Development Unlike most
GDH films, (including those produced by its wholly owned subsidiary production company
Jor Kwang Films), which are usually developed by producers or directors,
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies was pitched by GDH screenwriter Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn in December 2020. Thodsapon's idea revolved around a ten-page synopsis inspired by caring for his grandmother during the
COVID-19 pandemic and the family conflict over the lack of inheritance given to her daughter or caregivers. (pictured in 2018) wrote and directed the film in his directorial debut. As such, after
Thai Chinese director
Pat Boonnitipat was hired, he worked with Thodsapon to adopt a more emotionally-driven narrative for the film: Pat had previously worked with GDH on
Project S: The Series (2017–2018) and
Bad Genius (2020). Pat and Thodsapon ultimately worked on the screenplay for four hours a day, five days a week, over two years (which largely included hours-long conversations about their respective families and lives): during this time, the screenplay evolved to include other characters beyond the grandmother and grandson. Pat later stated it took him eight months to learn how to write for film compared to television;
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is his feature film debut. He spoke on the process, saying, "It is much harder to be precise making a film [compared to] TV, which uses coverage—shooting a lot of material and then deciding later [what] to use. For film, every shot [must] be intentional, to make the most out of every moment." During a February 2024 promotional interview at the
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Pat argued that his previous television projects required "controlling" and guiding the audience's emotions and reaction, which he felt left the projects with a lesser "depth of feeling": for
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, he abandoned this in favor of approaching the film wanting to make the audience "reflect about themselves". He also stated that this informed his decision to retain some of the comedic elements from the film's early screenplays. This was echoed by Phuak, who said some of the film's dialogue "mirrored" his life and was a "reflection" of his past. The writers revised the screenplay to include themes on contemporary Thai family dynamics, These themes were confirmed by Vanridee and Maligool during a June 2024 interview with
Golden Screen Cinemas.
Hollywood Insider's Jake Yancey stated
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies explores
gender roles, generational divides and similarities, aging, and the Thai Chinese cultural experience. This was echoed by Usha in an February 2024 interview, stating, "[the film] is about how the older generation's loneliness and longing to connect with their [splintered] families", Putthipong was the producers' first choice but Pat disliked his initial audition: Putthipong was hired following a second audition, after taking a long break from acting to attend acting classes. Usha was ultimately cast after a
screen test with Putthipong, with the producers also wanting a first-time actress for the role. In an interview with
The Review Geek in August 2024, Pat said he catered the screenplay and the character to fit Putthipong.
Filming , with filming locations including
Talat Phlu railway station.
Principal photography primarily took place in
Talat Phlu, a traditional Thai Chinese community recognized as one of
Bangkok's Chinatowns. Filming locations included Talat Phlu Market and
Wat Chantharam Worawihan, both of which became popular visiting locations among fans following the film's release. According to Putthipong, filming lasted for 25 days and was primarily done using a
single-camera setup: To accommodate for Usha's age, the crew implemented regular breaks during shooting to allow her to rest. According to Pat, scenes which featured Usha walking or talking with Putthipong took the most takes to complete, owing to her inexperience in acting and Pat's strict blocking requirements. Many of the scenes were filmed without staged prior rehearsals involving dialogue and contained improvisation, with the cast revealing any rehearsals predominately focused on Pat's strict blocking and movement instructions. Although required by GDH to make abstract pitches regarding the film's themes to secure funding from potential investors, Pat refused to share any details of the film's themes with the cast, saying, "I wanted them to be completely present [while filming] and really open up to each other so when we hit record, [their acting] came out completely naturally". Pat was encouraged to favor wide shots and implement a slow pace for
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies despite being told it may not generate much box office return, saying, "Many people told me the film might not make much money [so] I treated [filming it] as if it might be my first and last feature. I wanted it to feel timeless." ==Music==