Director Nguyen Quang Dung: To sell movies, you have to "attract customers"

Obviously, with a sensitive topic, such as sex, for example, it does not mean that making a film will be offensive. Likewise, releasing films on the Internet, specifically YouTube, is quite free, but it does not mean being arbitrary! Not everyone can publish whatever they want, especially those who claim to be artists. Director Nguyen Quang Dung had a discussion with PV about this issue.

YouTube has its pros and cons!

PV:What do you think about the trend of making movies and releasing them on YouTube?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:In terms of profession, it is an open information channel to create conditions for young people to introduce and promote themselves. In film production, if you want to show your film, there are several options to choose from, such as showing it in theaters or on TV, but these two forms are too difficult for many young people because they are only for professionals. In the past, filmmakers could also print tapes and discs to introduce and show it in small theaters or small environments such as schools.

But now that form is no longer there, but in return there is the Internet, there is YouTube that makes people closer together, people find information easier. In my opinion, in terms of free information, YouTube is a pretty good distribution channel, the quality of YouTube is now also higher. Moreover, at present, on YouTube there is a way to pay partners by views, collect money from advertising.

But of course, everything has its pros and cons. Actually, there is nothing wrong with the tool, what matters is how the person uses it.

Director Nguyen Quang Dung

PV:The downside of releasing on YouTube that you just mentioned is the problem of not being able to control the content of the film posted there, sir?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:In fact, YouTube can completely control content. YouTube's censorship system is very good, they do it very carefully. For example, with clips that have scenes that are too violent or too offensive, YouTube will have a censorship notice. Of course, this censorship may be more relaxed than the requirements of other countries like Vietnam, the censorship range is wider because it is a channel for the whole world. YouTube also tightens copyright issues, first of all to avoid being sued. Like my film, it was also secretly uploaded to YouTube, but as soon as the film distributor informed YouTube, they removed those clips immediately. It can be said that YouTube also has its downsides.

Firstly, anything can be “thrown” onto YouTube, from the best to the worst, just like a flea market. This requires viewers to be aware and choose what is good to watch.

Secondly, because of the business of attracting views, producers will produce films to attract many viewers by deliberately shocking them. In reality, there are many people who are so greedy that they will do bad things, not real things, and suggest bad things to post online.

PV:Sir, YouTube is also a channel for some people to “avoid” censorship, to freely release movies and MVs whose content cannot pass the censorship to be shown on official channels. So, we must have a measure to manage this, especially after the scandal of “Apartment No. 69”?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Regarding that issue, it is important that managers in Vietnam must have laws. Of course, there are products posted on YouTube that they are not wrong, but according to Vietnamese law, they are wrong, so we must have laws, must connect with YouTube. Managers in Vietnam must connect with YouTube to have a YouTube channel in Vietnam, which will limit sensitive scenes or films related to politics, for example. Or more simply, when there is any problem, just contact YouTube and that clip or film will be taken down immediately.

The problem now is that our administrators have left YouTube management floating for too long, so many people are free to spread what they want on it. Administrators can connect with YouTube on management issues with each other, and of course, people always crave freedom.

PV:Vulgar, offensive movies such as sex, shock, or bloody violence that are widely shown on YouTube will have a certain impact on the public, especially young audiences, because even if they are labeled 16+ or 18+, it is impossible to control?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Actually, YouTube is pretty good at managing. Movies with sex scenes or excessive violence are not on YouTube. However, censorship takes time, so when they are first posted on YouTube, there will be people who can watch them and download them or talk about them… But in the end, the task of technology is to make it easier for people to operate, to bring people closer together. And of course, therefore, tracing the origin of what is too harmful is easy, it is just not worth doing.

PV:But then again, online distribution channels like YouTube are very useful for young filmmakers to introduce their products easily. Next, it is also a distribution channel that can completely profit from views and advertising like any other mainstream channel. So the problem is how to coordinate content management?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Obviously, this is a very useful channel for the aesthetics of young people. The aesthetics of the young generation will be closer to the world. Young people can go there to watch clips, short films, watch everything filmed around the world. In the past, we did not have the opportunity to watch foreign short films, only watch long films released on tapes and discs. Now you can learn and share on YouTube very easily. It is also a film distribution channel.

The difficulty is that on YouTube, except for the purpose of getting views for no reason, just for fun, if you want to make money, you have to register with YouTube management. If you really want to do business, want to collect money, you cannot "do it illegally". For those who have registered their business, the government can easily track them down, so if you really want to make money, you have to work properly and seriously.

The problem is that our management and censorship system may not be up to par with the world's technology, and the people who are using YouTube are not really good, so people are a bit confused. A few years ago, the management problem was difficult, but at that time, people did not use this channel much. Of course, any development will entail appropriate management to respond to those developments.

PV:For those who are truly artists, whether they make films for the cinema, on TV or on YouTube, they must be responsible for their products. As for those who use offensive tricks to attract customers, they should also resolutely eliminate those products. What do you think?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:A professional is someone who can do business with his profession. Cinemas or TV stations are where filmmakers sell films, collect money for their efforts very clearly. Currently, YouTube does not have a clear way of collecting money. But in my opinion, one day, technology changes rapidly, YouTube can make money, and make money very well. Until they make a lot of money, those who make films on YouTube will also become professional filmmakers. It is just a change in the distribution system.

In the past, we saw books on the Internet and the web as unprofessional because they could not be sold, but now ebooks are professional. Maybe ebooks cannot completely replace printed books, but they can balance and even surpass them. Times change, technology develops, so professionalism must be viewed from a different perspective. The essence of professionalism is to make money.

“Apartment No. 69” - the film that violated the Cinema Law and was condemned by public opinion has been removed.

I think, one day, the Internet connection is strong enough to watch a movie with theater quality, people can afford to buy a home theater, then business people will be forced to find ways to do business on the Internet such as by advertising, by paying fees.

"Customer service" is necessary!

PV:What do you think about putting hot scenes in movies? I see many recent Vietnamese movies, every movie has hot scenes, and some movies even have 16+, 18+ ratings as an indispensable “spice”!

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Actually, hot scenes in movies are very normal. Movies are about emotions, violence or love, or comedy, they also create emotions for people, to make people laugh, or fear, or desire... Sex is an immortal topic in the world, never old, never dead. People always wonder about this topic. Most art films talk about this issue, because it is easy to argue, easy to feel, and is a very human topic, a human instinct. That is about the depth of the topic. On the surface, a movie is like a dish that needs spices, hot scenes that support the movie are like adding a little chili to the dish. But there are movies that want to include hot scenes but cannot, like children's movies, children do not like to eat chili, so the cook will certainly not add chili. The problem is who is the target audience of the movie!

PV:Is it difficult to make a film about a sensitive topic, like sex, that really makes an impression?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Sensitive topics are often difficult to do, like nude photography. Except for special people, everyone who works in art has the heart to bring beautiful and good things, no one wants to do bad things, but many times the ability does not come. The same photographer, the same model, still in the same angle, the same intention, but if there is talent, the photo will be very beautiful, but if there is no talent, it will become bad. In Vietnam, it is even more difficult. Because censorship is difficult, and if you are not familiar with something, you will never improve. And I myself am extremely afraid of filming hot scenes because it is very difficult to film.

PV:It is not advisable to overuse hot scenes to attract viewers or create public opinion, right? Because then the hot scenes will become awkward and forced and will not bring any effect to the film.

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:It all depends on the audience. Movies are like a product, but nowadays, people call it “customer attraction” a bit contemptuous. But if you want to sell something, you have to attract customers. However, if you attract customers at the same level as the product, the buyer will not leave, but if you attract customers in an unrelated way, of course, people will feel uncomfortable and will not go to see it again. Everything has an impact later. You can get one or two dollars from people in the short term by falsely attracting customers, but later you will lose more.

Attracting audiences is necessary. We must identify movies as a commodity, not think of them as something formidable!

PV:So you must be very satisfied with the movies you make, because even though they are criticized a lot, most recently "My Nhan Ke" but they sell very well, all with big profits?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:I am not a very talented person, so of course not everything I do is good. There are good things, bad things, things that can be done, things that cannot be done. Everyone is like that. I do not regret what I do. I know how to clearly define my purpose, do my best and within the conditions, and learn from my experience for the next time. Objectively, I cannot say that I am not satisfied, but inside I know what I have done and what I have not done.

PV:When making a film, how do you consider the ratio of taste and art?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:I don't have any boundaries in terms of art or taste, but there are some percentages of my ego in there. I really want to make films, the details that I like. I don't know how independent filmmakers, who pay for their own films, are. As for me, I'm like a businessman, someone who makes products for many people to watch. My likes still have to be measured by the audience, and I and the audience have to be close to each other.

Many people ask me what my secret is to making successful movies. Actually, I don't have any clear formula. What's important is that I fit in with the majority.

PV:In recent years, many overseas Vietnamese directors have created films that have created a distinctive genre and attracted a lot of public opinion. What is your comment on this?

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Initially, the films of overseas Vietnamese directors had their own characteristics, requiring different quality and style from those of Vietnamese directors. But as time went on, their films became closer to Vietnamese audiences, the overseas Vietnamese color gradually faded away and blended more with the market and Vietnamese audiences. Perhaps when they first returned to the country, most overseas Vietnamese directors were unfamiliar with the film, so they were too dreamy and invested too much. If Charlie Nguyen had just made “Dong Mau Anh Hung” now, he probably wouldn’t have suffered such a loss.

PV:Vietnamese films nowadays are mostly comedies, ghost and horror films. Is it true that the mindset of producers and filmmakers nowadays is only about revenue and not about art or genre?!

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:Actually, this is a correct trend but it is too late. Everyone in the world is following that path. For example, in Korea, at first it was mostly romantic comedies. Romantic comedies are very local films, they do not need too much budget or conditions, but only need charm, psychology, and emotions. When the audience is bored with that genre, filmmakers have to rise up and change. The next easiest step to change is ghost films. Technically, ghost films are a step forward from romantic comedies because they need sound, special effects, makeup, lighting, etc. Especially in East Asian countries, the more superstitious the people are, the better ghost films survive.

Next is action movies, all the filmmakers in the world want to make action movies. All genres such as romance, comedy, horror are to serve action movies. Because action movies are easy to understand, easy to sell all over the world. So when the conditions are right, producers start making action movies.

PV:So with the historical action movie "Beauty Scheme", Nguyen Quang Dung wants to assert his class?!

Director Nguyen Quang Dung:I myself am a person who loves technology, so I really want to make a historical, action film. I want to do new things, things that others have not done or have done but have difficulty finding a way out. That satisfies my passion. It can be said that my entire career has been about big gambles. Like with “Beauty Scheme”, at that time filmmakers were very afraid to make historical films, and before that, historical films were all losing money. At that time, I was also very worried that if “Beauty Scheme” lost money again, no one would dare to make another historical film. So I had to try to solve the revenue problem for historical films. That was also a way to create trust for future investors.

PV:Thanks for this chat!

According to PetroTimes