The development of the Thai film industry in the disruptive technology era: A case study of the mainstream cinema

Abstract

The research titled “The Development of the Thai Film Industry in the Disruptive Technology Era: A Case Study of the Mainstream Films” has the following research objectives: 1) To study the opportunities and obstacles of the mainstream Thai film industry in the era of disruptive technology, and 2) To study the approaches for the development of the mainstream Thai film industry in the era of disruptive technology. This research employs qualitative methods, utilizing content analysis and in-depth interviews as data collection tools with stakeholders in the mainstream Thai film industry. The criteria for selecting the sample group were that participants must be individuals who work in or are involved with the mainstream Thai film industry and have work experience or hold positions that are credible and recognized, from both the public and private sectors, totaling 44 persons. The research findings can be summarized as follows: There are a total of 24 variables related to opportunities and obstacles, which can be categorized into three main groups: 1) Internal Factors: Personnel and production teams, content or screenplay, film production techniques, artistic perspectives on filmmaking, film exhibition, film distribution, film marketing, quality of actors and actresses, and investors/financial backers. 2) External Factors: Government support, laws and regulations, formation of collaborative film networks, mechanisms for driving and integrating cooperation, development of film knowledge and educational institutions, film database systems and archiving, international acceptance of Thai mainstream films, changing audience preferences and tastes, and film award recognition. 3) Factors related to the impact caused by disruptive technology: Copyright infringement via online platforms, the impact of exposure to social media, the impact of film criticism through social media, the impact of video streaming services, the impact on film production costs, and trends of other future technological impacts As for the approaches to developing the mainstream Thai film industry, they can be summarized into 10 urgent issues to be focused on, which are: Solving government-related problems, amending film regulatory laws, establishing collaborative film networks, solving film distribution issues, setting appropriate ticket prices in accordance with the minimum wage, developing database and archival systems, enhancing film knowledge and educational institutions, promoting Thai mainstream films to international markets, creating the brand DNA of film production studios, and initiating personnel development programs in the Thai film industry.