Production Myths in Vietnam

The topic of today’s blog is something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time: the myths and common practices in the Vietnamese video production industry that, in my experience, are either outdated… or simply not true at all.

This will be the first post in an ongoing series - because there are a lot of myths to unpack. So let’s start with three big ones that many production houses (including us) fall into.

1. “Good equipment = good imagery.”

This is the first trap we walked into when we founded FA Production. Everybody told us the same thing:

“You can’t produce good image without high-end cameras and proper lighting setup”.

So naturally, we did exactly that. We rented the latest camera gears and lights we could get our hands on, often neglecting the budget for other important filmmaking elements.

And then we looked at the footage and wondered: Why does it still not look good? Where’s the ‘cinematic’ we paid for?

After a few painful learning curves (and a few painful invoices), we realized the truth: Gears only help to the level of the people using them.

We were young and inexperienced with framing and lighting, so in a way renting expensive equipment was more like a make-up for our lack of experience. However, a talented cinematographer can make a modest camera look fantastic, and no amount of Alexa or RED setup will save a scene without:

• a clear creative direction

• proper blocking

• an interesting character/actor

• intentional lighting that feels natural

• time to set up properly

We need to only look at photography as an example, many of the best photographers are known to shoot with minimal set-ups and most often: natural lighting - just a camera and an interesting character.

Here are a few of my favourite street photographers:

https://www.instagram.com/westcott/

https://www.instagram.com/adrienjeanphoto/ 

2. “The AD should also act like the director.”

This is something I always notice in Vietnam, and it’s one of the biggest structural differences compared to other markets.

In the U.S. or UK, the Assistant Director (AD) has a very clear mandate:

• manage time

• manage the set

• ensure safety

• coordinate departments

• make sure the director gets what they need

• not direct talent

Their job is logistics, discipline, and communication — not creative direction.

But in Vietnam, it’s common (almost expected) for an AD to:

• direct actors

• give performance notes

• decide blocking

• “shape” the creative while the director is locked in a monitor

• even override the director’s vision sometimes

And this isn’t because ADs in Vietnam want extra power, it’s because:

1. Our industry structure is young.

2. Many crews are small or mid-size, so roles are often merged.

3. Some directors prefer to focus on the technical shot rather than on talent.

The result?

The AD becomes a hybrid director/manager, and the actual creative voice can get diluted.

Over the years, we have learned the hard way that having the AD jump into the director’s territory creates confusion - especially for actors. After all, the person with the most comprehensive understanding of the creative direction is the director - so he should not be glued to a monitor - instead, move around, DIRECT. 

An involved director creates a different kind of atmosphere to the set.

3. “Fix it in post.”

This myth is as old as filmmaking itself — and while people say it jokingly these days, the mindset is still very real.

I’ve seen shoots where people say:

• “Sky not great? We’ll ask the colorist”

• “Mic too far? The sound engineer can remix.”

• “Camera too shaky? We’ll stabilize in post”

And to be fair, post-production can do a lot. But it’s not magic. The deeper truth is: post only enhances what’s already there.

If the footage is poorly lit, poorly composed, or missing key beats, there’s no plugin to solve that. A good editor can work wonders, but they can’t invent shots that don’t exist. A colorist can add mood, but they can’t redesign the lighting that wasn’t planned in pre-production.

One of the reasons we at FA Production prioritize pre-production more than post (if the schedule is tight, we’ll often opt to cut post-production short but rarely pre-production) is because it really saves time, money, and effort of everyone involved, while raising the general satisfaction of customers. A solid plan, a good shot list and a realistic shooting schedule dramatically reduce the need for “post-production miracles.”

In a market where deadlines are tight and budgets are lean, relying too much on “fix it in post” is a recipe for stress, overtime, and average results.

Closing thoughts

The Vietnamese production industry is evolving fast. Many old practices still linger, but more teams, including FA Production, are actively working toward a more professional, healthy, and creative ecosystem.