Da Credit is Due
Academy Award Winner Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods was released on Netflix.
And what was the FIRST thing that I did? I watched the film’s credits! One half of me didn’t even want to see the film. The other half wanted to see something. Namely, I wanted to see my “name” in the credits!
As soon as Da 5 Bloods hit Netflix’s service I went right to the end and watched the credits. I mean, REALLY WATCHED the credits.
I literally watched the credits on repeat and paused and rewatched and listened to that beautiful song by Terrance Blanchard for a solid hour. Every name would tell me a story or I’d have a memory. I felt like I didn’t even need to watch the movie, because I lived it.
I was hired by Spike Lee to be the stand-in for the character “PAUL” played by the best actor that I’ve ever worked with, Delroy Lindo, in the American War (aka the Vietnam War) epic from the perspective of black veterans.
I’m the guy who usually sits all the way through and watches ALL the credits(when my friends are ready to leave the theatre) even before it became the norm for studios to add bonus scenes into films. Watching these names scroll upward meant the world to me. I made so many great friendships that will last a lifetime.
OBVIOUSLY, I would go to war with (and for) my Stand-In Brothers-in-arms.
Seeing their names scroll was such a joy and made my heart full.
Second Team (Stand-In Bloods are): Travis Levius… moi (Bryan Howard) Raphael Florencianco, Andre Scott, Andrew Stokes; and not pictured Mr. Ra Harden who stood in for DAVID played by Jonathan Majors.
There are some unsung heroes whose names did not scroll upwards with the rest of the crew. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times DEZMON LANDERS and his beautiful wifey Maria Dubar are two angels amongst us mere humans. They deserve a ton of credits for facilitating everyone to be in this wonderful movie. Thank you and as Lawrence “Binkey” Tolfree said, they are the “True champions of this moment!”
Do you know who Larry Cherry is?
Larry Cherry is the real deal, Holyfield! His on-screen credit is for da Key Hairstylist but he is so much more. When his name scrolled past I was taken back to the days on set when his kindness and compassion showed through.
Larry is Denzel Washington's personal hairstylist, on ALL of Denzel’s films. Larry has shaped the look of some of the most important film characters in movie history. He is a modern-day Leonardo DaVinci who snips, clips, and brushes your hair. He is, in fact, so incredible that Wynton Marsalis composed a song in his honor called, “L.C On The Cut”. Mr. Marsalis said the song was, “a description of the world traversed by Larry Cherry in his role as psychologist, philosopher, politician, comedian, storyteller, and defender of traditions.” And between shooting takes of Da 5 Bloods, we get to sit and share stories with this man.
Then there is Mrs. Tammy Williamson. She is like a zen kundalini yogi, walking on a cloud of fresh sage in a world of chaos and confusion. Her on-screen credit is for da Costume Supervisor.
How could I not pause on her name and recall all the ways in which she was a blessing to my life? Dare I say, she saved my life?
When I paused the screen to think about how amazing Tammy is, I did NOT think about how she made our jobs much more bearable (whilst wearing full army gear in the scorching 37 C /98 F degree jungles). Not even for those super comfy jungle boots for that 30-minute hike straight up the side of a mountain. Or even the fact that she helped me get my on-camera cameo as The Reverand (at the end of the movie) as the “troops arrived home”. No!
I first thing I think about is the funny photo that she sent me when she was getting her hair re-dreadlocked in Chaing Mai, Thailand. The next thing I think about is when I was not allowed to enter Bangkok from Ho Chi Min City, and got I deported, she was one of the ONLY people trying to help me out. She made sure that I was not stranded & detained in some foreign land. Tammy went way over and above the call of duty to help me by emailing producers, contacting the studio’s travel liaison, helping me to secure room, board, and food to eat on my way back to Hanoi, Vietnam. Thank you Tammy. I am forever and eternally grateful and sing nothing but high praises.
Speaking of Tammy, I saw her right-hand man was just below her name, Mr. Rapeepat Phromanumat, or as we affectionately and simply called him, “A”!
A’s on-screen credit is da Key On Set Costume — Extras. “A” is from the small island of Koh Samui, Thailand. He always promised to take me scuba diving but I never had the chance to make it down. “A” is such a cool guy, with a big smile and a great personality.
You might hear people say that they are the “first ones in the office and the last ones to leave”. But Tammy, “A”, Mrs. Donna, Nueng, Nao, May, Toon, Pa, and the entire Costume team were TRULY the first ones to work. If not, we’d be naked or wearing stinky and sweaty clothes to work!
Right next to the Costume Department’s screen credits was the Action Vehicles Department and my dear, sweet Suchanya Pubpanthong or Pat or Courage Pat who’s on-screen credit is da Wrangler.
She worked so super hard that it literally drove me crazy. Pat would work 20 hours days, back to back to back like it was nothing. She loves the film industry and always gives 200%. Jean Reno’s character in the movie drives a Range Rover. There were ZERO Range Rovers in Thailand.
To find it, I remember her searching Cambodia, Mynamar, Laos, Japan, Malaysia for that Range Rover. Her team made it happen, they found the perfect vehicle, imported it and it looked great on camera in Da 5 Bloods. I want and expect nothing but the best in life for Pat and ‘da credit is due’, for sure!
Mr. Chetsaristh Smithnookulkit, or Pop, worked with the main Gaffer, Ian over in the Electric Department. You can’t make a movie without electricity!
Pop’s on-screen credit was da Gaffer. Pop is an industry O.G and has worked a who’s who list of films. Me and Pop would often grab breakfast together and talk and share stories. He’d give me the inside scoop of the industry and what films were in the works. Pop was fresh off the Chris Hemsworth movie, Extraction, and was looking forward to working on a new Fast & Furious.
Thunn Pestonji aka Tom, of Pest Films LTD, was credited at the da Line Producer.
Tom was one of the first people that I emailed when I saw Spike Lee’s Instagram post exclaiming that, “He was flying to Thailand to shoot his next feature film”. Tom was an important factor with me working on this movie.
Supakarn Yindee aka Khun Pui’s on-screen credit was da Casting Director. After my 500th email, we met in Chiang Mai and she actually hired me. Without Pui, nothing would have been possible. We have so many great memories together.
What’s interesting is that everybody has the most important job on a working movie set! The caterer has the most important job on set. Because what would we do without food, water, and our morning coffee? The costume department has the most important job on set… without them, we’d be naked. The cameramen have the most important job on set; because you can’t film a movie without cameras! The lighting department has the most important job on set, without them, we’d be making a movie in pitch-black darkness. Spike Lee, the director of the film, obviously has THE most important job on set! It’s his movie; he wrote it, produced it, and directed it.
Speaking of our legendary director. When I saw his name flash in da credits, so memories came to mind. Travis Levius who was Stormin’ Normin (Chadwick’s) Stand-in just asked me what was my favorite thing about the experience. I paused to think, but I really couldn’t encapsulate it. So I replied, “Everything”.
In the midst of a tough day of filming Spike might sit with you to discuss how he wants the scene set up, or have you rehearse lines. Often we’d “hurry up to wait” as the crew loaded in equipment and Spike Lee is talking to you about sports and his Knicks or world events…. it was quite surreal, yet very normal.
So many people in those credits that sparked so many memories. Mostly great memories but some bad memories. On a Hollywood production, there is a good chance that you will encounter some overly inflated “Hollywood egos.” I smile now as I write this, but at the time it felt like they were at war with some crew members (making a War movie). How ironic!?
I won’t name drop, nor throw them under the bus. But they know …..and we know what they did last summer. They never smiled. Never offered any support and thought that we were doing them favors by working. Is “snotty” a word? Maybe I should use “assholes”. But even when I see those Assholes’ names appear in the credits I would pause and think about the hell that they put some people through, when they did not have to. They just wanted to seem important….I assume. Seppo’s Stand-In (Damon Edmonds) remarked, in his thick British accent, “He treats us like mushrooms. Keeps us in the dark and feeds us shit.”
Two quick stories:
On a firey hot day in the mountains of Chiang Dao, Thailand it appeared that the mosquitos were having their international bug convention because it felt like EVERY mosquito in the entire world was present. Travis (Chadwick Boseman’s) Stormin’ Norman’s Stand-in was lucky enough to score a cool netted hat. I bet he got that from Larry Cherry!
The mosquitos had just broken for lunch during their international bug convention and the rest of us were getting lit up!! I walked over to The Gentleman and asked for some bug repellent or mosquito patches. He looked at me, rolled his eyes, turned his back on me, and walked away, as if to say, “Chump please!” (insert any other vulgar word for “chump” if you want)
Spike Lee told the Stand-In team to watch the principal actors rehearsing their scene, so that when they break we can recreate the scene EXACTLY as they performed it. This helps Spike set up the camera angles, lighting placement, shot-blocking, etc.
We were there watching the principal actors rehearse. The Gentleman comes over and tells us that we CANNOT be there and for us to move somewhere else. I said, “No”. This infuriated his fragile ego and the little bit of authority that he had. He got in our faces and exclaimed that we had to “Move now!” Going over and around him I said, “Hey Spike. Do you want us to move elsewhere?” Spike yelled back, “I JUST said that I want ya’ll there!” I said, “Thanks boss!”, using my 5th degree black belt in Sarcasm to dismiss The Gentleman and his bad attitude.
I laugh now, but as you see this really affected my psyche our workplace attitude.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN there is Mr. Norman Lewis.
If you don’t know Norm you really should. Tony Award winning… Grammy Award winning…. Mr. Phantom of the Opera, Norm played EDDIE in Da 5 Bloods.
Norman felt like the People’s Champion. If we were walking down the street and fans wanted a photo or an autograph, he would make sure that every person had their moment with him.
Most days he would usually sit with us and share life advice, talk business or tell funny stories. I remember him wearing prosthetics and heavy makeup singing a Broadway show tune just to make everybody laugh.
I recall doing films with Eddie Murphy or Bruce Willis or Dwayne Johnson where the principal actors were ALWAYS in their trailers (except when it was time to shoot their scenes). But Norm was ALWAYS floating amongst other departments to have breakfast, eat lunch or break bread together. Anything that we needed he was there for us and would go to bat for us. He is one of the nicest and most down-to-earth people you’d ever want to me. One of the guys called him an “unrivaled phenomenon of personality.” I can only aspire to receive such praise in my lifetime.
I could go on and on and on, making mention of everybody but I won't. I was lucky enough to be stranded in Thailand and when I got hired. But other crew members have such incredible stories of resilience and sacrifice which ultimately led them to work with Spike.
One of my best friends, Max, was actually in Tijuana, Mexico when she found out that Spike was going to Thailand. She stepped out on faith left Mexico drove to Los Angeles flew to Chaing Mai with no return ticket. You’ll see her presence bless the Black Lives Matter scene towards the end of the movie.
Mr. Jonathan D. Filley is the hardest working man in show business, and his on-screen credit was da Unit Production Manager. He saved our lives on a daily basis making sure we had safe working conditions and were treated fairly and with respect, having everything we needed at our disposal to excel at our jobs.
Academy Award-nominated (for Roma and Argo) Jose Garcia’s on-screen credit was da Sound Mixer. I remember him yelling in his native Spanish when the sound wasn’t coming through perfectly. He always had a smile on his face even with lugging heavy sound equipment in the middle of the jungle.
Last mention. Seriously! I have to mention my brother, Supanut Laoleeyanurak aka Jae aka O-Screen in the camera department. His on-screen credit was da Camera PA #2. He spotted me after a long 16 hour night shoot and took this photo of me:
This is what goes through my mind when I watch da movie credits on Da 5 Bloods. And these few stories and mentions are only 10% of what I could share. To most, film credits are simply words on a screen, or a cue to beat the crowd and rush out of the movie theatre, but to me (and to some) they mean the world.
I met almost everyone on set, yet I know that I did not get the chance to meet some. And I know that others will not get any credit in the film, but they still deserve credit, like my friend “Bill”.
“Bill” (I don’t remember his Thai name) is a Sherpa guide up in the mountainous hills deep into the thick Thai jungles near Sop Poeng. He and his “crew” helped our “film crew” carry equipment up the side of a mountain so that we could get to work each day. With his limited English and my choppy Thai we would talk about life and equality and the good in humanity. And as Spike says, “That’s da truth, Ruth! Ya dig?”
