Epic animation
Tuk yaks for a red robot
By Tatat Bunnag
Photographs are courtesy
by Sahamongkol International
Did you know
The 1979 film The Adventure of Sudsakorn was the first animated fantasy film made in Thailand.
Thai animation is back on the big screen with Yak: The Giant King, a brand new 3-D feature directed by renowned author and screenwriter Prapas Cholsaranon.
With characters loosely based on the ancient Hindu Ramayana epic, Yak: The Giant King is an adventure-comedy film about a friendship between two robots who one day wake up in a future world where everything is controlled by machines. The two robots find themselves chained together, so decide to embark on a journey to try to find a way to free themselves and learn the truth about their real identities.
Comedian Boriboon Chanruang (Tuk), 32, is one of several celebrities who provided voices for the movie’s animated characters. Student Weekly recently caught up with Tuk at the film’s press conference to chat about the making of Yak: The Giant King, which will open in cinemas on October 4.
Student Weekly: How did you become involved with Yak: The Giant King?
Tuk: I went to a casting session like everybody else. I’m really proud to be a part of this movie. I was honoured to work with director Prapas. I think he’s a great writer and thinker.
Student Weekly: Can you tell us about your character in the film?
Tuk: I provided the voice of a giant red robot named Kumphakan. He’s funny and a bit insane. He often talks to himself and drools when he speaks. He runs a market stall and he’s a big fan of a green warrior giant named Thotsakan.
Student Weekly: Did you enjoy your first voice acting experience?
Tuk: Yes. It’s a pretty challenging job. When you record a voice-over, you have to work alone in the studio and make sounds for different things like talking, laughing, dancing, shooting guns and even flying. It looks crazy, but you have to get into character as much as you can. Kumphakan has a husky voice, so I wasn’t allowed to drink any water before going into the studio in order to achieve that sound! [Laughs.]
Student Weekly: Is that true that you also sing in the movie?
Tuk: Yes, and it was very painful! [Laughs.] They made me do that scene on my first day at the studio. It’s a scene where Kumphakan is singing while he’s selling stuff at the market. I’m not a singer, so it was pretty hard for me. It took me almost a day to finish that part.
Student Weekly: What are some of your favourite animated 3-D movies to watch?
Tuk: I’ve enjoyed a lot of animated movies. One of the first ones I saw was Antz in 1998. A more recent one that I liked was the 2009 movie, Up. It’s a funny, heartfelt and entertaining film with a good moral lesson. That’s the kind of movie that I’m always happy to watch again.
Student Weekly: What’s your opinion of recent Thai animated films?
Tuk: I think Thai animation is getting stronger. We have plenty of potential and a portfolio of successful projects. We have animated movies that can easily compete with the quality of Hollywood productions. Hopefully Thai animators will keep putting out new movies and Thai audiences will start supporting them more.
Yak: The Giant King is a great Thai film. I hope lots of people go to see it at the cinema.
Vocabulary
- the big screen (n): the cinema
screenwriter (n): a person who writes screenplays for movies
loosely (adv): in a way that is not exact
embark on (phrasal v): to start to do something new or difficult
casting (n): the process of choosing actors for a play or film
drool (v): to let saliva come out of your mouth
challenging (adj): difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability
husky (adj): sounding deep, quiet and rough, sometimes in an attractive way
heartfelt (adj): showing strong feelings that are sincere
moral (adj): connected with principles of right and wrong behaviour
potential (n): qualities that exist that can be developed
portfolio (n): a collection of work that somebody or a company, organisation, etc. has created
