FILM PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT:
James With is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's Film Entertainment Department (FED) for TRI-US Entertainment. This department also oversees all aspects of the Live Entertainment Department which contain filmed components.
The FED is comprised of five distinct task areas that can be utilized as separate entities or brought together to complement each other when a specific project or production requires all or some of these specialist areas.
Whether a film project is simple or complex, the FED has the expertise and resources to assess, develop, finance, produce and distribute at the most practical level, in order to deliver the highest quality and entirely rewarding visual entertainment or media product.
Project Assessment
All film projects are unique and it requires a skilled technician with balanced creative sensibilities to assess a film project. The FED provides assistance in managing the stages of production. Determining whether a certain project fits with our mission statement is an important first step that all potential co-production projects must meet.
Project Development
A good idea requires a careful and structured approach in terms of development. Incorporating all the elements and balancing the requirements of a film project allows a producer to deliver a product of the highest quality.
Project Financing
Direct investment into projects as well as working closely with its extensive network of financial industry professionals allows the FED to structure projects that are financially sound and rewarding. Aversion to risk is a priority for any project that TRI-US Entertainment becomes financially involved in.
Production
The FED focuses on producing film media products that are predominantly in the English language, set in and produced in Asia and intended for global distribution markets. TRI-US Entertainment encourages cross-border co-production and works closely with film industry professionals throughout the world to capitalize on the unique qualities of peoples, cultures and countries.
Distribution
The international distribution and sales focus of the FED is mainly directed towards Asian territories. Balancing interest in our properties with European and American distributors is incorporated within TRI-US Entertainment, which helps to ensure that properties are managed and investment returns are weighed with risk assessment criterion.
LIVE PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT:
Para Isidro is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of the Live Entertainment Department (LED) for TRI-US Entertainment. This department co-ordinates closely with the Film Entertainment Department on projects involving filmed components.
The LED is equipped to direct, stage and produce high end international stage productions for a wide variety of venues. A key interest area of the LED is the staging and production of Broadway style musicals in Asia, popular dance genre productions and specialized themed concerts.
Working with seasoned professional performers to entertain a growing awareness of these stylized forms of performance in Asia is a key focus area of the LED.
Concept Development
Whether your needs are for a finished original production or developing an idea with the assistance of professional live performance advice our LED can assist you.
Directing
Unifying the components of a production and ensuring a smooth and professional manner requires highly skilled experts with years of live performance experience.
Choreography
Staging of dances or special musical numbers requires a thorough grounding in choreography and managing movement.
Artist Management
Our managed pool of professional artists possesses a wide array of talent and the LED is constantly focused on providing high quality artists for live performances.
Event Management
Production Management and Stage Management and tailoring fully developed productions for a particular venue or event.
Anyone who requires quality media production services, entertainment needs, feature film production, video services, staging, choreography, dance, Performing Arts education, drama, casting services, modeling, production design services, and people interested in furthering their own skills. TRI-US Entertainment manages and operates the International School for Performance in Live & Film Entertainment in Bangkok, Thailand.
TRI-US ENTERTAINMENT: CHOREOGRAPHY
TRI-US ENTERTAINMENT: PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION
I'd like to meet:
JAMES WITH
Managing Partner, Chairman and CEO
James With was born and named James Robert Wearing Smith in London, by Australian parents, both medical practitioners (James Alexander who died in 1984 and Elizabeth Janet), being the eldest of three children and grew up in Perth, Western Australia.
From his childhood days at Kelmscott Primary School, located in an outer suburb of Perth, James has been actively singing and performing. As a founding member of the Kelmscott Primary School choir James regularly appeared on television and sang in public performances, gaining valuable early technical experience in the pursuit of excellence when the choir recorded an album of favourite folk songs.
After matriculating from Hollywood Senior High School, he pursued studies in music at the University of Western Australia, singing in the Western Australian Opera chorus and in many local performing groups, whilst working as a presenter on a local radio station and as an organizer for local live events. Graduating from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University in 1991, the institution that has produced such notable thespians as Hugh Jackman, Frances O’Connor and Lisa McCune, he adopted the name contraction James With and moved to Asia.
James continues to live and work in Asia, having lived for various lengths of time in Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Thailand and the United States. His earliest start in film came in Thailand when he seized upon an opportunity to work on location as a stand-in and stunt double on his first Hollywood feature movie The Quest starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. On an ensuing trip to Los Angeles, an unaccredited appearance in the Roland Emmerich international blockbuster Independence Day starring Will Smith and Bill Pullman quickly followed, marking his debut on-screen appearance in a major Hollywood theatrical release. Using the opportunity of being in LA and his experience of working on feature films in Asia, James accepted a position as Photo Double acting also as Stand-in for James Remar in The Phantom starring Billy Zane, Treat Williams and Catherine Zeta-Jones, a film which was shooting for five months in the USA, Thailand and Australia.
Upon returning to Australia, James successfully gained a place in the Acting for Film & Television course and undertook studies at the University of News South Wales, National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), which has graduated such famous thespians as Mel Gibson, Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush. Landing a supporting role in Robo Warriors in the same year and being on location in the Philippines inspired him to launch his first production company in Thailand, which he has used to produce television commercials, shoot MTV videos and to provide production services for foreign producers filming on location in Thailand.
James continues to put his diverse wealth of life’s experience into his work as a producer and entertainment specialist. For over ten years he has worked in the fields of investment banking and finance for international banks and investment firms, having also worked as a licensed securities dealer and financial investment advisor. James has cultivated a strong interest in structuring financial products for entertainment and the arts and continues to strive to build long term structured financing opportunities for international investors in Asian and international productions and co-productions.
James loves acting and working actively in front of the camera and also relishes the challenges of production and working behind the camera. Sharing life and business with Para continually inspires him to work at high professional standards and through the medium of entertainment he is intent on promoting Asia’s vast range of locations, cultures and peoples in the global entertainment industry.
PARA ISIDRO
Managing Partner, Director of Dance & Choreography
Para Isidro was born in Manila, Philippines and started dancing at age of six months doing pirouettes from one end of the crib to the other. A week after her parents took her to see her first ballet dance concert at the age of 10 she enrolled at The New Manila Ballet Center. From that day on she hasn’t stopped sharing the joys of dance through her performances, choreography and teaching.
In the Philippines, Para studied with Filipino, American and European dance masters including Norman Walker, Maniya Barredo, Vella Damain, William Morgan, Agnes Locsin, Douglas Nierras, Steve Villaruz, Tony Fabella, Eddie Elejar and many others. Ten years of ballet with leading dance schools in the Philippines such as Dance Concert Company, Dance Theater Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theatre, University of the Philippines, and Cultural Center of the Philippines shaped her early years in dance. At the age of 12 Para choreographed her first ballet pieces and embarked on her first tour performing these dances with her famous composer aunt.
Para fell in love with jazz dance at age 12 and soon afterwards started performing professionally in the movies and on the stage. At the age of 17, she became a founding member of the Philippines’ premiere jazz and contemporary dance company, now called Douglas Nierras Powerdance. She performed and traveled with the Company for ten years before forming her own dance company, Lines Dance Company, whilst running and owning her first dance studio.
Studying in New York and Los Angeles has been an integral part of Para’s career development at Steps Studio, Broadway Dance Center, Dupree Studio/L.A. Danceforce, Joe Tremaine Studio to name a few. Sharing the floor with some famous Hollywood and Broadway dancers and choreographers including Phil Black, Liz Imperio, Bill Prudich and others has moved her to constantly strive to excellence in all her work and help raise the standards of dance throughout the world.
In the Philippines for a long time now, Para has been one of the most sought after choreographers for television, commercials, concerts and special events. Her strong affinity with the stage musical has been put on display in her choreography for Chess, Rent, Funtasticks, and Once On This Island.
Para has shared dance consultancy positions and dance directorships for notable schools including Assumption College and La Salle University, during which she has conceptualized and written outstanding dance concerts for these institutions.
In 2000, she was awarded the position of dance captain for the Philippine production of Cameron Mackintosh’s famous musical Miss Saigon. Her work on this was rewarded with Para being offered the same position during the musical’s Asia Tour of Hong Kong and Singapore in 2001.
With the establishment of TRI-US Entertainment Limited in Hong Kong in 2002, Para branched into the international production arena as one of the founding Managing Partners. She continues to spearhead the direction of the company, particularly in live entertainment, sharing her talents and expanding dance in many live productions and other media formats. Para enjoys teaching committed dance students, producing workshops and seminars as well as rising to the challenges involved in conceptualizing and staging musicals, and developing unique and original creative works.
Through TRI-US Entertainment she is also working on bringing more dance stories into film. Para wrote and produced her first international musical entitled “Have I Told You Today That I Love Youâ€, which premiered in the Philippines in 2003. One of Para’s greatest joys is teaching dance, especially to children. She has enjoyed teaching dance to youngsters enrolled at iHappyChild Learning formerly based at The Esplanade in Singapore. She is currently sharing her passion of dance as the Dance Director of the American School of Bangkok in Thailand.
In 2004, Para accepted an invitation as the winter term guest teacher/choreographer for the musical theater course at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts.
With the establishment of TRI-US Entertainment (Thailand) Limited in 2005, Para oversees the beginning of a new phase of live entertainment production in the Kingdom of Thailand and throughout regional Asia.
Music:
Jazz, Classical, Ballet, Hip Hop, Rap, Mood, Ambient, Rock n Roll, Rock
Movies:
Independence Day, The Quest, The Phantom, The Medallion, Time To Kill, Robo Warriors, Bangkok Dangerous, John Rambo
