Production staff at Avant make move to M Pictures

Thai music and entertainment conglomerate RS Public Company Limited, or RS Promotion, is undergoing restructuring, and in the upheaval, production staff from the group's Avant film label have jumped ship, with most joining a new company under M Pictures Entertainment.

Daily Xpress has the story. It says that RS boss Surachai Chetchotisak has put his brother Komson in charge of Avant as the studio shifts its focus from just making motion pictures to also making TV dramas and music videos.

Avant's producer Jantima Liawsirikul has left Avant and started her own production company, M39. It's a partnership with M Pictures Entertainment, which has been mostly a film distribution company but has been angling to get into production.

“At first we wanted to run an independent production house, but M Pictures liked our first three projects so much, we decided to join them,” Jantima is quoted as saying in Daily Xpress.

Up first for M69 is 32 Thunwa (32 December), the latest project by Rerkchai Paungpetch, the director of such comedies as Dumber Heroes, Noodle Boxer and Ponglang Amazing Theatre. “Dan” Worawech Danuwong and comedian Nong Cha Cha Cha have been lined up to star.

That will be followed by a travel movie from Kittikorn Liawsirikul and the as-yet-untitled sophomore effort by Garuda director Monthon Arayangkoon.

As a film company, Avant has had several hits, mostly comedies, among them the smash hit from 2006, Noodle Boxer, as well as the more recent hits Hode Nha Haew 966 and Super Hap and the critically praised Dream Team.