Love in the Big City 2

A Russian Romantic Comedy shot in Bangkok and Pattaya

This was definitely a first for Living Films. In July 2009 the Moscow based film production house Leopolis Films contacted us. They were working on the sequel to their successful romantic comedy “Love in the Big City”. While the first film was shot and set in New York, the second one was supposed to begin with a Thailand sequence. New York – Bangkok – very fitting we found.

The plot of the Thailand part was quite straightforward, but the expectations concerning production value were high – and there were some challenges to master.

Because Leopolis had started shooting in Russia already (it had taken them a while to find us), the director was unavailable to come out to scout. They did send a producer to gather some general information about shooting in Thailand, but it became clear that everything would have to be decided during the last week of pre-production, when the director, Mariyus Balchunas (Veisberg) was finally free to come to Thailand. Because of budget concerns we had to work with a reduced and junior crew. None of them will deserve to be called junior after this. It was a scramble.

Special thanks must go to the location department under Araya “Apple” Nakkate, who pulled of one miracle after another. In just under six days she managed to control streets in the heart of old Bangkok around the Grand Palace, find a bargain airplane set, organize an intricate 2-day shoot at Bangkok’s new airport, lock the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya (as the first film ever) as a location, find and make a deal with very luxurious private villa as well as take over one of Pattaya’s night live hotspots. After all that, changing an already locked beach location in a little over a day proved to be just another day at the office.

The other departments pulled along and proved again what the crew here in Thailand is capable of. It was great to see also, how fast the Russian team warmed to their Thai counterparts. When wrap came around many of the Russians crew and cast did not look like they wanted to leave for cold Moscow and they were full of praise for the working spirit of the Thais.

Even with hardly any prep it proved to be a very successful shoot – which came in on schedule and under budget of course and is looking great, according to the director.