International experts work with Vietnamese film crews

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Last updated: Saturday, May 1, 2010 |

The quality of some Vietnamese movies has improved drastically thanks to the participation of foreign experts.

VietNamNet Bridge – The quality of some Vietnamese movies has improved drastically thanks to the participation of foreign experts.

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American cameraman Dominic Pereira with “De Mai Tinh” film crew.

Reading the introduction of some television and large-screen movies produced recently, the audience saw some foreign names in film crews, including directors, cameramen, designers, music composers, etc.

Internationalizing Vietnamese film crews

Watching “De Mai Tinh”, the audience were amazed with smooth scenes in Hollywood style with halls, stages, night clubs of five-star hotels and scenes at deluxe resorts and yachts.

In this movies, Nha Trang appears wonderfully with blue waters, white sands and clear skies. The lens of Dominic Pereira has discovered the natural beauty of Nha Trang.

Before shooting “De Mai Tinh”, this American cameraman impressed the audiences with nice scenes in “Dong Mau Anh Hung” (The Rebel) or “Bay Rong” (Clash).

Australian cameraman Coordelia Bersford also captured the romantic beauty of the northern mountainous region in “Chuyen Cua Pao” (Pao’s Story).

“Loi song sai lam” (Wrong lifestyle), a television series, also has strange and nice scenes thanks to South Korean cameraman Lee Woon Hak.

Another Korean expert, Oh Seung Yuep, is in charge of pictures in “Mui Ngo Gai” (Coriander Scent) TV series. Another TV series, “Mua Thuy Tinh” (Glass Rain) has a Hollywood picture director, Joel Spezeski.

Cameraman and picture director are the two positions in a film crew that needs foreign experts in Vietnam. Foreign directors and music composers also appear in Vietnamese film projects, for example music composer Christopher Wong of “The Rebel” and Korean director Oh Seung Yuep of two TV series – “Wrong Lifestyle” and “Dong Song Huynh De” (Brother River).

Recently, BHD invited American expert Folmer M. Wiesinger, who worked for NBC, HBO, Paramount, Colombia, Twentieth Century Fox, to be the setting director for “Canh Dong Bat Tan” (Endless Field). Wiesinger was involved in 2046 and My Blueberry Nights by famous director Wang Jiawei, Tears of the Blacks Tiger and Devils on the Doorstep.

Immediate effects

The assistance of foreign experts has helped improve film quality. Tran Trong Binh from M&T Pictures, the producer of “Wrong Lifestyle” said that foreign experts both help improve film quality and Vietnamese colleagues improve their skills.

Ngo Thi Bich Hien, director of BHD’s HCM City branch, said that thanks to director Folmer M. Wiesinger, the producer can save time and money in setting up the movie.

The participation of foreign experts also helps bring about technical awards for film crews, for example Coordelia Beresford won the Best Cameraman title at the Golden Kite Awards 2005. Dominic Pereira won the Best Cameraman Award and Christopher Wong won the Best Composer at the 15^th Vietnam Film Festival.

In addition, the presence of foreign experts raises the professionalism in film production and helps counteract the shortage of qualified technicians and artists in the film industry in Vietnam.

Double-edged sword

BHD’s Ngo Thi Bich Hien said that Vietnam still lacks qualified filmmakers. Producers have to pay high prices to invite foreign experts but the increase in the quality of film is undeniable.

Tran Binh Trong from M&T Pictures said: “At the time we produce Wrong Lifestyle series, Vietnamese directors that we planed to invite were all busy so we have to invite a Korean director”.

Hiring foreign experts is a new trend in the local movie industry but some projects are unsuccessfully because of the foreign element. “Wrong Lifestyle” is an example when it is criticized to have no Vietnamese characteristics, but Korean style.

Tran Trong Binh said: “There are some difficulties in cooperation with foreign directors because their creativeness exceeds Vietnam’s film-making conditions or can be alienating to Vietnamese culture.”