming. Gug pays on time and if he is free he will be there with you on set. If you don’t have a ride, he may even give you a ride back home. His standard statement for all jobs is: “The Most Urgent Task…”

https://www.facebook.com/gug.byus

byusmodeling@gmail.com

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4. Jane

Jane has been in the film industry for as long as I can remember and probably a bit longer. She works as talent agency on movie and commercial projects and also does a lot of extra-work. Jane is always friendly and professional and takes good care of her talents on set.

Line: Janemodeling

Email: starlightmodel@yahoo.com

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5. Ae Fatman – Maya Modeling

Another veteran talent agent of the industry. From the feedback I have received over the years, he has never cheated anybody, always paid on time and is there on set with you most of the time. And yes, his Line ID says Ae Fatman, and yes, he is a fat man – and proud of it.

Email: s.bunliam@gmail.com

Phone: 085 180 2211

Line ID: Fatman

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6. Candy Group Modeling

Candy Group Modeling gets a lot of jobs for kids, but they also find jobs for adults. They will setup an appointment with you and have your headshots taken (for free). Candy Group Modeling don’t give you the headshots, but it makes sure that your pictures are up to date and high quality. They are professional to work with.

fb: candygroupmodeling
(phone) 0-2001-2673
candy.modeling@gmail.com

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7. Fay Modeling

I personally have never worked with Fay, but my friends in the industry have worked with her and trust her. As talent agent she is reliable and gets a lot of work.

Email: contact.famousmodels@gmail.com
Phone: 0941642952
Line ID: famousmodels
IG: famousmodels

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8. Tori Lao-Lee

Tori is another veteran in the field. She takes care of special talents, like dancers, stunt men and other special talents for events, music videos and movies, of course. Tori’s a sweetheart with a lot of experience.

Email: willtorystudio@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/tori.laolee

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Now that I look back, all of the above, including myself, have held their talent agencies in this industry for a long time. We have proven ourselves in the field and stood out through reliability and connections.

It is mostly the new talent agencies that cause trouble and are unreliable because they are trying to get a foothold in the industry and don’t know yet how this industry works. So be wary of new agents. The ones above are the ones I trust.

Do you need headshots? Check out this page

How can being extra actor help your acting career?

When I first started my acting career in Thailand I took on extra actor work twice. The first time on Luc Besson’s “The Lady” – You can actually see me walking behind the main male character as he steps off his plane in ‘Burma’. The second time was for a TVC.

I learned two valuable lessons from doing those two extra actor parts:

1. I saw and experienced how it felt to be on set. Who is doing what and the do’s and don’ts on set.

2. I realized that this was something that I don’t want to do again.

As extra actor you are the lowest part of the chain. You are being moved around and ‘used’ as they wish. This was a feeling that I didn’t want to experience again. The hierarchy on set is very clear. Being a ‘featured’, ‘support’ or ‘main’ character has many more benefits and comes with a much better treatment on set.

People on set are also very quick to form opinions about you. Once an extra actor, it is very hard to get rid of that. I know an actor in his 50s who used to be a professional extra actor. He gets some bigger parts now, but in the community he is still know as the ‘extra’.

What did I do to become more than just an extra actor?

1. I went to castings.

A lot of them. Several castings per week. For a year. I didn’t get a single part. I still went. For the experience. I started to become more and more free. In the end I didn’t care anymore whether I would get the job or not. I started to take the castings as a chance to improvise and have fun with it. That’s when I got my first ‘featured’ part. Five days of shooting. It was an amazing experience.

I have had many many parts ever since. But I have never taken on any extra parts.

2. I got training.

In this year I joined a theatre group. I took acting classes. I joined acting workshops. I invested in myself – and I still do. Every time I made some money, I invested it back into myself. The more you invest in yourself, the more it will pay-off in the end.

I encourage you, to do a few extra jobs. Get some experience on set. Get a hang of it. Learn the ropes, the do’s and dont’s, but don’t get stuck in the ‘extra-hole’.

Go to castings and get training. Invest in yourself. There are so many things you can do as an actor. Acquire new skills to stand out from the crowd.

If you start your journey, you may be surprised where it will take you!

Good luck and enjoy your journey!

Until next time!

Robin Schroeter from MasterClass Studio

Videography: Pandit Teerachetthongplung
Editing: Pandit Teerachetthongplung

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More information on how to enter the acting industry in Thailand:
https://youtu.be/IVd-hLvZ8ww

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Follow me on…
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/robindurigan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/robin.schroeter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robin_schroeter
Blog: http://www.robinschroeter.de
Blog2: http//www.actors-thailand.com

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Phone:: +66 869 488 384
Email: robin_schroeter@hotmail.com
Line: robinschroeter

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MasterClass Studio
6/1 Ladprao 25
Junkasem, Chatuchuk
10900 Bangkok
Thailand

You are considering taking acting classes, but you are thinking, “Why do I really need them?”

1. You are investing in yourself

First and foremost, acting classes are a way of you investing in yourself. As actor, you are the product. You are the creator. You are the business. What business can run without investment?

Can you imagine a UFC fighter going into the ring without training? How high do you figure are his chances of winning?

2. You get a small part, but on set they can see you’re good at what you are doing and they make your part bigger

I have seen it many times on set. Somebody got a small part. Maybe an extra or featured extra part. On set, the person that got a bigger part cannot act. During the shooting they look around and they notice, “Hey, this guy is good” and within a few moments, you got the part! Because they like your acting, they can see what you can do, you just earned yourself a bigger part.

The same thing happens the other way around. I was on set recently, and my partner on set just couldn’t do it. From being one of the mains his scenes were cut down. While we were hired for a similar part, the focus of the camera was constantly on me. He just couldn’t pull it off. Can you imagine how frustrating that must have been for him?

3. You don’t waste people’s time on set

On set everything is about time. Budgets are lower than before. People don’t have time to get you where they need you to be. They need you to be ready. They need you do be prepared. If you are not, you will see your part dwindling very quickly.

4. You are ready for whatever comes your way

Taking acting classes gives you the tools to be able to handle whatever comes your way. Like a fighter, you know how to handle yourself in different situations. They want you to do it this way? No problem, you are ready. They want you to play it that way? No problem, you have done it before, you are ready. Like a fighter ducking and throwing punches. You are ready and can handle yourself.

5. Get hired again!

Ok, imagine this scenario: You did a great job. It only took you one or two takes to get it right every time. You were pleasant and professional to work with. The team and crew are able to go home on time or even earlier. Everybody tells you “Good job”. They are smiling at you. Shake your hand or give you a hug.

Now imagine this scenario: Every shot you had to do 10 or more times. You couldn’t pull it off. In the end they let it pass because they could see you tried your best and they are just not getting what they need. Everybody goes home late. Everybody is tired. The results suck, but there is no way to make it any better. At the end of the day they tell you “Good job”, but you can see in their eyes that they are lying. You are going home with the money, but feel that you failed that day.

Who do you think they will hire again?

You think this is only hypothetical? I have seen it happening on set. So. Many. Times.

Taking acting classes will get you ready to handle whatever is thrown your way on set. You are ready to handle yourself and the situation. You know how to work. You know what to do. And finally, if you do a good job, you will get hired again!

 

Have a great day!

 

Robin Schroeter from MasterClass Studio

“Act Like There Is No Tomorrow”

 

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More information on how to enter the acting industry in Thailand:

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