Thai film “Man Suang” has finally made its debut in theaters, showcasing its exceptional cinematography to audiences nationwide. Set in the 1800s, the movie revolves around the tale of two friends, Khem and Wan, who embark on a daring mission to uncover the political mysteries concealed within Siam’s most opulent entertainment club, Man Suang.
“Man Suang is not your typical nightclub in central Bangkok. Here, diverse individuals gather, including merchants, politicians, gamblers, and more. In Man Suang, you are free to reveal your inner self, and this underlying message is intricately woven into the film’s visuals,” says director Chartchai “Nat” Ketnust. “Our aim was to seamlessly blend characters, genres, and narratives, while cinematography served as the pivotal tool that harmonized and balanced them all.”
Driven by their enthusiasm to capture the essence of “Man Suang,” the crew engaged in extensive discussion to create their shared vision. Cinematographer Chaiyapreuk “Bank” Chalermpornpanit explains their approach, stating: “We wanted to go back in time, and, without distorting history, create a fantastical world where Man Suang exists. I was determined to communicate the enigmatic and extraordinary nature of this world using colors and light, drawing inspiration from darkness and candlelight.”
“Collaborating closely with our production design team was essential, particularly with the abundance of real candles on set. In the end, we all agreed that we should design a look with high contrast and high saturation but still maintain natural skin tones,” colorist Sorawich “Ice” Khunpinij from White Light Studio adds.
Before production began, the team ran several camera tests to ensure that they could capture the concept they were going for and finally decided on the ALEXA 35. “I was more interested in the visual dimensions of the Super 35 format than the full frame. Therefore, I chose the ALEXA 35, and when pairing the camera with anamorphic lenses, we achieved the desired results,” explains DP Chalermpornpanit.
“The ALEXA 35 was very reliable and stable. It gave us the look of classic anamorphic cinematography while preserving every intricate detail without any loss through HDE. Just from looking at the camera, we could already see that the images are closely aligned with our desired outcome in post-production, which is vital for a film encompassing a diverse range of visuals and ideas,” says director Ketnust.
“We really appreciated the ALEXA 35 during the final grading process. The camera’s organic colour saturation and film-like grain truly stood out. It’s a classic look with modern technology,” added Ketnust.
