Can you tell us a bit about your background and what got you interested in filmmaking as a child?
On my 10th birthday, my aunt bought me a Canon IXUS camera. She knew that I loved to capture nature, my daily life, and to record the things around me. After spending most of my free time learning the functions and modes of the camera, I made “A visit to Dai Nam Park”, which was my first video.
Which topics are you passionate about exploring in your movies? What message do you want to communicate to your audience?
Like others, I am passionate about discovering emotions. I often think about the dreamy romances of teenagers and that first realisation of love. In addition, I want to draw attention to school violence in Vietnam, which has increased not only in frequency but also in severity. This was the first topic I explored via my Tim Tim Production team, raising awareness amongst families, schools, and the wider public.
What has been your experience of making videos so far?
Filmmaking has improved my social network. I enjoy learning, exploring and experiencing the process of delivering a meaningful message via the language of cinema.
When I was a high school student, I produced 45 video clips in three years. In the summer of 2015, I decided to challenge myself by registering for the Toto’s filmmaking class competition. It was here that my Tim Tim production team and I won second prize. I was in charge of both shooting and editing and we were then able to produce five short films.
In 2016, I also created a two-minute infographic video to raise awareness and funds for HIV-infected and autistic children in Vietnam. Later, I produced a YouTube clip about foreigners’ perceptions of Ho Chi Minh City and received an “amazing” review from the teacher.