Update: September 23. Gavin Hill has removed all the raw footage he placed on YouTube concerning the Big Trouble in Thailand Documentary. I referenced those videos in this post as well as all the other posts I have made on this subject. If you Try to play them now  you get a message stating that the video is now Private.

This past week Thai authorities have claimed that Black Sheep Productions, the production company that filmed what would become the documentary Big Trouble in Thailand,  have run afoul of two articles of the Thailand Motion Picture Law.

Specifically they are being accused of violating articles 34 and 23 of the motion picture law.  Article 34 pertains to showing the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry film committee the film before airing it abroad .  Article 23 of the motion picture law states that no film can be produced that tarnishes the image of Thailand.

Black sheep productions, headed by Gavin Hill, face 1 million baht fines and a year in jail for each of the production crew that took part in the documentary Big Trouble in Thailand.

The Thai authorities believe that the jet ski incident that happened in part one of  the documentary was staged and while they believe the entire film tarnishes the image of Thailand, the jet ski incident is the main issue.

I have asked several times now for the full complete raw footage of the jet ski incident to be released. To date all the raw footage except the crucial raw footage of  JJ  supposedly holding the British Royal Marines at gunpoint has been released. Why hasn’t Gavin Hill released this footage if, as he claims, it isn’t staged?

Well, one reason might be due to the Thai authorities accusing him of breaking the motion picture laws. The other reason might be because he was too busy fleeing Thailand or as he put it ” Making a tactical withdraw” while his Thai film crew takes the heat.

I’ve gone over the aired first episode dozens of times as well as all the released raw footage of the jet ski incident and you can see what I found in Phuket Jet Ski Operator Blames Film Makers. There was clear evidence of manipulation to the aired segments audio and video. Gavin Hill admits that the editors in Britain moved audio around for dramatic effect but still maintains that there were no cuts in the video.

There is no cut between JJ emerging with the gun, hidden behind his back and approaching the Marines, during which time I’m focused on the gun.

Gavin keeps claiming that the scene with the rifle is a rolling shot with no cuts. You be the judge. Below is the original aired footage. At the 6:31 mark the camera cuts from JJ to the Marines and then Back to JJ. This was not a rolling shot.

You can see more on this including statements made by journalist Andrew Drummond on Gavin Hills behalf in the comments section of Phucket Jet Ski Operator Blames Film Makers.

Apparently now Gavin Hill is making claims that the Royal Marine,  Jack Tebbott,  who was involved in the jet ski scene,  was kidnapped by Thai tattooed mafia figures. After watching the aired scene and all the raw footage that was released I can only say someone has an active imagination. The raw footage Speaks for itself and you can see it all here and on Gavin Hill’s YouTube . Would you casually chat with the cameraman/producer if you were in a kidnap situation?  I didn’t think so.

If this was truly a kidnap situation then clearly it was more important to Gavin Hill to get the film footage then to place a call to the Thai police. Why wasn’t Royal Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright upset about the kidnapping of a Royal Marine, and why didn’t he involve the Thai police? Marines were held at gunpoint, right? Surely A Royal British Navy Police Sergeant would see that as an incident worthy of filing a complaint with the Thai authorities. Wouldn’t military protocol demand it?

Royal Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright:

The Thais are trying to say my men were not threatened or held at gunpoint.  But by doing this they are questioning my integrity. I do not like my integrity being questioned especially by a two bit crook.

They aren’t the only ones questioning your integrity Mr. Wright. The incident should have been reported and yet somehow that slipped your mind during your film premiere. Or doesn’t holding your men at gunpoint warrant investigation by both Thai and British authorities?

As well as not seeming to be kidnapped our young Royal Marine also accepts fault himself in the raw footage by saying he did indeed get into an accident with another jet ski before back tracking and not remembering. Don’t take my word for it, listen to what Mr. Tebbott has to say in the below raw footage from the 5:01 mark to the 5:15 mark.

Basically I was out on the jet ski this morning and uh apparently it we got uh um one of them hit me when I was out there but I can’t really remember it myself

Then at the the 5:30 mark he admits:

We did crash

The more I review footage and write about this incident the more shady this production seems. I have no doubt that JJ is a scam artist but I don’t think he was the only one involved with this production. My guess is that it is highly unlikely now that we will ever see the raw footage of the gun incident from the first part of Big Trouble in Thailand. What has been said about the incident to this day by those involved rings untrue and the raw and aired footage backs that up.

Gavin Hill may stand behind his film but I would say he is on shaky ground. The fact that he has left his Thai production crew behind to face the consequences of his actions speaks volumes. Yes, the Thai motion picture laws are ludicrous but if you truly believe in what you have produced you would stand behind your work, and more importantly stand behind your crew.

For a different view of this story you can read more over at Andrew Drummonds blog Camera director of ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ makes ‘tactical withdrawal’

Update: September 23. Gavin Hill has removed all the raw footage he placed on YouTube concerning the Big Trouble in Thailand Documentary. I referenced those videos in this post as well as all the other posts I have made on this subject. If you Try to play them now  you get a message stating that the video is now Private.

This past week Thai authorities have claimed that Black Sheep Productions, the production company that filmed what would become the documentary Big Trouble in Thailand,  have run afoul of two articles of the Thailand Motion Picture Law.

Specifically they are being accused of violating articles 34 and 23 of the motion picture law.  Article 34 pertains to showing the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry film committee the film before airing it abroad .  Article 23 of the motion picture law states that no film can be produced that tarnishes the image of Thailand.

Black sheep productions, headed by Gavin Hill, face 1 million baht fines and a year in jail for each of the production crew that took part in the documentary Big Trouble in Thailand.

The Thai authorities believe that the jet ski incident that happened in part one of  the documentary was staged and while they believe the entire film tarnishes the image of Thailand, the jet ski incident is the main issue.

I have asked several times now for the full complete raw footage of the jet ski incident to be released. To date all the raw footage except the crucial raw footage of  JJ  supposedly holding the British Royal Marines at gunpoint has been released. Why hasn’t Gavin Hill released this footage if, as he claims, it isn’t staged?

Well, one reason might be due to the Thai authorities accusing him of breaking the motion picture laws. The other reason might be because he was too busy fleeing Thailand or as he put it ” Making a tactical withdraw” while his Thai film crew takes the heat.

I’ve gone over the aired first episode dozens of times as well as all the released raw footage of the jet ski incident and you can see what I found in Phuket Jet Ski Operator Blames Film Makers. There was clear evidence of manipulation to the aired segments audio and video. Gavin Hill admits that the editors in Britain moved audio around for dramatic effect but still maintains that there were no cuts in the video.

There is no cut between JJ emerging with the gun, hidden behind his back and approaching the Marines, during which time I’m focused on the gun.

Gavin keeps claiming that the scene with the rifle is a rolling shot with no cuts. You be the judge. Below is the original aired footage. At the 6:31 mark the camera cuts from JJ to the Marines and then Back to JJ. This was not a rolling shot.

You can see more on this including statements made by journalist Andrew Drummond on Gavin Hills behalf in the comments section of Phucket Jet Ski Operator Blames Film Makers.

Apparently now Gavin Hill is making claims that the Royal Marine,  Jack Tebbott,  who was involved in the jet ski scene,  was kidnapped by Thai tattooed mafia figures. After watching the aired scene and all the raw footage that was released I can only say someone has an active imagination. The raw footage Speaks for itself and you can see it all here and on Gavin Hill’s YouTube . Would you casually chat with the cameraman/producer if you were in a kidnap situation?  I didn’t think so.

If this was truly a kidnap situation then clearly it was more important to Gavin Hill to get the film footage then to place a call to the Thai police. Why wasn’t Royal Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright upset about the kidnapping of a Royal Marine, and why didn’t he involve the Thai police? Marines were held at gunpoint, right? Surely A Royal British Navy Police Sergeant would see that as an incident worthy of filing a complaint with the Thai authorities. Wouldn’t military protocol demand it?

Royal Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright:

The Thais are trying to say my men were not threatened or held at gunpoint.  But by doing this they are questioning my integrity. I do not like my integrity being questioned especially by a two bit crook.

They aren’t the only ones questioning your integrity Mr. Wright. The incident should have been reported and yet somehow that slipped your mind during your film premiere. Or doesn’t holding your men at gunpoint warrant investigation by both Thai and British authorities?

As well as not seeming to be kidnapped our young Royal Marine also accepts fault himself in the raw footage by saying he did indeed get into an accident with another jet ski before back tracking and not remembering. Don’t take my word for it, listen to what Mr. Tebbott has to say in the below raw footage from the 5:01 mark to the 5:15 mark.

Basically I was out on the jet ski this morning and uh apparently it we got uh um one of them hit me when I was out there but I can’t really remember it myself

Then at the the 5:30 mark he admits:

We did crash

The more I review footage and write about this incident the more shady this production seems. I have no doubt that JJ is a scam artist but I don’t think he was the only one involved with this production. My guess is that it is highly unlikely now that we will ever see the raw footage of the gun incident from the first part of Big Trouble in Thailand. What has been said about the incident to this day by those involved rings untrue and the raw and aired footage backs that up.

Gavin Hill may stand behind his film but I would say he is on shaky ground. The fact that he has left his Thai production crew behind to face the consequences of his actions speaks volumes. Yes, the Thai motion picture laws are ludicrous but if you truly believe in what you have produced you would stand behind your work, and more importantly stand behind your crew.

For a different view of this story you can read more over at Andrew Drummonds blog Camera director of ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ makes ‘tactical withdrawal’