Keeping the flame of the "golden seasons" of arts and culture alive.
From the rudimentary cameras of the 1980s to modern yet distinctly Nghe An-style music videos that have won top awards at national television festivals, the journey of those working in the arts, journalism, and broadcasting sectors of Nghe An is a long story of dedication. Behind those emotionally rich frames lie sweat, tears, and above all, a love for their profession and a desire to spread humane messages.
Le Xuan/Present:Hong Toai •30/10/2026
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From the rudimentary cameras of the 1980s to modern yet distinctly Nghe An-style music videos that have won top awards at national television festivals, the journey of those working in the arts, journalism, and broadcasting sectors of Nghe An is a long story of dedication. Behind those emotionally rich frames lie sweat, tears, and above all, a love for their profession and a desire to spread humane messages.
In the early 1980s, at 7 PM, almost every family would gather around their black-and-white televisions, eagerly awaiting the "Little Flowers" program. Along with exchange programs from VTV, Nghe Tinh Radio and Television Station produced the first children's music programs. Recalling those days, journalist Truong Dinh Chien, Head of the Program Department, smiled kindly: "It was a tough time. We only had one camera, but all the programs were broadcast live. Whenever we filmed a children's program, if the children cried or ran in and out making noise, the whole crew would be on edge and worried."
Despite the difficulties, in 1984, Nghe Tinh Radio and Television Station recorded the Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) play "Footprints Ahead," participating in the National Television Festival in Can Tho, creating a great sensation among television journalists nationwide. Even with only a single camera on a VTR recorder, journalist Bui Xuan Loc, editor and director, along with his team, spent months meticulously recording and editing, bringing the country's first televised stage production to the festival. The work won a Silver Medal, opening up a new way of doing things and bringing theater closer to the public.
In 1992, the Arts & Culture - Advertising and Listener Mailbox Department was officially established. This was an advantage but also posed a challenge for reporters covering arts and culture. At that time, the station's studio was just a basic structure, not yet equipped with sound and lighting equipment. Along with the creativity of the editorial team, new ideas for producing arts and culture programs were also conceived and nurtured. To produce the folk singing lessons on television, Meritorious Artist Bá Thuần, a veteran technician dedicated to the arts, recalled: “We manually assembled each incandescent light bulb for the camera to create the lighting system. Regarding sound, there was no mixer, so we had to run wires from the studio to the broadcasting room, adjust the sound there, and then rewind the signal back to the VHS player. Without an artist, we asked musician Phan Thanh Chương to help with stage design. Each time we filmed, we worked together, preparing every small detail and prop. Back then, we only had one M7 camera. We filmed in single takes, and the analog editing technology was extremely rudimentary, connecting sources from three VHS players together. Sometimes, the shot would go wrong, and we had to retake the shot repeatedly before we got the desired result.”
Despite the difficulties, with the enthusiasm and creativity of the staff and reporters, the cultural programs continue to be broadcast regularly, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Nghe An's cultural identity. With the collaboration of People's Artist Tien Dung, People's Artist Hong Luu, Meritorious Artist Dinh Bao, and others, the program is both produced and designed as a teaching curriculum. Besides traditional folk songs, many new songs have been composed and widely disseminated to the public through these programs.
As a specialized program, the artistic works demanded richness and diversity in genre, as well as meticulous attention to detail in the construction of artistic imagery. Concerned about this new requirement, the late director Bui Xuan Loc collaborated with the late Meritorious Artist Dinh Bao and musician Phan Thanh to develop the musical film script "Waiting for You with All My Heart." In the context of the early 1990s, this was a novel and bold idea, going beyond the boundaries of conventional artistic programs. The script was submitted and approved in 1993, but due to limited funding, it was not officially implemented until 1999.
The work was staged and filmed in three locations: Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, and Nam Dan. They had to wait for the flood season, borrowing bamboo rafts from fishermen to film river scenes; they waited for the mulberry leaf harvesting season, and the silkworm season to film scenes of spinning silk… Meticulously attending to every detail, the crew and actors traveled from one location to another for months at a time. Each person shared a single passion and a common aspiration for art. Sometimes, just a scene of a water jug falling from a female actress's shoulder onto the embankment required several days of meticulous filming by cinematographer and Meritorious Artist Dang Lam. He filmed every detail, from the splashing water to the rolling of the jug. Even when the embankment setting wasn't quite right on camera, they would choose and reshoot until it was truly perfect.
In this musical film, People's Artist Hong Luu played a role alongside the late Meritorious Artist Danh Cach. She recalled: “Danh Cach was very caring towards his co-star. Afraid that I would carry a heavy water jar, he would follow me and help carry it, even trimming the carrying pole so that when carrying less water, it would still create a soft, flowing effect in the scene. If we were acting as a pair, the most compatible co-star for Hong Luu was Danh Cach. He stood in the middle of the river, and I stood on the bank, but we still sang the song so sweetly and perfectly. That was the essence of 'Emotional Rhythm.' After Danh Cach, I couldn't find anyone else who sang with the same rhythm, tempo, and empathy in their acting style. So every time I watch the film, I remember Meritorious Artist Danh Cach and appreciate his dedication to art even more.”
"Waiting for You with All My Heart" is the first musical film of Nghe An Radio and Television Station, and also the first musical film in the country to explore and utilize the folk music of Nghe An province. The work won the Gold Medal at the National Television Festival in 2000. To this day, "Waiting for You with All My Heart" is still considered by colleagues nationwide as a benchmark for television musical films using the folk music of Nghe An province. The film is closely associated with the name of the late director - Meritorious Artist Bui Xuan Loc, who always nurtured new ideas, was passionate, and readily dedicated himself to new experiences in his profession.
Following the success of "Waiting for You with All My Heart," a series of meticulously produced musical films and music programs left a strong mark at the National Television Festival. These include: "Waiting" - Silver Medal in 2002; "Afternoon on the 30th at Dong Loc Crossroads" - Gold Medal in 2004; "Post-War Epic" - Silver Medal in 2007; "My Soul Sleeps on Your Waist" - Gold Medal in 2013; "A Children's Song for You" - Silver Medal in 2013; "Thousands of Love Streams" - Silver Medal in 2015; "Homeland in Your Eyes" - Gold Medal in 2016; "Love Song of the Forest and the Sea" - 2014; "Walking Through Time Together" - 2018; "The Way Home on the Misty Peak" - 2019; "Journey of Aspiration" - 2020; "Legend of Tam Dinh" - Silver Medal in 2025...
It's safe to say that behind every emotionally charged scene lies invisible pressure. From the agonizing search for a compelling storyline and songs that capture the essence of the work, to the selection of actors, locations, props, and costumes for each scene, it all demands a professional, united, and highly creative team. Each time they set off, as the vehicles begin to move, each member is filled with an indescribable joy as they embark on a new mission. It will be weeks of hardship, waking up at dawn, preparing for filming, traveling, setting up scenes, and shooting until nearly midnight before returning home. Even when too tired to eat, they still huddle together, reviewing the footage, and keeping a log of the day's work, noting which scenes were completed and the quality of each shot.
The pressure intensified as the crew raced against time, capturing precious sunsets or sunrises. These were the moments when the sun's rays turned a purple hue, the perfect light for moody scenes and staged courtship songs. Sometimes, planning for a twilight shot began in the afternoon, but things didn't always go as planned. Once, to prepare for a scene of the Thai ethnic people singing and dancing around a bonfire, editor Ngoc Ha was tasked with urging the villagers to get ready, preparing props, and getting the camera ready for the perfect moment with the best light. But it was almost completely dark, and the preparations were still incomplete. Tears were shed, hands were clasped tightly, and then the next day they would continue on with new journeys…
Another pressure on provincial radio reporters is production budget. Therefore, besides the main actors and singers, the images of the extras often feature familiar faces like the driver, the cameraman, or an editor who perfectly embodies their roles.
Entering the "film season" means entering with passion, aspirations, and tireless dedication. Journalist Phuong Thuy, Head of the Culture and Arts Department, with many music videos that have won national gold and silver awards, sometimes finishes filming, then gets sick, and after recovering from the fever, continues filming. It's a continuous cycle. Once the filming schedule with the actors in Hanoi is set, there's no time for personal trivial matters; everyone has to work at 300% capacity every day.
For example, in the film "Journey of Aspiration," which won the Gold Award at the Nghe An Radio and Television Festival in 2020, to recreate the scene of mother Hoang Thi Loan rocking her child to sleep, the crew and actors went to Nam Dan at dusk to prepare props and electrical equipment for the night scene. That night was the full moon of the seventh lunar month. The moon grew brighter, the night deepened, but the filming was still not finished. The lighting equipment was insufficient, so the director improvised by finding leaves to dim the light and finding a way to attach peanut oil lamps in a way that ensured the ancient feel and safety of the thatched roof of the historical house… When the crew finished filming, it was past 2 am. The whole crew went home late at night, but still filled with laughter, because they had completed an important scene as desired.
Embarking on a new film project will present countless challenges and pressures. However, leaving behind these difficulties, reporters and editors continue to work diligently with passion, creativity, and dedication. Behind these journeys lies the unwavering support of the management, invaluable professional experiences, and the collective spirit of the artists and actors.
And so, the "seasons" continue, telling stories of love in the simplest and most profound way."Earlygooddark,life ngpeople shortgoodlong aim eye one at the time,breath long one steam Satisfied arrive end lastchildroad.By So pair When theyuscomplaint suspect enter the school nine and chief children thing rightlivebeside.But only arrive When have a cold receive Okay that full there but lack,People fin around there but like absent chief position gender will see umbrella hidden fill between the noise storm busy chubby andbagchange replace bran coax,love Love To be thing Have real.Love Love When there Are not recipient To be thing What difficult with next but To belucklucky find see each other.Together one direction look,together one step Go.To be wish hope to together each other Goviatime space”. (Message from the musical film "Walking Through Time Together," Bronze Medal, National Television Festival 2017).
