Hey Guys!
Welcome back to the channel
Lately when I've been streaming on Twitch
twitch.tv/perthnakhun
In case you want to catch a stream
I stream twice a week
A lot of people have been asking what it's like working on a tv show
what it's like being on set and how to prepare for a role
So I asked on Twitter for any questions you have about working on a tv show
I picked some of the most interesting questions
and I'll be answering them in this video
So, let's get started!
The first question is
How many takes do you have of a scene on average?
It really depends on what kind of scene we're shooting
also how much time is left in the day
and also how easy the scene is to shoot
I would say it takes at least 10 takes
because when you're shooting a scene you first need the wide shot
which is a shot from har away
then you need close up shots
and there's usually multiple close up shots
for example you need the angles of multiple people talking
even if everything goes smoothly you need 2-3 takes per shot
So I would say at least 10 takes per scene on average
but it can take many, many more
20 takes for a scene is not uncommon
the more complicated a scene is then you need more angles and therefore more takes
The next question is
What do you do to foster good chemistry between the cast members?
By the way, I just wanted to say I'm answering these based on my experience
I'm not saying every production is like this
especially because I have no experience with foreign productions
this is just my experience working in Thai productions
before we start shooting a tv show we do acting workshops
The main objectives of these workshops is
to develop chemistry between the cast
and to brush-up on and learn acting skills
people also hang out together outside of work which helps build chemistry
Next question is
How do you deal with messing up lines? Is it funny or frustrating?
Messing up lines is extremely common
expecially speaking in a language that's not your native language
It's actually common to mess up lines even in your native language
for example when I shoot these YouTube videos I mess up all the time
So you could imagine what it's like being on set and being under a bit of pressure
if you say the wrong word and it's funny
then it's fine and everyone can laugh
but if it's getting late in the day
or shooting for that day is running late
It's not that funny anymore
it starts to get a little bit frustrating
not just for you but also the people around you
but it's not a big deal
relatively speaking
Next question is
We know scenes are recorded out of order but how extreme do they get to be?
When we're shooting it's based on location
so we shoot all the scenes in that location regardless of what episode they're from
and it can get pretty out there
I remember there was a day shooting KinnPorsche
where some actors were shooting scenes from the final episodes
then by the end of the day they were shooting scenes from episode 2
so it's really all over the place
but it's actually not that difficult
if you've done your homework and understand the script
if you know the timeline of the story and your character
and you know how your character develops from scene to scene and episode to episode
it sounds a bit confusing but it's not a big deal
it would be pretty cool to shoot in chronological order
but financially it doesn't make sense
Next questions
How hard is it too film fight scenes?
To be honest they're not hard in terms of performing them
they're just tiring and take a lot of time
there's a lot of choreography which goes into a fight scene
which is done by a professional and then taught to us
and then we're given time to practice
but you really need to give it 100% to make it look real
if you hold back like I've done...
there was a scene in KinnPorsche where I had to kick an old guy
really kick the shit out of him
and I was really holding back
because I was worried about hurting him
then the director said that
I needed to do it more aggresively and get close
because we can see that it looks fake
also because there's so much movement the camera needs to move a lot too
and there's so many camera angles you need to shoot
lots of close ups, wide shots and then back to close ups
so fight scenes and actions scenes have taken the longest for me to shoot
not because people aren't performing them well
they just take the most amount of time
Next question
What was it like filming the pool scenes in KinnPorsche?
Looked kind of scary being underwater like that
The magic of film making
When our hands and legs are tied up it's done by professionals
we're really tied up
but the knots are really easy to get out of
there's also medical people and helpers on standby
in case any accidents occur
everything is performed in a nice and safe environment
even though on camera it might look scary, everything is safe
Next question
How long does it take to film one series?
It depends on the series because there's so many variables
the main one being the number of episodes
and also the variety of locations
it's really hard to say 'it takes this long'
but I would say on average it takes around 3 months
but that doesn't mean everyday for 3 months
Usually we shoot 3 to 4 days a week
How do actors cry on the spot?
This is a really interesting question
There are different ways to cry
One way to cry is by being really into the scene
really understanding the character's emotions
you feel the same way and then you cry
that's the most ideal way you want to cry as an actor
just being in the moment, feeling the emotions and then you cry
but life doesn't always turn out that way
In cases when the tears aren't flowing
you can use eye drops
so you can shoot a scene, then someone will come and put in eyedrops
and then continue shooting
there's also a menthol balm you can put near your eyes
which makes your eyes water and looks really realistic
more magic of television
This is a really interesting question
I feel like I've said that multiple times
but that's why I picked these questions
can actors improvise and to what level
this really depends on the production and the director
Some directors like to be free-flowing and improvise
and other directors really like to stick to the script
when scripts are written, the words are picked out very meticulously
the writers who put in hours upon hours writing the scripts
require a deep understanding of the character to write in their voice and create the dialouge
some people think the script is perfect so you just act according to the script
all of the directors I've worked with have been open to discussion
and exchaning ideas about things in scenes even if it's not in the script
I have friends who have done scenes that have been 100% improvised
They're put in a scene with a stimulus
then they improvise and do their own thing
It really depends but you can improvise
Next question
This is also a good question like all of them
How did you get used to having a camera in your face?
The main way to get used to it is experience
for example even me doing this YouTube channel
If you go and watch earlier videos compared to now
I've become way more confident talking in front of the camera
I was extremely nervous especially in the first few vidoes
In some places you can even hear my voice shaking
Whereas now I still get nervous but I feel a lot mroe comfortable
Another thing is when I've taken acting classes
some of the exercises we do teaches you to forget what's around you and immerse yourself in the scene
so once you're in the moemnt and really portraying the character
you forget about the camera and the crew
even when you're acting you need to actually be aware of where the cameras are
you also need to know what's in the field of view of the camera
you need to know when you're in frame and out of frame
and also whether you're blocking someone's face or not
I'd say it's 80% being in the moment and 20% being aware of what's around you
How long are you on set for and how do you pass time between scenes
Time on set varies
You could be on set for 3 hours or even 12 hours
A regular shooting day is between 12-16 hours
but you're just there from before you shoot your first scene until your last scene
I've had some days where I've been in the first and last scene
which means I'm on set for up to 16 hours
How do I pass the time?
I like to sleep
sitting and talking with friends
watching some anime
snacking
Is pretty much how I pass the time
Have you only truly understood a scene after you've watched it?
I would say that in terms of preparation for a scene
requires you to understand everything in the scene
and also the importance of the scene in the context of the whole story
but when you're in the scene it's hard to imagine what it's going to look like
even if you go to watch the playback of a scene after you've shot it
it's still hard to get an idea of how the scene will be
because so much is done in the editing room
so huge props to all the editors of tv shows/movies
because that's where the scene is really made
obviously the acting and camera work is important
what shots are used, music and colours are all done in the editing room
and it makes a huge difference
in terms of acting I'd say everything is understood 100%
but how it's going to turn out? I don't really know
and that's what makes watching a tv series you're in fun
because when you're shooting it you don't know how it'll turn out
then when you see it it's like 'Ohhh, it's like this!'
Are there breaks for snacking or do you have to wait until the scene is finished?
When you go to set there's 3 main meal breaks
There's breakfast, lunch and dinner
These are provided for us
usually there's a caterer with multiple dishes and you pick what you'd like
but since we were shooting during COVID
we had boxed meals instead
Not while you're shooting a scene but if you're on a break between scenes
it's fine to go and eat some snacks
I hope I was able to answer some common questions about what it's like on the set of a tv show
It was really interesting seeing what you're all interested about
I would say the funniest thing is
there seems to be a mystique around the production
it's a lot more straight-forward and regular than you'd think
it's a special job but it's still a job
I hope this video was informative and shed some light on what's going on behind the scenes
if you enjoyed the videos and you have more questions that I haven't answered
then maybe I could put together a part 2 sometime
If you'd like that then please let me know in the comments below
As always thank you very much for watching the video
and I'll see you in the next one
see ya!