Q: After more than 20 years dedicated to animation, besides passion, what other factors have kept you persistent in this field?
A: Perhaps it is quite difficult for me to find another reason besides passion. Everything I have studied and done has only served one purpose — to become a professional animator. However, it was also a matter of fate. Like any child, I was very fond of comics and animation films. When studying fine arts pedagogy, during sketching or field drawing classes, my teachers and classmates would say that my ability to observe and "capture shapes" was very quick and suited to animation. At that time, the concept of an animation artist was still quite vague. Those encouraging words silently but strongly influenced me, pushing me to study every day and set personal goals since I was still sitting in the classroom.
In addition, the audience's reception, the recognition and evaluation from professionals, as well as the firm support of my colleagues and the trust of partners, have played a major role in creating a steady foundation for me to continue pursuing my creative career.
And I cannot forget my family. In difficult times, when I did not even have basic drawing tools, such as pencils or smooth white paper, my mother, siblings, and close friends always nurtured and encouraged me, seeing me as an artist even when I was still herding cows and cutting grass.
Q: Do many entertainment channels influence the audience's love for animation films?
A: One thing that, in my opinion, will never change is the need for entertainment, including animation. The essence of this is very simple — it is in our genes. In other words, from our very genetic makeup, we have a special fondness for expressive drawings, similar to animation (such as the carvings in ancient caves or the patterns on bronze, ceramics, etc., found throughout human history). The initial purpose was to pass on survival skills to future generations, then came celebratory dances or the expression of dreams. This is the evolving need of humanity.
Today, there are more entertainment channels, offering diverse formats, materials, and qualities, and providing audiences with many choices. However, the love for animation remains unchanged. The only difference is whether the products or works are competitive enough to meet the increasingly high expectations of the audience.
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The Alpha Studio team receive the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Award. |
Q: In your opinion, how has the quality of animation films in Vietnam been renewed? What ways can we approach, explore, and present creativity in a fresh and innovative way?
A: Recently, the quality of domestic animated films has improved significantly, with a remarkable increase in both quantity and quality. The themes explored have become more diverse, expanding beyond the main systematic categories such as history and education, to include entertainment, topics related to everyday life, realism, and current trends, all of which are being addressed with great effectiveness. Focusing on the audience, analysing the target audience segment, and effectively using distribution platforms are key elements in driving change and innovation. Regardless of the novelty or creativity in presentation, a work must have true value for its audience in order to be sustainable and form a solid foundation for long-term development.
In addition, it is important to nurture a mutually supportive relationship between filmmakers and their audiences, which should become more professional and stronger through innovative and creative works. Strongly tapping into the creativity of young people will provide fresh materials, reducing the outdated thinking from the early stages of creating a product or work. Moreover, we must continuously learn from the world’s leading animation industries and even from other entertainment products that are fiercely competing every day.
Q: How do you view the balance between preserving Vietnamese cultural identity and integrating strongly with the international community?
A: This is essential for any nation and its people. Looking broadly, we can see that although animation industries around the world are highly developed, when we analyse films in detail, we always find them infused with the culture of the country they come from, whether through the storyline, setting, character design, costumes, or dialogue. Some notable examples include Coco, Kung Fu Panda, Natra, Masha and Bear, Grave of the Fireflies, etc. For me, alongside fostering creativity, there must always be a passion for researching and preserving national culture. This is a mission. However, in order for a work to reach a broad audience and have international appeal, filmmakers must carefully study core principles such as: inheritance, universality, exploration, and experience… with creativity playing a particularly prominent role. We need to tell a story with imagery that captivates the audience while still being accessible and easy to understand, prompting viewers to want to explore and discover more.
Q: For you, is making animation more difficult or more advantageous nowadays?
A: Indeed, nowadays, it is much more convenient than before. We have a generation that inherits the best practices while also learning and researching very seriously, carefully, and appreciating every frame of film or each drawing page. Thanks to digital technology and a wide variety of film production software options, all genres of films — 2D, 3D, Stop Motion, Frame by Frame — are now achievable. The quality of production equipment is continually improving, simplifying the film production process. Non-state-owned companies are also becoming more aware of working together to build a growing industry community and supporting each other in development. Artistic training environments are also acknowledging that this is a field that will thrive in the future, so they are providing systematic training and standardised knowledge. Multi-platform releases also help products reach the public faster.
However, challenges always exist. Despite the animation industry being 65 years old, it still has not been properly recognised or appreciated for its role and strengths. We can point out challenges such as: training the next generation due to the specialised nature of the profession, the need for stability in the quality of life for artists, and the lack of major breakthroughs in film quality that can convince domestic audiences to trust and support.
Director Trinh Lam Tung was born in 1981. He previously worked at the Vietnam Television Film Centre before switching to a new role. The animated films he directed have won numerous awards including the Golden Kite Award, Silver Lotus Award, and many other film accolades. Recently, the Alpha Studio team was honoured with the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Award (VCA), which is organised by the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (VDCA) and managed by the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Alliance (DCCA).
Q: Does he have any plans for the near future after the series of successful projects that have garnered attention and received many awards?
A: Following the success of the “Trang Quynh thoi nhi nho” (Trang Quynh in the funny days) series released on digital platforms, Alpha Animation Studio has not "rested on its laurels". Instead, we have immediately embarked on a more ambitious mission for the industry as Alpha will be the first studio to produce a commercial 3D animated film for theatres. Currently, the film “Truyen thuyet Kim Nguu” (The Legend of Taurus) is 90 minutes long, and produced with the most advanced 3D technology on the market. It is expected to be released in May 2025, and the project is in the final stages of image refinement to ensure the complex post-production processes are completed meticulously to enhance the film's quality.
We are always aware of our mission to serve as a bridge, connecting animation film production units both domestically and internationally to collaborate and elevate the industry's position. Our goal is to continue creating excellent works for Vietnamese audiences as well as to win over international audiences in the global market in the near future.
Thank you very much!
