The unveiling of Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal’s new song Rockstar has reached an impressive 67.76 million views on YouTube. This marks her first solo venture after establishing her company, LLOUD, in partnership with Sony Music and RCA Records. Her choice to film the music video (MV) in the popular Yaowarat area has generated immense pride among Thai fans.
Thai photographer Watcharawit Ya-inta, aka Koon, who played a pivotal role in the MV’s production, shared behind-the-scenes stories on Facebook. He expressed his pride in being the Steadicam and camera operator for the project.
“Behind the scenes of Lisa’s Rockstar MV is here. I am proud to have been the Steadicam/camera operator for this work.”
Koon further explained his responsibilities on set, working under cinematographer Mauro Chiarello. He used Steadicam with AR Omega and remote head R2 on a crane for most shots while Chiarello handled lighting and overall composition. Koon collaborated directly with director Henry, contributing creatively to the shot design.
“I was trusted to be the camera operator responsible for filming Lisa, under the cinematography of Mauro Chiarello. Most shots were done using Steadicam + AR Omega head and remote head R2 on a crane. While Mauro managed lighting and composition, I worked directly with director Henry, designing shots together. It felt like a real collaboration, not just following orders, giving us a sense of creative involvement.”
The MV featured special techniques like the time-slice effect from minute 0:55 to 0:58, using a Bullet time camera rig by Pro-Toys. This involved multiple still cameras shooting simultaneously to create a time-slice effect from various angles. Another notable shot from minute 2:00 to 2:14 used a robot arm motion control operated by Rob Erik Van Gelder. Multiple takes were filmed with Lisa in different positions, later matched together to show multiple Lisas in one frame.
Filming challenges
Koon highlighted the challenges of filming in a real location like Yaowarat Road instead of a closed studio. Managing the location and maintaining confidentiality were significant hurdles. During filming, they used wireless in-ear monitors for Lisa rather than playing the actual song out loud to prevent leaks. For large scenes with multiple dancers, they used a click track to keep time without revealing the actual music. Boy Inca managed the playback.
The team had only three nights to shoot, with no time for camera rehearsals. Security was tight to keep the BLACKPINK singer hidden from the public, requiring coordination to clear vehicles and people during shooting periods. They didn’t close the entire street all night but managed traffic flow around shooting times. The team also adapted to weather changes, shooting different scenes when it rained.
Koon praised the dancers’ flexibility and quick adaptation to on-the-spot choreography changes. He learned about working with Lisa only on set, keeping the project highly confidential. He felt excited and happy to work with such a professional team.
Koon expressed immense pride that Lisa chose to film in Thailand, using local resources, and called for more government support for the industry. He believes Thai professionals have skills comparable to Hollywood but lack proper support and benefits like social security from the government, reported KhaoSod.
He invited fans to follow his work and behind-the-scenes updates on Instagram.
Bangkok NewsThailand News