Award-winning television director Do Thanh Hai

Award-winning director Do Thanh Hai is happy with his new job – running the country’s largest state-owned TV production company.

The 36-year-old manager and award-winning TV director says he is currently working to reorganize VFC to make it more efficient and ensure that it remains competitive in the industry.

But Hai says it’s not easy to step in and begin managing a unit where people have become used to doing things a certain way.

“As a director, I work directly with the crew, so I understand their concerns and aspirations,” Hai says. “One thing I know for sure is that no one wants to make a bad show.”

“When problems crop up, I try to put myself in other people’s shoes to understand them better and work out solutions together,” Hai adds.

State-owned companies provide the best environment in which to work on a TV series, he says, but it can be difficult to keep talented actors from moving to private companies which may offer better financial opportunities.

“VFC’s management board and I have discussed this issue several times,” says Hai. “To attract and keep talent, you have to create a lasting, effective working environment in which everyone works toward making the highest quality production.”

However, Hai adds, unlike state-owned television companies, private production companies have more financial worries as they are directly influenced by how well their shows perform.

According to Hai, a good TV series director should also have basic background or training in filmmaking.

“We often joke that directing is the easiest job since the scriptwriter, cameraman, stage designer and actors do most of the work. All a director does is shout ‘Action!’ and ‘Cut!’”

“But in fact, a director must be sensitive, creative and have a captivating way of telling a story. This is where the director can really show off their talent and draw on their filmmaking skills.”

He said the development of the VFC should be analyzed at each stage along the way so that effective management methods can be applied.

For example, says Hai, there is much competition amongst production companies in Vietnam and in the wake of the financial crisis, the company needs to focus on making the best television programming possible to stay competitive.

He added that Vietnamese TV series are increasing in number, but without proper management, there will simply be a plethora of poor-quality, amateurish television shows.

But the competition from private producers also acts as an incentive for VFC to examine itself and find new ways to improve, says Hai.

“To compete successfully, we need to cement our reputation by making worthy, diverse shows,” he adds.

“I know I can’t do many things at the same time but I can still do a lot of thinking to find a good idea or story,” says Hai.

“I will try to cement VFC’s reputation as the country’s best TV series producer.”

Hai has scooped up several prestigious awards over the years including Best Director at the Vietnam Movie Association Awards in 2006; the Silver Kite award for Best TV series in 2001 at Vietnam’s Golden Kite awards; and two gold medals at the National Television Festival in 2000 and 2006.

He has also directed several types of television productions from full-length TV series to short comedy skits.

His notable TV series include Xin hay tin em (Please believe me), and Cua de danh (Fortune for future use), a deeply moving story about an elderly mother who sacrifices herself for her three unkind children.

Hai also directed Phia truoc la bau troi (The sky is in front) and Nha co ba chi em gai (The house with three sisters) along with the comedic sitcom Nhung nguoi doc than vui ve (Happy singles) and the popular teen series Nhat ky Vang Anh (Vang Anh’s Diary).

Reported by Nguyen Le Chi