The top 16 Asian contestants, including two Vietnamese, have been in Singapore in the final round of the “HP Space – Seeking Asian Creative Talents,” which began November 1.

Tran Quoc Vinh (right) and Phan Huynh Trung.

Sponsored by HP Computers, this contest runs for two months on a reality show that airs on Star World and Channel V.

HP Space is the first reality show to seek Asian creative talents, launched in August 2009 for any Asian citizen over 18 years old who has creative passion in the fields of movies, music, design, painting and publication.

Contestants had to submit a video clip about their talent, passion and achievement and explain their expertise. The organizing board received over 2000 clips and nearly 14,000 registrations on its website.

The organizers chose 65 contestants for the second round held in China, Singapore and India, where they had to show off their talents, personality, teamwork ability, leadership as well as their “acting” skills in front of cameras.

Finally, 16 people were selected for the final round, including one from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam and two from India, China, the Philippines, Australia each and one Vietnamese Australian.

These people come from different cultures, aging from 21 to 37. They are actors, directors, architects, designers, painters, students and restaurant owners.

The 16 contestants in Singapore.

Each week in Singapore, each contestant will have to complete a mission that requires a high level of creativity. The winner will receive $50,000 and will go to Australia to work for the film crew of Bubblegum Crisis cartoon.

The two Vietnamese participants are Phan Huynh Trung, a graphic artist, and Tran Quoc Vinh or Daniel Tran, a Vietnamese-Australian DJ and restaurant owner.

Phan Huynh Trung, 24, represented Vietnam at a world youth forum in Australia. In his a 45-second clip, he showed Saigon through the fresh view of a young man with a special introduction: “I like the sun, I like shade, I like flying, I like fried rice. But the thing that I like the most is the victory in this contest and working for two years in the TV production industry, setting up the first music channel in Vietnam plus a cartoon website. Don’t hesitate, choose me!”

Tran Quoc Vinh was born and raised in Australia. He has been in Vietnam for one year. In his restaurants in Vietnam and Australia, Vinh designed a Vietnamese space with bamboo, pottery and dan tranh (16-chord zither). Vinh said he is an Asian and proud of it. That’s why he took part in the HP Space competition.

Vinh’s clip is in black andwhite, with close-up scenes accompanied by soft music. The clip features Vietnamese streets with bikes, motorbikes and himself with his child on the beach or next to the equalizer with the subtitle “I believe that creative art can make life more comfortable.”

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre