Super engine for the film industry
In recent years, Vietnamese films have found a foothold in domestic box offices and have gradually taken their first steps into the overseas market. Especially during the Tet holiday, we have witnessed fierce competition between Vietnamese Tet films and foreign films, and between Vietnamese film studios.
Along with that are the super blockbusters that broke box office revenue records. About 10 years ago, no Vietnamese film producer dared to dream of being able to compete on equal terms with foreign films or earn 100 billion VND in revenue from the box office.
However, now, that dream has become outdated and faded into the past. From 2020 to the Lunar New Year 2025, the milestones of 100 billion VND, then 200 billion VND, 300 billion VND, 500 billion VND have been broken, and then towards the 600 billion VND milestone and higher challenges.
In the Vietnamese film industry, there has appeared a director - producer of "1,000 billion VND" films like Tran Thanh with blockbuster films such as Mrs. Nu's House (475 billion VND), Bo Gia (427 billion VND), Mai (551 billion VND). In addition, there is Ly Hai with a super-imaginable leap in 2024 with the film Lat Mat 7 with a revenue of approximately 500 billion VND.
What has made Vietnamese films win big in the domestic market, creating the premise for the goal of conquering the regional and then the world film market? The first answer is that the film scripts have been written to be more attractive, suitable and meet the tastes of the majority of the public.
It is not by chance that Tran Thanh boldly declared that he is willing to spend 2 billion VND to have a good script. “Consider screenwriting a profession that can change your life. Believe that it is a profession. You should put your brains into it, do research, let your imagination fly and study enough so that when you put down your pen and tell a story that is attractive enough, filmmakers will definitely be willing to spend money to buy your idea,” said this producer.
Obviously, this is the first element of a successful movie. Script, script, and script are the most important factors in helping the movie win the love and admiration of the public.
Second, the storytelling - the structure of the film - has been made much tighter, more logical and more polished. Third, thanks to the support of modern technical equipment, advanced technology in the process of filming, editing, special effects, effects, post-production, the image and sound of the film are as "sparkling" as Hollywood movies.
We get to enjoy the blockbuster Hai Phuong by action star Ngo Thanh Van. This action film by the filmmaker and main actress is classified as “non-stop action” with long action scenes appearing throughout the film.
This is a big challenge because Vietnamese action movies are not many, the pace is slow, and they are not made with the same pace, space, urgency, and speed as in Hai Phuong. These are the factors that helped this movie enter the Top 10 highest-grossing movies (200 billion VND) and be shown in the US market.
To bring such quality action elements, we cannot fail to mention the work of the technical team and modern means and equipment. Hai Phuong possesses very good images and filming, with many flexible camera angles that help bring a series of brilliant, multi-colored frames, helping to clearly show the characteristics of the setting.
The editing and post-production techniques have helped Hai Phuong have a very beautiful film, true to the artistic intention that the director wanted to convey. The setting of the Mekong Delta in Can Tho appears peaceful, with many bright colors, showing the peaceful period of the character.
Meanwhile, the complex Saigon setting, full of traps through narrow, stuffy alleys, with lighting effects of strongly contrasting colors in the same frame, helps create a sense of tension and brain balance for both the character and the viewer.
It can be said that Hai Phuong is not too inferior to Hollywood action movies in terms of image and sound, although the story line, film structure and script content still have many things to discuss. That shows that the Vietnamese filmmaking team knows how to use modern technology and techniques for their work.
Which technologies will take over?
According to director Nguyen Thanh, a freelance film producer, the Vietnamese film industry has been using many modern technologies, techniques, and equipment for film production from A to Z. The most prominent is CGI technology, which stands for Computer Generated Image, meaning image simulation technology using computers.
This is a technology that helps create static or dynamic fictional images using computer software. CGI is used to create 3D graphic images such as characters, scenes and difficult effects in movies or games... In addition, CGI is also applied in advertising, architecture, and engineering.
CGI technology is considered an optimal technology, especially in terms of implementation costs. Because it is cheaper than traditional methods such as creating highly complex real models or actor makeup that requires meticulousness.
In addition, CGI also helps films easily handle difficult scenes that are unsafe for actors or create unreal scenes. The film Tam Cam: The Untold Story by producer Ngo Thanh Van or Em va Trinh by Phan Gia Nhat Linh are examples of using this technology in filmmaking.
Another technology that is very popular with Vietnamese filmmakers is Motion Capture or Mocap, which is roughly understood as the method of capturing movement. This is considered the technology of world and Vietnamese blockbusters. Mocap records the real-life movements and facial expressions of objects or people. Then, all these movements are entered into a computer program for processing.
Mocap is used for many purposes, it can be applied to 3D animated characters to bring a realistic and vivid feeling like in real life or applied in creating Digital Humans. Mocap will be extremely effective and useful in the field of animation.
In 2025, Vietnamese cinema will release historical and animated blockbusters, so we will see a strong mark of CGI and Mocap. Along with that is LED Wall technology for high-speed action scenes like the movie Lat Mat 6 by Ly Hai used.
In addition, there is also Glambot technology (filming robots to capture seamless camera angles that humans cannot do or shoot scenes twice as one to create special scenes); Un-real technology (Allows realistic scene settings); 3D printing technology to create scenes, props...
Technology also helps the special effects in cinema take off. According to director Nguyen Thanh, the special effects in cinema - Visual Effect (VFX) is a part of the post-production stage of a film, including the implementation of special effects, sound effects... to help the film become more complete, conveying the content of the producer.
This stage is increasingly advanced in Vietnamese films and is done by studios in Vietnam such as Bad Clay Studio, SPICE fx, Silver Swallows Studio, LUCIDigital, Vinamation... with films such as Nguoi Bat Tu, Chi Chi Em Em, Mat Biec, Song Song, Lat Mat 6, Hai Phuong...
“Vietnamese VFX skills have improved rapidly thanks to catching up with the technology wave. Previously, these tasks had to be done abroad, but now everything has changed, because the Vietnamese VFX team has the knowledge and experience to do very well the effects that filmmakers want, in all genres from action, horror, fantasy to romance,” said director Nguyen Thanh.
Another type of technology that has also contributed to the development of Vietnamese cinema is film projection technology. Digital cinemas have replaced traditional cinemas because they provide higher quality images and sounds, and open up many new film formats such as 3D and IMAX.
Vietnamese films can now reach audiences without having to go to theaters, but only through online platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, VieON, Amazon... to bring films to the audience's living room. These platforms have helped Vietnamese films become widely known and easily reach more audiences.
In 2024, the online platform Netflix has added many Vietnamese films to its film library such as Mai, Dat rung phuong nam, Hai phuong, Mui co cham, Ma-da, Bo gia, Tet o lang dia hex... This trend will certainly develop even more strongly in the near future thanks to technology and changes in listening and viewing habits.
This is a technology that Vietnamese cinema should actively participate in to have a useful means to promote and introduce its films to the international arena, a place that has been beyond the reach of domestic filmmakers for many years.
(Posted on the special edition of Labor Weekend Spring At Ty)
