Social media takes over, overshadowing film critics
At the Hanoi University of Theatre and Cinema, the major of Film and Television Theory, History and Criticism is currently under the Faculty of Cinematic Arts. Very few students want to study this major. According to film experts, film theory and criticism is almost out of the question because it is not a profession that can "earn a living" after graduation, especially in the context of explosive social network development.
Social networks with millions of users have developed, turning each account into a channel for film criticism, reviews (comments) with pictures and videos.
The film “Dat rung phuong Nam” by director Nguyen Quang Dung is always used as a typical example of being “destroyed” by social media criticism. Because of an article revolving around historical details in the film, “Dat rung phuong Nam” had to face a wave of boycott and fierce criticism.
With the superior advantage of being able to catch trends, create trends, and attract crowds, social networks have become a film forum, where everyone must try to write an article about a hot work to show that they are not behind, and are even an erudite film critic.
Many directors, when their works receive fierce criticism from social media posts, also lament, “to criticize a film, one must learn about cinema. Criticizing posts online are very emotional and subjective, but have a big impact on the film’s revenue.”
Talking to Lao Dong reporter, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan - former Director of the Department of Cinema said: "Film criticism theory must be a subject that requires systematic and professional training, with expertise and deep understanding of cinema. However, currently, the development of social networks has turned anyone, any Facebook account, into a film critic. Another sensitive reason affecting critics is that many people are afraid and do not want to write criticism, because in the current era of strong social network development, an article can carry many "brickbats" if it does not follow the trend! Of course, this will lead to deviations in the evaluation of works...
Solution to "save" the team of film theory critics
According to Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, looking at the current Vietnamese film market in a broader perspective, when each producer has to promote PR and communication strategies for the film, it also contributes to the role of the critics being overshadowed.
“With tens of billions of dong invested in producing a film, people are willing to spend up to billions of dong to promote each film, from the time the film is planned to be made, in production, preparing for release, then showing, throughout the time the film is in theaters… PR technology is in all forms, campaigns with hundreds, even thousands of “promotional” articles on social networks, tricks to arouse curiosity in viewers… all have overwhelmed, leaving little room for a few theoretical and critical articles. The objective reality is like that, and the team of theorists and critics is increasingly weak, there are not many people in the profession, and there is no young force to supplement because the training sector of theory and criticism has not been able to recruit students for many years…” said Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan.
Holding the position of Vice President of the Central Council for Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts, Term V (2021-2026), Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan said: “We are also aware of the current shortage of the theoretical and critical team. We have chaired a number of annual training courses for writers from research institutes, universities, literary and artistic associations, etc. In the past two years, the Council has also organized two scientific seminars on the current state of literary and artistic criticism theory and evaluation of the theoretical and critical team to find solutions for consolidation and development.”
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan hopes that with specific and enhanced plans in the coming time, it will contribute to overcoming the difficulties and shortcomings of the team of literary and art critics, including cinema.
