A GILMORTON man who jetted to Thailand last year with just a screenplay and £6,000 has just finished making his first short film.
Darren Hill (45) flew to Phuket in December intending to turn his script for a short film, Wild Flower, into a film.
Despite speaking none of the language, owning no camera equipment and knowing very little about the country, Mr Hill has seen his
dream become reality and the film is now likely to be shown on Thai television.
Mr Hill, who has lived in Gilmorton for six years, said: “I have a friend in Thailand who had started up a business taking people on motorbike tours and he had wanted to buy video equipment to document his journeys.
“I mentioned to him that I had just finished my script, Wild Flower, and he suggested we split the cost of the camera equipment between us, and that I also make the film in Thailand.
“I’d intended to make the film in England but this sounded a lot more exciting.”
After flying to Thailand, Mr Hill made contact with a number of film companies to obtain the costs of cameramen and crews, but was quoted about £30,000.
He said: “I realised this would be impossible so I agreed to share the cost of my camera with my friend and start trying to find locations and actors.”
Mr Hill is renting a small room in a working-class neighbourhood in Phuket – where he is the only European. Phuket is an island off the mainland coast.
He said making the film would have been very difficult were it not for a chance meeting with a student who had recently finished university in Thailand and was desperate to make a film.
He added: “Nurida was very enthusiastic and I realised she would be invaluable to me.”
After several months of finding actors, locations and filming, the final film, now called Wild Chaba, was ready.
It was due to be shown at a film festival in Thailand earlier this year but the event was cancelled and instead it may be broadcast on Thai television.
Mr Hill said he would return to the UK in August when he will start making efforts to show the film at festivals in the UK.
The film has attracted interest in Thailand because of a British and female Muslim director working together.
Wild Chaba is a romance about two students who fall in love but have very little time together before they are forced apart.
