(Not completed yet - Testing on Preview ONLY)
'In every silent street, there is always a dream, but some dreams can't be reached by only one heart'
'Toshi' (Shinji Ikefuji) has a strong believe that he can run his Ramen Shop. Whereas deep down in his heart he knows well he can't be anything better than a looser. No one knows what pain is hidden in the past including 'Takeshi', his son (Yuji Takahashi). But who could ever let his beloved is hurt by others? Takeshi keeps his plan secret before bringing back the morning Toshi has always dream but never thought it could happen.
The film portrays the sweet & pain of the relationship between father and son. The script first written in Thai language by Patavee Viranuvat, the director of the film before trans- lated to English & Japanese by Rima Kawaguchi.
‘Takeshi’ a real multicultural film production composed by more than ten nationalities film crews from Thailand, Norway, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Iraq, Sweden, Amer- ica, Germany, Indonesia, France etc.
The story is written from the true story of the director's childhood memory while he spent time with his father in 'Akita', Japan during 1990 - 1993. It was only time he could think of the moment he stays beside his father.
The shooting location is almost impossible for transfer what's in the director mind into film. 'Takeshi' Film script & project was initially rejected by all professors & producers in the university because no one believe it could be shot & made in such a location & very low budget. But with passion & promise of the Director (Patavee Viranuvat), Producer (Glenn Aaseby), Cinematographer (Settha Verathunmanon), Production Designer (Re- becca Baldwin) and all amazing film crews, the film was shot on super 16 mm. over 5 shooting days in the caravan park.
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'All I want to do is just trying to make him knows'
But I can't do it in real life. I don't know why. But I can't.
I always come up with a lot of ideas, but in the end I decided to move on with what I un- derstand the most. I don't know a lot, but I want to understand what I don't. Love? Fear? Memory? The past is gone, but it sticks with me. I don't think no one can forget the past. I always tell the story of my father to people I meet, first they listen excitedly, but years passed, I still tell the same story. They get sick of it.
But I can't do anything except keep telling what I've seen & memorized. It's the truth. The truth in my life.
After cut..
'In every silent street, there is always a dream, but some dreams can't be reached by only one heart' 'Toshi' (Shinji Ikefuji) has a strong believe that he can run his Ramen Shop. Whereas deep down in his heart he knows well he can't be anything better than a looser. No one knows what pain is hidden in the past including 'Takeshi', his son (Yuji Takahashi). But who could ever let his beloved is hurt by others? Takeshi keeps his plan secret before bringing back the morning Toshi has always dream but never thought it could happen.
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Takeshi’ film was shot on super 16 mm. by Thai Cinematographer Settha Weerathunmanon, produced by Norwegian Producer Glenn Aaseby, Australian Production Designer Rebecca Baldwin, German Editor Nadine Naesers, Translated by Japanese Translator Rima Kawaguchi, Scripted & Directed by Patavee Viranuvat. This is not including more than ten nationalities crews & casts working for this film.
Patavee Viranuvat arrived Australia in July 2003, right after he was kicked out from Thammasat University.
“I studied Engineering for 2 years, and a year in Science & Statistic, but I found out I wasn’t made for those”
Patavee spent 6 months in BUELI, the english school of Bond University. He came to Australia without any capability to communicate in English.
“They put me in level 3, the second from the lowest. I was really stressed because I knew this is the last chance for me to catch up what I’ve been dreaming all my life. I wanted to be a filmmaker. I didn’t know anyone at Bond, and my english was so poor, couldn’t understand what others say, just yes & no only. But every day after BUELI finished I always sneak in and walked around film school, without knowing anyone, looking up all flyers on the board, I stole some of cool film posters back home, but I didn’t even understand the english printed on it. Then I speed up when I knew what my goal was, and eventually entered to film school within 6 months as planned”
“Spending 2 years in film school was not easy. I’m Thai, small, and didn’t have any experiences before I started. Passion, ambition and clear goal was only thing I could stick with”
Finally, after two years of non-stop fighting, he came up with the script for his first film project.
“Many people ask me why Japanese Film? Worse, they didn’t even believe I could make it on Gold Coast with such a low budget. No one believed in me, not except my teachers. They said I should keep the script, and make it later in Thailand, they thought the script was too simple, and not suitable to be the final project. Also it’s too difficult to create such a look & style I wanted”
A year later, Takeshi film won top prizes; ‘The Best Tertiary Drama Film Award, The David Copping Production Design Award, the Excellent in Editing Award from Queensland New Film Maker Award by Pacific Film & Television Commission. The Film was selected as the Final Official Selection, in Outstanding Artistic Ability in Film making in ‘Young Thai Artist Award 2006’, by Siam Cement Foundation, and the same year it was selected in the ‘Final Official Selection’, in Lat Pestanyee Award, by Thai Film Foundation 2006. Patavee received the highest score award offered by Dean, Professor Raoul Mortley, AO, for this project.
“The film couldn’t be completed without the effort of all film crews from Bond University, all my teachers, Ridley Williams, Ingo Petzke, Simon D. Hunter, Brian Mcduffie, Judy Hamilton, and Prof.Bruce Moulloy. Especially Japanese people on the Gold Coast, especially Baldwin’s family, the owner of Caravan Park where we set the location to shoot the film”
“I spent 9 months on the script, shot for 5 days, and edited for a month. We couldn’t get any phone calls for audition until the last month before shooting started. I walked around the Gold Coast for 4 months with Nalina Dessers, Glenn Aaaseby, and Rima Kawaguchi, putting up hundreds of flyers for audition, and finally the film received what it wanted, we got 19 characters role in the film”
“Yuji Takahashi” (Takeshi) is a Japanese Actor who lives in Australia. He is the talented gift for the film, I finally met him only a few weeks before shooting because James Eggleton left. Shinji Ikefuji (Toshi) really valued up the film, he played in the role of father but he’s actually a professional surfer. Sho Kaneshiro (Maku) played as homeless whereas he’s Japanese restaurant owner in surfer paradise.
Masayasu Tomikawa (Katosan) was a Yakuza, but he is actually a great business man with soft manner”
“These people are so meaningful for me. Since I found them, I had more reason to wake up every morning in the pre-production process. I’m still young, and don’t have money to offer, but these japanese people help me by heart without any expectation for any return”
After graduated in Bachelor of Film from Bond University, Patavee worked as Assistant Marketing & Chartering Manager in World L.P.G. Group Co., Ltd., his family business company for almost 2 years, before quitting from Marine Transportation Business to work as Assistant Director for Prof.Banchong Kosalwat ( The pioneers of Thai experimental film in 1970s / Director of Nuan Chawee (1985) ) in ‘The Journey to Mahajanaka’ by Sahamongkol Film International.
“It was not easy at all. Dream & reality is too far different. Reality is so cruel. I missed filmmaking, it’s my life, my dream. The realistic dream. Nothing I could do in life, only making my dreams come true”
Then Patavee worked as PA for Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, the Chief Officer of Bangkok International Film Festival (2007), before being Assistant Director for Ekachai Uekrongtham ( Beautiful Boxer (2003), Pleasure Factory (2007) ), in ‘The Coffin’ film project starring Ananda Everingham, Karen Mok, Napakpapha Nakprasitte, Aki Shibuya, Andrew Lin, which just had the world premiere in Cannes International Film Festival 2008.
After finished The Coffin, Patavee worked as Creative Director for Get Dirty Studio managed by Sirisilp Chotvijit before he found out his heart has completely fallen into film making.
A Photograph by Chalermchatri Yukol, Prot Promprot
Dedicate to Prof.Brian McDuffie ( Patavee Viranuvat’s teacher in Directing )
Project Information :
Takeshi
CREDITS
Film Crews:
Name Nationality
Scriptwriter & Director Patavee Viranuvat Thai
Director of Photography Settha Verathunmanon Thai
Production Designer Rebecca Baldwin Australian
Producer Glenn Aaseby Norwegian
1st A.D. Shamere Borg Australian
Tyler Hendrick American
2nd A.D. Chalie Smith American
Japanese Translator Rima Kawaguchi Japanese
Naoki Azuma Japanese
Azuma Kato Japanese
Art Director Sam Clemens Australian
Makeup Artist Amber Lester Australian
Allie Butler Australian
Makeup Assistant Temessa McClymont Australian
Cilesie Stone Australian
Lighting / Grip Assistant David Radszuweit Swedish
Lighting Assistant Melanie Cook Australian
Clapper Chaitanya Kumar Indian
Focus Puller Kiran Kolli Indian
Continuity Jenna Tuckett Australian
Ana Djordjevic Australian
Design Assistant Katrina Farrell Australian
Flo Gaven French
Costume Design Puti Radjab Indonesian
Sound Recordist Sam Kiwan Iraki
Boom Swinger Jamie Lee Korean
Editor Nadine Naeser German
Music Composer Conrad Langaard Norwegian
Graphic Designer Nalina Dessers Thai
Website Designer Chalermchatri Yukol Thai
Stills Photographer Chalermchatri Yukol Thai
Prot Promprot Thai
Behind the Scene Dominik Muench German
Liv Ask Swedish
Title Designer Austin Andrews Canadian
Poster Designer Jacob Duffassee Australian
Project Supervisor Prof. Ridley Williams Australian
Project Adviser Dr. Ingo Petzke ` German
CAST
Character Cast Nationality
Takeshi Yuji Takahashi Japanese
Toshi Shinji Ikefuji Japanese
Maku Sho Kaneshiro Japanese
Katosan Masayasu Tomikawa Japanese
Ayumi Miki Nagata Japanese
Driver Yukihiro Nagashima Japanese
Bodyguard Tomoki Kuroda Japanese
Photographer Hiro Tabata Japanese
Lady Yoshie Kaneshiro Japanese
Young kid Joe Kaneshiro Japanese
Kid Kei Kaneshiro Japanese
Kid Yuki Kaneshiro Japanese
Kid Ai Kaneshiro Japanese
Kid Mai Kaneshiro Japanese
Kid Nicole Lingham Australian + Filipino
Kid Ashleigh Lingham Australian + Filipino
Kid Karen Lingham Australian + Filipino
Kid Masaki Takahashi Australian + Filipino
Synopsis (English)
“TAKESHI” tells of a beautiful yet tragic relationship between Father and Son, in a small Japanese community. The film visualizes the bitter-sweet love and deception that has been concealed behind the characters’ laughter and smiles.
Takeshi, the son, cannot bear to see his father, Toshi, live with a feigned smile, and decides to do something. He keeps his plan a secret; his only wish, to see his father happy once again, even if it may not be true.
“TAKESHI”, in fact, restates the truth of the human condition, whereby man continues to fight until they have gained a sense of accomplishment. Although they may never know where true victory lies.
DIRECTOR’S FILMOGRAPHY & BIOGRAPHY
NAME OF DIRECTOR: Patavee Viranuvat
Address to contact:
27/4 Sathorn-Tai Road Sathorn Bangkok Thailand
Zip: 10120
E-mail: patavee@worldlpg.co.th, or art_zadah1@hotmail.com
Mobile: + 66 85 9112218
Fax: + 66 26791015
Date & Place of Birth: 1 January, 1982 / Chonburi, Thailand
Brief Personal History
Born on the 1st January, 1982, Was dropped to live by himself and see the world in a forest since 7 years old.
Starting with a Thai Traditional Performing Art, which dragged him into another way of realizing the world.
Year 2000-2003 Major in Engineering / Science & Statistics at Sirinthorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University.
Year 2004-2005 Learning how life compromises by going to Film School at Bond University, Queensland Australia.
Falls in love with looking at people's eyes through the lens & when the body emotionally moving. Realizing that Still photography & understanding in Human Expression might be the right way to get a possible solution of finding the ultimate answers from unexplainable initial questions in personal Childhood.
All inspirations come from Father & Friends, then expresses through 'Lost everything in Thailand (2002)', 'My world is continuity sound, but around my heart's passed through the silence (2003)', 'Conk Out (2004)', 'Dark of the Moon (2004)', 'Stalemate (2004)', and Ending up saying the last sentence in ‘Takeshi’, produced by Glenn Aaseby, Cinematography by Settha Verathunmanon, and Production Designed by Rebecca Baldwin in Year 2005, before jumping back to the original root.
Date: 4 July, 2006
Patavee Viranuvat
Director
