The male director affirmed that he made old movies but he himself had to be new.

The male director affirmed that he made old movies but he himself had to be new.

- Hello Director Phuong Dien, people often call you "King of old movies", "Director with a cool hand of old movies"... Do you feel pressured by this favor from the audience and do you set higher requirements for yourself when making old movies?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: I respect all the titles and names that the audience calls me. For example, in the past, when I went out, many audiences often called me director "Dien den". I was always happy because people watched the films I made, cared about me, and treated me with such affection. However, there is definitely pressure. From the starting point of love and following each film I make, the audience will have higher expectations for my products. This means that I cannot be careless and sloppy, creating a poor quality film product, "riding a horse to see flowers". The more the audience praises, the more I have to improve the way I make films, I cannot repeat myself, I have to have a new direction to create many new dishes for the audience.

- When making an old movie, what is the most stressful and time-consuming thing for you?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: When you have a good old movie script, the most difficult and arduous part is definitely the actual selection, renovation and reconstruction of the movie's setting. Sometimes you choose the right setting for the period the movie takes place, but the owner does not rent or borrow it for filming. Sometimes you choose a location, but to recreate the right setting is too expensive. Making this type of movie, you have to accept that it takes time, because if you want it to be quick, it will look fake. Luckily, I have been working on this type of old movie for a long time, and the more time I have, the more experience I have and the more props I have. Myself and the crew know many good settings, know many experienced designers... and also calculate how to reuse everything to save money but be as reasonable as possible.

Old movies have their own appeal, but to be honest, many investors and film producers are hesitant to invest in this genre. They often ask me many questions such as: Can this cost be done and ensure historical authenticity? Will the audience accept this topic?... Luckily, I have a few producers with the same viewpoint and direction who have accompanied me for many years. Even happier is that the audience always accepts the old movies that the whole crew has worked hard to make.

- Many people say you are the "boss" of reusing props that are hard to recognize, is that true?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: Actually, with old films, we don't have many props. I'm also famous as a director who often borrows props to film. I still remember when I was filming "Heaven's Net", when I rebuilt the old neighborhood for the scene of Saigon in the 1940s in An Giang , I renovated 40% of the neighborhood to get the desired period color. Honestly, all the props were sponsored and borrowed. After filming was finished, the local government asked to keep them for people to visit, celebrate traditional Tet to take pictures... I think the effort put into filming has another meaning, so it's worth it.

After that, I always longed for a film studio built on a large enough area to make films about old subjects, so that filmmakers would not have to work hard to recreate village scenes, streets... like I did. Hopefully in the near future there will be a film studio like that.

- The old genre films you make all create a fever. Do you follow a good formula?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: I am not indifferent, not passive, but always want to find something new for old films. With this type of film, the director must take the lead, must be proactive in everything, from arranging, editing the dialogue when filming, to associating images, imagining how the story will be when it is on screen... Making old films appreciates the creativity in acting and the way the actors create interesting situations as long as it is reasonable and true to the historical period. If every film has the same drama, the audience will predict it first, there will be nothing interesting to wait for and follow.

Director Nguyen Phuong Dieu directly demonstrated acting for Nhat Kim Anh in the movie

Director Nguyen Phuong Dieu directly demonstrated acting for Nhat Kim Anh in the movie "Sky Net".

- In your films, besides famous actors, you always choose young faces. Is this your way of creating roles and opportunities for newcomers?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: I always want to give opportunities to young actors within my ability and the film allows. Anyone who knows me understands that I am the one who looks for characters, not actors. For me, everything is clear. Experienced, famous actors often take on key roles, supporting roles, creating security for the film even though they are not the main roles. As for the main cast, I definitely have to cast to find new people, find youthfulness, so the opportunities for new actors are very high, if you have the ability and are suitable for the role. If you follow my films, you will see that in "Father Fall", "Vua Banh Mi"..., most recently "Mother Sea" currently airing on VTV, there is a 50-50 balance between veteran actors and new faces.

- After many years in the profession, how do you see Vietnamese television dramas developing today?

Director Nguyen Phuong Dien: I think VFC is a little bit better and more in-depth than Southern films. In particular, their PR and communication work is quite methodical and professional. In the past, Southern television used to have the famous brand of Ho Chi Minh City Television Film Studio (TFS) and Lasta and many other film production companies, but now, over time, Southern television films are not strong enough to create a buzz. However, Southern filmmakers have continuously made efforts to create many good films and have also created a buzz over the past time.

I think filmmakers have to renew themselves. I also stopped making old films to choose a healing theme like "Mother Sea". I took the idea for the film from the novel "The Hamlet Without a Husband". I wanted a story that anyone who watched would find comfort and find refuge in their hearts despite the storms and hardships of life. I made it difficult for the actors this time because I wanted them to play a character in both stages, youth and old age. They had to portray the vitality of youth, the bitterness and storms of life, and the experience of old age. If two actors played one character, it would be fake and the emotions would not be coherent.

- Thank you Director Nguyen Phuong Dien for this conversation!

Director - Meritorious Artist Nguyen Phuong Dien was born in 1969 in Saigon, his hometown is Tay Ninh . He graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Cinema and has held many roles such as: supporting actor, assistant, assistant director... In 2022, Nguyen Phuong Dien played the role of co-director of the film "Luc Van Tien" with Do Phu Hai and Le Bao Trung.

The works associated with the name of Meritorious Artist Nguyen Phuong Dien include: "Even if the wind blows", "Cá Rô, I love you!", "Negative", "The bed is divided into two", "The gentleman's war", "Father falls", "Silk eyes", "Hidden enemy", "Mask of love", "Living in the dark", "Daughter of the old man", "Lightning in the rain", "King of bread", "Sky net"... During his career, he was nominated and won awards at the National Television Festival, Golden Kite, Golden Mai Award, Ho Chi Minh City Cinema Association such as: Silver Medal at the National Television Festival for the film "Cải ơi" in 2006, Gold Medal at the National Television Festival in 2009 for the film "Negative"...

Performed by Lam Khanh

Photo provided by character

Source: https://baocamau.vn/dao-dien-nguyen-phuong-dien-khan-gia-cang-khen-cang-phai-nang-cap-cach-lam-phim-a39011.html