David Winters Sees New Global Opportunities for Thailand’s Film Industry

An Entertainment Industry Veteran Turns to Thailand to Produce an English-Language Epic...

Second Issue (P. 87)

By Jane Delson

David Winters is a TV and film industry veteran of over fifty (50) years’ standing. As a child actor, he appeared in many television shows and Broadway productions, including "West Side Story," originating the role of Baby John. He later appeared as A-Rab in the movie version, recreating the special "Cool" dance sequence choreographed for him.

In Hollywood, Mr. Winters established himself as an exceptional choreographer, teaching dance to actors such as Ann-Margret and Raquel Welch. He also choreographed many major films, including five Elvis Presley films and Barbara Streisand's "A Star is Born"(1976). In 1967, he choreographed and guest-starred in "Movin' with Nancy", earning the first of many career Emmy nominations.

In all, David Winters has directed and produced over 200 shows, specials and movies, including the award-winning "Once Upon a Wheel" starring Paul Newman and the musical "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1973 – TV) starring Kirk Douglas. For Excellence in Television, Mr. Winters has won the Christopher Award and the coveted Peabody Award.

Firmly established in annals of the American entertainment industry, he is also a preeminent spokesperson for the film industry in Thailand, where his latest movie, "Welcome 2 Ibiza" won the Bangkok Film Festival Audience Award for Best Picture, November 2002.

Today, he is about to release his latest production, "The King Maker," an historical Thai epic of Shakespearean dimensions, filmed entirely in the English language. It is the first film to be shot in Thailand that is oriented toward a global audience…a precedent Winters hopes will attract more and more professional filmmakers to the Asian country he has come to embrace, both culturally and professionally.

"The King Maker" is based on a true story set in Sixteenth Century Siam, and recounts the tale of a ruthless Queen who sets about to murder her husband and son to install her lover on the throne. Directed by Winters’ partner, Lek Kitaparaporn, a native of Thailand, and written by Sean Casey, a young British writer whose work Winters describes as inventive and intense, "The King Maker" stars Emmy-nominated John Rhys-Davies ("Shogun," "Lord of the Rings," "The Princess Diaries") and Gary Stretch ("Alexander," "Final Combat") with actress and supermodel Cindy Burbridge ("Miss Thailand," 1996). The evil Queen Sudachan is portrayed by noted Thai actress Yoe Hassadeevichit.

Beyond its inherent dramatic appeal, "The King Maker" is lavishly costumed and filmed on stately sets, which Winters asserts would be prohibitive if shot elsewhere. "Because of its importance in the film, we had the set for the King’s bedroom priced in both London and Thailand. The quote for the British-built set significantly exceeded $1,000,000; the Thai quote for an equally brilliant set came in at just over $25,000," he states. "It is this cost factor – across the board, in both production and post-production – which renders Thailand so competitive as an international production site. Add to that its magnificent countryside and resplendent architecture, and Thailand is all the more compelling."

Winters hopes "The King Maker" will open new vistas for Thailand’s film industry infrastructure, which he describes as exceptional. He strongly believes that the absence of English-language films produced in Thailand to date has been a significant contributing factor in the lack of professional filmmaking interest in Thailand exhibited by both U.S. and European-based producers and directors.

"Traditionally, the Thai film industry has catered to its resident Thai audience which, while entirely natural, has had an inhibiting impact on interest from foreign filmmakers. We’re confident that the elegance, grandeur and sheer film magnitude of ‘The King Maker’ will cause U.S., Canadian and European filmmakers alike to reconsider Thailand as a prime production site for their next projects. Our experience could not have been more professionally rewarding, and we have been able to produce an extraordinarily complex film which – had it been shot elsewhere – would easily have cost over $32,000,000 more."

The film industry in Thailand is hoping that Winters’ powerful endorsement of his production experiences in their country will give rise to more production business from overseas. "The King Maker" will be introduced to the global market at the American Film Market in Los Angeles (CA) in November. D

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