In your opinion, what factors determine the success or failure of a film besides the quality of the content?
- That is the consistency between product and media. I see many movies fail not because they are bad. They fail because they promote one thing but when they are released in theaters they are another. Audiences are disappointed.
For example, he told the audience that this is an extremely scary horror movie. But when they bought tickets to the cinema, they saw that the movie was about family love.
No matter how good the movie is, they are still disappointed. Because they do not receive what they are promised.
Marketing is not about saying it really well. Marketing is to help audiences understand the movie correctly. When they understand correctly, they will have appropriate expectations and be more easily satisfied.
Some opinions say that Vietnamese cinema is currently running too much after market tastes. What do you think?
- I think this is a story that needs a multi-dimensional view. Cinema has many different goals.
There are films made to conquer the box office. There are films made to attend film festivals. There are films made for directors' artistic aspirations. You can't use the same measure for everyone.
An art film may have low revenue but is still successful if the initial goal is achieved.
Conversely, a commercial film that does not achieve the expected revenue can hardly be considered successful even if it is praised for its expertise. The important thing is that the filmmaker must understand who they are making a film for.
If you make films for the masses, you must accept the thinking of the masses. If you make art films, you must accept that the market for that film genre is smaller. I don't think any director should chase after the market.
But I also don't think every director has to make art films. The most important thing is to understand their goals clearly.
How do you assess the increasingly fierce competition of Vietnamese box offices?
- I think competition is good. It forces everyone to be more professional. But at the same time it also makes many producers more alert.
Not every time is suitable for film release. It's not like seeing crowded holidays and just releasing movies. There are times when 3 or 4 Vietnamese movies appear together.
Everyone thinks they have a chance to win. But in reality, the number of screenings and the audience are finite. In the end, there will be winners and losers. I always say that producers must know how to measure their strength.
Loving a movie is one thing. Recognizing the reality of the movie's position in the market is another matter.
Looking back at your journey, from a famous writer on social networks to a film producer, how do you see yourself changing?
- I think I am much calmer. In the past, I liked to express personal opinions. I liked to argue. I liked frank statements.
But over time, I realized that my energy should be devoted to things that create more value. Now I rarely appear on social media. I spend most of my time studying, for projects and for my colleagues.
Perhaps age also changes people. I no longer care too much about what others think of me. I only care about what I can do today.
Why do you always emphasize the "safety" factor when talking about film investment?
- Because cinema is a very high-risk field. Outsiders often only see films that reach 200 billion, 300 billion or 500 billion VND. But behind that are many failed projects that no one mentions.
I always tell investors that cinema is not a place to promise a sure victory.
If someone told me that a movie will definitely reach 200 billion VND, I would not believe it. Because if they were really so sure, they would have spent their own money to make it, no need to call for investment.
The only thing I can commit to is that I will carefully study the market, carefully calculate financial problems and minimize risks to the lowest level. That is the responsibility of a producer.
Many people believe that 100 billion VND in revenue is becoming a "measure of success" for Vietnamese films. Do you agree?
- True but not enough. 100 billion VND is an important milestone because it creates a sense of security for investors.
For example, a project with a budget of about 30 billion VND. When revenue reaches 100 billion VND, after sharing revenue with the cinema system and related units, the producer begins to have a good enough profit margin. However, not just reaching 100 billion VND is a big profit.
There are very high investment projects. Large production costs, large promotional costs, large operating costs. At that time, revenue of 80 or 90 billion VND may still only be enough to break even. Audiences often look at revenue figures, while producers must look at profit rates. These are two completely different stories.
Another issue of concern today is the artist scandal. In your role as a producer, how do you see this issue?
- This is a common concern of all producers. In the past, everything was much simpler.
Now, just one incident related to an actor can affect the entire project worth tens of billions of VND. Of course, current contracts all have certain binding clauses.
But in reality, not everything can be resolved by contract. Cinema is a human industry. Everything still has to be based on trust.
The most important thing is still to choose people who are responsible for the profession and have a sense of collective protection. When entering a film project, each individual is carrying on their shoulders the efforts of hundreds of others.
Actually, now the story of signing contracts with actors, especially stars with great influence, is much more complicated than before. About 5-10 years ago, people mainly cared about filming schedules, salaries and film promotion obligations.
But currently, besides professional terms, manufacturers also have to consider risks related to personal image, social networks and incidents that may arise during the project implementation process.
- Thank you for sharing!
If an artist is involved in a private life controversy or is attacked by public opinion because of a story, determining the level of impact on the film, who is responsible and how much actual damage is is extremely complicated. That is why I always think that the contract is only a part, and the most important factor is still the trust between the producer and the actor" - producer Nguyen Ngoc Thach shared.
