This is the number question everyone asks me. "Hey, how much this and that costs?". Well, you asked, and here we answer!
Preparation for a wild ride.
Now, if you are located abroad and want to bring your team in Thailand, then its probably good idea to get some paperwork done. Depending on complexity, all work permits and authorization should take anywhere from 30 000 bath (1000 USD) to 60 000 (2000 USD). This will include all the docs and permits.
Location, Location, Location.
Well, this is a wild guess, but the rule of thumb is. Price varies greatly on WHO is asking for location. Most Thai business owners perceive Western clients as multimillionaires made of gold, and charge accordingly. Get yourself a good local negotiator (around 300-500 USD) and he or she will settle it for way less. Typically locations are anywhere from 500 to 3000 USD. And oh boy you can find ANYTHING. Well, almost. No snow here.
Crew and gear.
The crew here is quite affordable, with basic crew like electricians and grip cost as low as 80 usd a day, and top tier DP can be sourced for 500-600 USD if they like your project. Gear however is a topic of a debate. If you just knock into some big rentals (lighthouse, gearhead, vs service), you will get a hefty price tag. But some production companies (including ours), have a volume deal, allowing us to get up to 50% off on most of the gear.
For example, Alexa mini with crew and DIT can be sourced for 800-900 USD, dollies and cranes for 100-200 USD and set of sweet hawk anamorphic for 700-800 USD a day. If you are into small gear, we have that as well.
Transportation, accommodation, FnB
Well, this one is affordable as hell. 80 USD a day gets you van driver, food is 2-3 USD a meal, hotels can be found as low as 20 USD.
So, how much should I bring?
I would say 3000-5000 USD can get you pretty far for a small production, but as you guys know, the sky is the limit. Now, a bit of shameless self promotion, please text us if you have any specific requests.