Filming corporate & lifestyle still images & video of aquaculture & food industry in Vietnam
From Jun 10 to Jun 18, 2022, Vietnam Filming Fixer welcomed and worked with Clients from the UK and the USA to produce corporate and lifestyle still images & video footage of aquaculture and food industry in Vietnam. The communication and preparation started a month prior to that.
The filming happened at various locations in Ho Chi Minh city and has been successful. We helped and provided services for: applying for film permit, press visa and drone permit, ordering custom-made and ready made trolleys and aquariums for filming, hiring local crew (Cameraman + DOP, Camera Assistant, Drone Pilot), hiring talents for lifestyle filming, arranging ground transportation for crew and a separate van for equipment, communicating, interpreting and making payments to various people.
On this occasion, we would like to thank: Vietnam Foreign Press Center, Quan Bui Restaurant – D1, HCMC, Ms. My Hanh and Ha Hien Fresh Food, Aquaculture research Center at Nha Be, 9 drivers and 20 talents for making all of this happen!
Thank you all for the wonderful opportunity to work and exciting experience, I’ve have fixed problems I never fixed before, and it has been so fun. Thank you!
Pre-production / Preparation
May 10, 2022:
Client sent an email to inquiry. I messaged him on Whatsapp to ask more about the project. Client shared more info about the project and requirements. I sent him links to download press permit and drone permit application, though he didn’t need to fill up drone permit application due to we would hire a drone pilot with drone in Vietnam.
May 15:
I sent some estimates for costs just to give him some numbers as other details need to be discussed or waiting for more information.
May 26:
I sent 3 options for DOP + equipment.
Client sent press permit application form as well as pictures of passports of crew coming in, which I adjusted before sending to Press authority to apply for press permit.
Client sent a tentative schedule and locations suggested by their Client for filming. I checked travel time as well as flights and saw that it’s very difficult to implement that schedule.
May 27:
Filming subject is defined: filming at Client’s factory about people working their jobs and filming fish in aquariums. The factory is a research and development facility that researches how fish are fed and how much they grow while eating different foods.
Basically, at all the locations we will be filming people working with and feeding fish, the land and environment of the farms and of course filming the fish themselves.
May 30:
May 30: DOP + equipment option 2 is chosen. However, about equipment list, we don’t need a generator as we can use local power at Client’s factory and we won’t be taking a generator on the airplanes. We will be filming exteriors at the fish farms, so we will need a lot less lighting. For the crew requests, it’s fine to have a 1st AC (although with such a small camera it feels a bit excessive). But, we will not need a gaffer and best boy – the stills assistant’s job is to set up the lighting and we are bringing that person with us. I would propose that the stills assistant and 1st AC work together on lighting and on the cameras. We won’t be shooting 2 x crews concurrently.
Decided to use drone Mavic 2 pro as we expect quiet winds. Selected DOP couldn’t acquire drone permit because it’s too short in timing.
Discussing about concerns about the internal flights in Vietnam and equipment. Timing of the flights are very short and so maybe the planes are small and we might have difficult things to transport – such as lighting stands could be too long.
Discussing about ordering aquarium tanks and trolleys.
6 x aquariums. 1 x large 1500mm(w) x 1000mm(h) x 600mm(d). 1 x small 300mm x 180mm x 100mm. 4 x medium 1000mm x 600mm x 300mm. All with good, strong filters which can keep the water very clear. All Aquariums should be mounted on trolleys which have wheels and can be moved. All approx sizes. And have them to be installed around June 6th or 7th.
May 30:
Aquarium guy said it’s much safer to use trolley rather than making wheels directly on aquariums. For the biggest aquarium, it would be too heavy to be able to push by wheels, depend on which level of water to put into the biggest one.
| No | Item/Equipment | Qty | ||
| 1 | Sony FX3 (Body) | 1 | | |
| 2 | Sony E 16-35mm f2.8 GM (Lens) | 1 | | |
| 3 | Sony E 24-70mm f2.8 GM (Lens) | 1 | | |
| 4 | Sony E 90mm f2.8 Macro (Lens) | 1 | | |
| 5 | Sony E 70-200 f2.8 GM (Lens) | 1 | | |
| 6 | Mornitor (7 inches) | 1 | | |
| 7 | Mornitor (17 inches) | 1 | | |
| 8 | Wireless video | 1 | | |
| 9 | Tripod secced 100 | 1 | | |
| 10 | Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 | 1 | | |
| 11 | Gimbal RoninS2 + Ring | 1 | | |
| 12 | Easy rig | 1 | | |
| 13 | Flash Godox AD600 | 1 | | |
| 14 | Aputure nova 300c | 1 | | |
| 15 | Aputure 600x pro | 1 | | |
| 16 | Nanlite fs 300 | 1 | | |
| 17 | Aputure 300x | 1 | | |
| 18 | 4″ Natline RGB Tubes | 1 | | |
| 19 | Vmount | 1 | | |
| 20 | Generator | 1 | | |
| 21 | C-Stand | 2 | | |
| 22 | Heavy duty articulating arm | 1 | | |
| 23 | 10″ baby C clamp | 1 | | |
| 24 | A Clamp 3″ | 3 | | |
| 25 | Maffer Clamp | 2 | | |
| 26 | 4×4 Neg Flag | 2 | | |
June 1st:
+ Shooting priorities & schedule planning:
Close up Aquarium shots of 5 species with multiple sizes of each species + outdoor pond & system shots – 3 Days in Nha Be ADM facility June 13/14/15
1 x customer farm – preferred in Tien Giang June 16th
Species
Shrimp (Pl27, 5-7g, 20g, )
Barramundi (50g, 800g)
Pompano (20-30g)
Snakehead (500-1000g)
Common carp (400g)
+ Identifying number of crew member to arrange transportation: DOP, AC, fixer, runner, driver, 3 x intnl crew and 1 x intnl client. With this number, maybe a 16-seater van works the best. However, afterwards, a lot of things were changed. We didn’t have a runner and there were 2 intnl Clients coming instead of one. Most importantly, the road to ADM facility is too small, that a 16-seater couldn’t fit, and only a 7-seater could fit. So, it was decided that crew would use 02 7-seater cars instead of 01 car.
+ Client also requested to have a small truck to carry equipment around separately. However, trucks aren’t allowed to commute anytime in Ho Chi Minh city without a special permit. Thus, we tried to find an old 7-seater without chairs inside so it can contain equipment easily and can travel within the city anytime.
+ Website of ADM facility: https://www.ocialis.asia/rd/global-aquaculture-rd-network/
+ Discussing about drone permit and choosing a drone operator.
+ The Client requested to help with ordering trolleys due to their Client requested.
+ Discussing about payment method and recommend the Client to use wise instead of bank transfer.
June 2nd:
Continue discussion about aquarium, schedule, vehicle, permit.
June 3rd:
I was forwarded an email with contact details of people at ADM facility to communicate about the installations of the tanks.
June 4th:
Client sent first payment to order and install the tanks.
Continue communication with people at ADM facility to install the tanks.
Schedule changed to 4 filming days in HCMC: June 13, 14, 15, 16 and 01 day in Tien Giang: 17th.
June 5th:
Ordering of extra tanks is confirmed
June 6th:
Continue to discuss about tank installation, filter and communication with people at ADM.
Getting some clearer schedule: Monday – ADM Facility – Recce (am), shoot (pm). Tuesday – Shoot ADM Facility. Weds Shoot ADM Facility. Thursday – Shoot ADM facility (am) & travel to Tien Giang (pm). Friday – Shoot Tien Giang exteriors (am), travel back to HCMC (pm). Client gave filming address in Tien Giang.
Client asked about sunrise/sunset time. Around 5:30am / 6pm.
ADM facility informed us that the road to go there is too small, only 7-seater can fit, so we have to get 2 7-seaters for crew and 01 empty 7-seater to carry equipment.
Client gave name of the hotel they would stay.
People at ADM facility said all the aquariums should be the biggest sizes, but it’s already too late to change. Assign different tanks to different kinds of fishes: fresh water, sea water.
Aquarium guy said it’s not good to put wheels under the aquariums, because after putting water in, the aquariums are too heavy to be pushed by wheels.
Client sent flight details to prepare for pick up from airport.
Due to we get trolleys custom-made, we can choose the color we want, so I asked the Client and they said last time in the US, they used dark grey, so this time they also want to use this color.
ADM people were very concerned about fish acclimatization, but we assumed that it will not be as problematic as they were saying, and that they were being super cautious.
June 7th:
More trolleys and aquariums need to be ordered. Total we need 5 tall trolleys and 4 low trolleys. Continue discussions about logistics.
June 8th:
Client wants to have snacks, cool box with water and drinks in the car.
We have an URGENT request from the Client. They would like us to add a lifestyle shoot in HCMC either on the Sunday 12th or Saturday 18th. We would prefer Sunday 12th so we can relax on the 18th, but either could work. And I need to check with press authority to see if it’s possible to add a day more.
Ideally we would like to shoot stills and video that extra day and have some talent for our shots. The lifestyle shots would be around health and fitness. So, shots of people being active in the park, playing sports or at a Gym, or perhaps buying healthy food at a store. Client asked me what do I think? I haven’t done lifestyle filming before but challenge accepted.
** UPDATE ** – Focus ideally would be people with food & ingredients. Best case scenario would be in peoples homes but streets are great too – maybe some street markets. Foods are we looking for – grains and dry foods as well as fish and meat. Some fruit & veg is OK, but it can’t be the hero.
From the client – “If possible to do Sunday and Saturday that would be amaze, but understood If can only do 1 day”
Continue other discussions of tanks, filters, transportation and the way to ADM facility.
Due to equipment rental aren’t available on the 12th and 18th, the plan is to have the photographer would use his own camera for filming lifestyle, but still need to rent 2 lights.
Client want to film inhouse dinning.
Schedule changed, no longer film on the 13th, it’s just a recce and pre-light day.
Discussing on hiring talents for filming. Discussing about renting an AirBnb and film the talents there. Discussing on what kind of talents (age range, gender). English-speaking is preferred, but not mandatory.
I asked the Client if it’s a proper advertisement film or a documentary style, and he answered: “The home we can set up with talent and an air bnb and the streets and markets we can approach real people / stall holders and film with them. But perhaps we also take some talent with us too, do film what we need in shops and maybe also a restaurant”.
Client said they may also need to hire a make up artist in HCMC.
Client wanted to see a range of photos of models that are available. So I collected pictures of models and sent to the Client, and gave him so quote for models. One model is needed as the role of a mother cooking, so I sent some pictures of that as well.
This filming is to get the raw footages so the final Client can do whatever they want with those footages when needed.
Due to Client would be flying the next day to Vietnam, I advised him to get SIM card or exchange cash at the airport upon arrival if needed.
Client also asked to check about filming lifestyle at a restaurant and street market.
June 9th:
Discussion about filming lifestyle at a grocery store at at home. How many hours needed. How does it need to look like, etc.
Client asked what kind of socket we have here, so I sent him a picture.
Authority in Tien Giang called me to ask about name of farm owner in Tien Giang. The problem is the address registered for drone permit is at someone’s home, not a farm.
Client said that there may be a problem with the shoot that day as their client says the customer is “not available”. Not that we need the customer themselves, we just need a drone shot. Client asked me to approach other fish farms in Tien Giang and ask if we can shoot with them instead? We are really just looking for drone shots of fish cages in the river or sea, plus landscapes and anything else of interest.
However, fish farmers aren’t just available online to call, it’s not easy to find their phone numbers. However, I still tried to find some images of fish farms at Tien Giang via Google maps with the location pin. There seems to be many at Thoi Son islands.
Client asked if we can fly a drone at that location as we didn’t register those on drone permit, and I answered that I hope the authority at Tien Giang don’t really read the longitude and latitude on the drone permit.
June 10th:
Client updated me that they give up on Tien Giang and the fish farm idea, and they will shoot 5 x days – 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, with 2 x days lifestyle on 12 & 17 and three days ADM on 14, 15, 16 with recce ADM on 13. So all the time they will stay in hotels in HCMC. For the lifestyle we still need to find a grocery store to shoot in and we need to book an Airbnb for the family shot. DOP and equipment we need for 6 days 12-17 inclusive and drone pilot probably only 1 day at ADM, depending how much drone there is to shoot.
So I informed press authority about changing of schedule and plan again, and I communicated with our drone pilot for planning of the shoot, as well as check on AirBnB and sent pictures to the Client.
Discussing about picking up equipment and storing at ADM facility over night after filming on the days of filming there.
Also on that day Clients were arriving at the airport so I come to pick up them.
We then went for a team meet up and dinner at Quan Bui Restaurant, Ngo Van Nam street, D1.
Client asked me to find some restaurants which would accept filming, which I sent pictures of Sangrima restaurant in D7.
Then a lot of discussions and sending photos about selecting models. We would only record the images of models, not voice.
June 11th:
The Client asked if Sangrima restaurant is “Authentic” for Vietnam, or is it what might be called “Westernized”?
My answer was: This is perception matter. Everything built by brick and concrete can be considered Westernized, as original Vietnamese homes built by mud and leaves. But if you ask about Vietnamese elements in design , then the restaurant we had dinner the previous night (Quan Bui) had more Vietnamese elements than that restaurant.
On the same day, the trolley manufacturer was putting wheels on the trolleys that we ordered.
Client asked if Vietnamese people sit in a park and eat food like in a picnic. To which I answered that I saw it in Vung Tau but not in HCMC. But now I know that there are people who eat food at the park near Crescent Mall in District 7. Someone else told me that there are people eating street food near the Cathedral and the lake, they’re sitting on small stools and eat, not grass.
Client and I then went for scouting and when we arrived at Hoang Van Thu park at airport, Client saw a couple of a Vietnamese man and woman eating together under a pergola in the park. So they asked me to ask the Vietnamese couple if they can join the filming tomorrow (with payment) and they said yes. Afterwards, Client told me to find another 2 models to eat together with the two original friends to make it look like a group of friends eating together. I asked all of them to bring some plates, bowls, chopsticks and glasses to eat and drink. We also informed them to make up a bit and dress more nicely. They shouldn’t wear clothes with logo or names of any brand, as we aren’t promoted for any brand.
To film at a store, I’ve contacted many grocery store, but most of them are belong to big chains such as Bach Hoa Xanh, Vissan, WinMart and they don’t agree with filming or the people I spoke with can’t make decision about it. Luckily, when we went for scouting at Ba Chieu market, we stumbled upon Ha Hien fresh food and after a long waiting to talk about the filming, we fortunate to meet the owner of the chain and was able to make a deal with them. Ha Hien fresh food might be the only privately-owned food supply chain in HCMC. They said their store at Ba Chieu market is small and might not be good for filming, but we can film at their store number 10 at 114 Hoang Hoa Tham street, Ward 12, Tan Binh district.
Client found an AirBnb that they like for filming the family cooking. However, the owner asks to make a deposit to their Vietnamese bank account and Client doesn’t have, so Client paid to me via wise.com so I can pay to bank account of the owner. Address of the AirBnb is at GRAND RIVERSIDE, 283 Ben Van Don street, D4. Client also sent me owner’s phone number.
Schedule for the next day, Feb 12: 9am-12 at the store, then lunch until 1pm. Then at the park by 1.30pm, talent at 2pm, shoot until 4pm. Then market at 4.30pm, shoot at 5pm-6pm. Client asked me if it is realistic in terms of travel, parking etc, if not we need to start earlier. I answered that it’s doable.
Discussion about models using for the next day.
Client asked for the next morning that the car would take us from the hotel to the store, after dropping us would come back to pick up the agency, so they would have some more time to sleep due to they arrived late at night.
Client asked if they’re supposed to leave tips at restaurants and bars, in which I answered that it’s completely up to them, it’s not mandatory.
I communicated with equipment van and DOP and AC to pick up equipment at rental house, then equipment van comes back to their packing place and go directly to the filming site next morning.
June 12th:
The first filming/shooting day. In the morning, everything went well. We arrived at Ha Hien store then met Long Huynh – DOP and Tin Dang Ho – AC. Then equipment van arrived and everyone went out to help carrying the equipment to inside the store and set up the equipment. Then the agency arrived. Then the models arrived but we haven’t done set up so we asked them to wait.
Client then sent me a release form which I asked help from the store to print, due to they have an office with printer on 2nd floor.
The first two Vietnamese models are Hien Ngoc Lu and Tuan Quoc Luu.
At the same time, I looked for a restaurant nearby for lunch, and sent the Client menu so they can start choosing. The restaurant was Hoa Vien Brauhaus Tan Binh because it’s near Hoang Van Thu park – the next location for filming.
After we finished filming, we paid the venue fee for Ha Hien fresh food, paid to the models and asked them to sigh the release form, then we went to the restaurant for lunch. After finishing lunch, the rain was too hard, so we stayed there to wait before going to the park.
Rain stopped. We went to the park and later the two models and two friends also arrived. We have to carry equipment, water and snacks quite far away due to the cars can’t park anywhere they want, there are only few locations they can stop and park nearby that park. And they also can’t leave far away from the car.
Afterward, we come to Ba Chieu market to film 3 models shopping. It was challenging because due to the rain, everything was delayed, and we arrived late and the indoor market was about to close. At 6pm, it was going to close completely and the market management would shut up the electricity and close all the doors. Thus, the sellers at the market were in hurry to pack up their goods before the market is closed. However, filming crew wants them to open all the packs so they can film those. It was a challenge to convince them. One person in the film crew suggested to give them some dollars, but for them this isn’t about some dollars.
