Coke CEO visits Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - Visiting Coca-cola CEO Neville Isdell has vowed to expand on his company's corporate social responsibility programmes within Vietnam. The head of the world's largest beverage maker made the commitment to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi, on May 31.Isdell said that his company would focus its efforts on community based poverty reduction and education programmes while also looking to expand investment and business operations in Vietnam within the next five years.The PM told Isdell that Vietnam appreciates the contributions to initiatives involving poverty eradication, social equality and environmental protection by major foreign companies operating in the country.

He went on to assure the Coke CEO that by next year the investment environment would be improved upon as further international commitments would have been implemented

Where will the $1bil loan go?

VietNamNet Bridge – It is expected that the Government will issue $1bil worth of international bonds in September 2007, two years after the first bond issuance in 2005. A question has been raised: where will the $1bil go?Vinashin gets 8% per annum interest with investment
A Vinashin’s shipyardAccording to the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), the actual volume of capital the group received from the previous $750mil worth of bond issuance was $731.45mil. Vinashin has to pay $51.56mil in interest annually, twice a year, through its account at BIDV.Vinashin has allocated the sum of money to 180 projects listed in the development plant for 2006-2010. 50% of the sum of money has been reserved for upgrading, expanding and building new shipyards, 30% for the projects aiming to localising shipbuilding products (steel and engine production), including the project on building the factory making container wall at the Lai Vu Industrial Compex, 30,000 TEU a year. The remaining 20% will be used to develop a fleet with the total loading capacity of 300,000 DWT.A leader of Vinashin’s Financial Company said that by April 30, VND7,400bil ($462mil) had been disbursed. Around VND650bil ($40.62mil) has been recovered from projects that have become operational already, and then have been re-invested in other projects.The sums of money awaiting disbursement have been put under the management of Vinashin’s Financial Company, and will be loaned to Vinashin’s members to fund their production projects (VND3,700 or $231.25mil by April 30). The other money has been deposited at banks.In general, Vinashin earned the interest rate of 8% last year from capital maintenance and development before disbursement, higher than the interest rate Vietnam has to pay bond holders, the official said.He also said that Vinashin has programmed the debt payment. The total value of the orders Vinashin will fulfill has reached $10bil, 65% of which will be for export. Meanwhile, Vinashin can recover capital from investment projects within 10 years.Where to inject $1bil?According to the Ministry of Finance, the Government will issue $1bil worth of international bonds in September. The money to be raised from the bond issuance will be allocated to three enterprises.Some $700mil out of the $1bil will be injected in the Dung Quat oil refinery, which will help it to reach $2.5bil in investment capital.A sum of $240mil will be loaned to Vinalines (Vietnam Shipping Lines) to develop its fleet. The project on the fleet development has been approved by the Ministry of Transport, which said that the investor can recover capital within 5-7 years.Vinalines’s report (not clear if it was audited or not), showed that in 2006, the corporation’s turnover was VND11,241bil ($702.56mil), and the profit was VND551bil ($34.43mil).The remaining $60mil is expected to be given to the Song Da Corporation, which will undertake the Xe Ca Man 3 hydropower project in Laos. The power plant, once operational, will provide electricity to Laos and Vietnam.
(Source: Tuoi tre)

HCM City to screen Vietnamese classics free

A scene in Glorious Time in Me Thao HamletVietNamNet Bridge – From May 15-29, the Institute of Cultural Exchanges with France (IDECAF) and Saigon Movies Media will screen six award-winning Vietnamese movies for free.
The six classics of Vietnamese cinema are Tuoi Tho Du Doi (Stormy Childhood), Chung Cu (Apartments), Mua Len Trau (The Buffalo Boy), Mua Oi (The Season of Guavas), Me Thao- Thoi Vang Bong (Glorious Time in Me Thao Hamlet) and Thoi Xa Vang (A Far Time Past).
All of these movies will be shown at IDECAF Cinema at 28 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, and Dong Da Cinema at 890 Tran Hung Dao, District 5, HCM City.
During the screenings, audience members will also have chances to meet the directors of the Buffalo Boy, Apartments, Glorious Time in Me Thao Hamlet and the Season of Guavas.
The screening of these movies is supported by Fonds Sud Cinema, an agency run by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponsoring film projects.
Notes on the films
Stormy Childhood
This was the first movie by director Nguyen Vinh Son. Produced in 1990, the film was adapted from the famous novel of the same name by writer Phung Quan. Stormy Childhood is about the daring adventures of a boy called Mung.
The movie won the Silver Medal at the 1990 Vietnam Film Festival and was conferred with a special award by the Ministry of Defence to commemorate the 50th birthday of the Vietnam People’s Army (1994).
The film will be screened at 7pm on May 15 and 29 at IDECAF.
Apartments
Directed by female director Viet Linh, the film reproduces a period in Vietnamese history after 1975 to the latter half of the 80s with social upheavals as well as individuals’ ups and downs.
Apartments will play at 7pm on May 18 at IDECAF and at 7pm on May 20 at Dong Da.
The Buffalo Boy
This was the first movie by overseas Vietnamese director as well as physics doctor Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh.
Adapted from a work of the same name by writer Son Nam, the Buffalo Boy portrays the beauty of southern Vietnamese waterways. The film has won many international awards such as the FIPRESCU prize at the Palm Springs International Film Festival; best director at the Chicago and Cape Town international film festivals; Golden Unicorn for best feature movie at the Amiens International Festival; Special Prize at the Amazonas International Film Festival, and best cinematography at the 50th Asian Pacific International Film Festival.
The Buffalo Boy will be screened at 3pm on May 19 at IDECAF and 7pm on May 21 at Dong Da.
Glorious Time in Me Thao Hamlet
Another film by Viet Linh, Glorious Time In Me Thao Hamlet was adapted from the novel Chua Dan by famed writer Nguyen Tuan.
The movie will be screened at 7pm on May 22 at Dong Da.
A Far Time Past
Directed by overseas Vietnamese Ho Quang Minh, and adapted from a famous novel of the same name by writer Le Luu, A Far Time Past is about the comedies and tragedies in the life of Gian Minh Sai in the northern countryside.
The movie won the Silver Kite for best feature film (there was no Golden Kite) at the 2004 Golden Kite Awards as well as best soundtrack for musician Dang Huu Phuc at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival.
The film will play at 3pm on May 22 at Dong Da and 7pm on May 25 at IDECAF.
Guavas Season
Directed by Dang Nhat Minh, Guavas Season is about the memories of a mentally retarded 50-year-old man about an old garden and house from childhood.
The film won the Golden Lotus at the 13th Vietnam Film Festival.
It will be screened at 7pm on May 23 at Dong Da and at 7pm on May 24 at IDECAF.
(Source: Tuoi Tre)

Overseas Vietnamese singers returning to perform en masse

Overseas singers Tuan Ngoc, Thai BaoVietNamNet Bridge - In 2007 and 2008, Vietnamese stages will be flooded with overseas Vietnamese singers, a musician and a show organiser said.
Bridges
The first company to sign exclusive performance contracts with overseas Vietnamese singers is Rang Dong Studio.
These days, the firm continues to be a bridge for overseas singers who harbour dreams of being famous in Vietnam. The studio is completing papers to bring home Nguyen Hung, a famous male singer and dancer in the Vietnamese community in the US.
Phuong Nam Culture Company is also working on an exclusive agreement with female singer Le Thu. And to attract more audiences, Van Nghe Tearoom is planning to debut 5 overseas singers.
Xuan Hoa, Van Nghe’s director, said: “For business reasons, we can’t announce the names of our exclusive singers yet. Yet, one thing is certain: these voices have established their own firm standing in recent years.” It is rumored that two of the five singers at Van Nghe are veteran names Khanh Ha and Don Ho.
Domestic companies have been longing for opportunities to work with overseas Vietnamese singers. Most of these singers are often busy in long-term contracts with foreign studios.
But now many middle-aged singers have ended their overseas contracts, so it is easier for domestic studios to explore exclusive opportunities with them.
Little effort and much profit
Domestic companies don’t have to invest much in marketing names of foreign singers since most of them have long been familiar to Vietnamese audiences in and out of Vietnam.
Xuan Hoa said that Viet Kieu singers often had a stable number of followers. “As for us, who decide to search for overseas singers, we don’t have to put much effort in advertising since they are already famous.”
“We only need to invest seriously in such items as scripts and stage design in order to attract audiences, though the prize of overseas singers’ shows are often higher than usual,” she added.
Truong Thi Thu Dung, Rang Dong’s director, agreed: “When deciding to sign exclusive deals with overseas singers, we don’t pay as much attention to revenues as the brand name of Rang Dong Studio. Our products will be more diverse and colourful thanks to these deals.”
It seems easier for domestic companies to sign exclusive deals with overseas Vietnamese singers than domestic ones. Some explain that it is because most Viet Kieu singers yearn to perform in their homeland after many years living abroad.
Thus, money isn’t always what they are looking for. But domestic companies affirm that they don’t take advantage of this tendency of overseas singers. Ms. Thu Dung said: “Our job is to consult and help overseas singers to understand Vietnamese laws better rather than exploit them. The reputation of the company is an essential thing to us."
"That is the main reason why most exclusive deals last two years at most. Afterwards, singers are free to explore other opportunities in Vietnam. Then, they will also be more familiar with Vietnamese laws and can stand on their own.”
(Source: NLD)

How rich are Vietnamese singers

VietNamNet Bridge - “If you say that star singers are very rich, then you don’t really understand them. Few people get rich by singing alone,” said pop star Thanh Thao.
Earning billions and spending billions
Top-tier pop singers like Thanh Lam, My Linh, Hong Nhung, Lam Truong, Dan Truong, Phuong Thanh, Dam Vinh Hung, My Tam, Ho Quynh Huong and Thanh Thao are generally considered very wealthy.

Singer Thanh ThaoIndeed, they earn at least VND10million (US$625) dong for a show, and their monthly earnings from shows are estimated to be around VND100million (US$6,250).
Many singers say that there are months when they earn VND100million, or much less, or much more. And they all remind one not to calculate what they earn without mentioning what they “invest”.
Most top-tier singers have their own managers, fashion designers and make-up artists. An outfit designed exclusively for a Vietnamese star may cost as much as US$1,000. The price for make-up services for a show is around VND500,000 (US$31).
A manager costs from VND3-5million (US$188-313)/month. Gasoline is around VND4-6million/month. Dancers for a song cost VND1million. Other expenses include brand-name shoes, bags, and hats to accompany different sets of clothing.
Asked about money, singer Thanh Thao said: “Indeed I have a lot of money but I also spend a great deal. A CD often costs VND200million and a VCD may be as much as VND400-500million. I release 2-3 albums a year and spend more than VND10million on clothes monthly, not to mention make-up, shoes, family expenses and charity work. All of these expenses may take up half of my earnings.”
At the peak of her career 4 or 5 years ago, Thanh Thao was able to buy a nice small house and a car. “If you say that star singers are very rich, then you don’t really understand them. Few people get rich by singing alone,” added Thanh Thao.
Making the best of stardom

Dan TruongPeople consider Dam Vinh Hung and My Tam to have the highest income among Vietnamese singers at present. Asked about this, Dam Vinh Hung said, smiling: “Compared to international stars, our incomes are specks of sand.”
“After 10 years of singing, I’m satisfied that I’ve bought a house for my family, sent my nieces and nephews to the best schools, helped my younger sister and some friends start up their own businesses and done charity work.”
When asked what the highest amount he’d ever received for his appearance in a show was, Hung answered without hesitation that it could be as high as VND40-50million. "But such a show is rare,” added he.
As for whether he considers himself rich, Dam Vinh Hung said he was just “comfortable” since he still had many ambitions.
"When people still love you, you have to make the best of your opportunity and focus all of your heart and mind and energy on singing in order to have high incomes. Some days I pocket tens of millions of dong only to spend much more on things,” said Hung.
Thanks to their efforts and the public, not only do star singers have houses and cars but also their own companies, studios and other things despite all of their expenses. Yet, some singers confidently say they deserve whatever they receive after all those days of sweating and even crying.
Ho Quynh Huong, for instance, recalled her tearful first days in Saigon begging for a chance to perform for a very little amount of money and even for free.
Her income now is high enough to be ranked as a star singer but she said she wasn’t rich, though there has been news that she wore a US$5,000 suit in a show.
Ho Quynh Huong didn’t deny it. But she said she had a passion: shopping for unique things. She bought the suit on a trip abroad. Yet, afterwards, she regretted such extravagance.
As for Phuong Thanh, she has billions dong on hand one moment but can be empty-handed the next after mortgaging her house to have money for a live show. She said as long as audiences still wanted to listen to her sing, she must try to sing and all of her money would be spent on her singing career.
(Source: Tien Phong

Vietnamese singers catch attention with simultaneous projects

09:21' 14/05/2007 (GMT+7)
Ho Quynh Huong in Diamond NoirVietNamNet Bridge – Given a very competitive musical market, Vietnamese singers are exploring ways to catch public attention. One of them is to release many albums or hold some liveshows at the same time.
Record makers
Perhaps pop star Ho Quynh Huong is the only singer daring enough to declare that she will also record two different albums per year.
She has indeed made good her promise. After releasing Star of Love and 14M-2222 in January 2006, Ho Quynh Huong debuted two different albums, Non Stop and Diamond Noir, at the end of April 2007.
“I want to satisfy both types of audiences at the same time: discriminating audiences who are willing to give new experiments a chance, as well as general listeners of common commercial music,” she said.
There are also singers who record two or more albums at the same time without such official and unequivocal announcements as Ho Quynh Huong’s. In 2006, for instance, Dan Truong released four albums simultaneously in order to catch as much public attention as possible before his large-scale live show to commemorate his 10-year singing career.
And some singers are starting to think about an even more impressive way to attract attention than merely releasing many albums in a year. It is to organise more than one large-scale live show annually.
Dam Vinh Hung is an example. In 2007, this singer will have two multi-billion dong live shows for two different types of audiences, old-style and contemporary music lovers. Each of the shows will be performed for at least three nights in both the north and south.
Forging ahead
In Vietnam, singers can’t live by selling albums alone. It is because newly released albums are quickly counterfeited by smugglers, and album producers often suffer much loss as a result.
Vietnamese singers support themselves by wandering everywhere to perform: from big stages to small gatherings; from cities to rural towns; from Vietnam to other countries. So it occurs to them to diversify their styles to satisfy such diverse audiences.
Yet, whether singers who record different types of albums simultaneously succeed or not is not certain. Most of the “twin” albums so far haven’t left any permanent mark on the public’s heart.
Yet, famous Vietnamese musicians such as Tu Huy and Thanh Tung have been very successful with their “twin” albums. Alone and Sleepless Heart by Thanh Tung, for instance, are still considered two of the best albums of contemporary pop.
These two albums were made according to an international trend: they are collections of different kinds of songs written by the musician at different periods in his career. Another popular way of the world to make twin albums is to record a CD to accompany a VCD or a DVD.
The themes and songs of such two albums are often the same. Pop star My Linh with the very successful CD-VCD album My Linh’s Voice is considered the pioneer in this effort.
“n in 1” is considered a new way of recording albums in Vietnam, which is very much a Vietnamese invention. Cam Ly, for example, has made 3 “n in 1” albums, each of which includes a CD, a DVD and a VCD karaoke.
According to recording companies, “n in 1” are difficult to counterfeit and attractive to buyers who pay a lower price for them than if they buy several separate products. And through “n in 1” albums, singers can “attack” audiences on all fronts: listening, watching and karaoking.
(Source: Tuoi Tre)

State-owned film studios in review

A scene in Hanoi, HanoiVietNamNet Bridge – With movies like the White Silk Dress and the Rebel, private film studios are showing off their potentials, making those interested in Vietnamese cinema wonder where State-owned studios are in the race.
Falling behind
A director of a State-owned studio once said that no amount of money could solve the fundamental problems of State-owned companies: bulky bureaucracy and a passivity which has been existing since the time of government subsidies.
Politics has created works steeped in propaganda content unattractive to audiences. High-quality products such as Pao’s Story and Living in Fear resort to joining international film festivals as a face-saver. Even award-winning films as these don’t attract viewers.
State-owned studios’ marketing efforts have been unprofessional and unsuccessful. Vietnam Film’s marketing campaign for Right-Side Heart Campaign or Film Studio 1’s efforts to advertise Living in Fear, for instance, haven’t done anything to increase ticket sales.
Quality aside, the commercial success and professional distribution of recent products like Long-Legged Girls, Female Robber, When Men Are Pregnant, Hired Birth, Fighter Story, and Dancing Boys, and even the strait-laced high-quality The White Silk Dress, seem to suggest that private studios have precisely what State-owned ones don’t.
Partnership: a good way out?
Battling against private studios, several State-owned companies such as Liberation Film have been more active in producing commercial films attractive to viewers like Dancing Girls, Getting a Saigon Wife or Shoot as It Rings. Most of these movies, however, can only compete during Tet, the only season during the year for domestic films.
Thus, working with foreign partners seems to be a good way out. But many joint-ventures of high quality haven’t won Vietnamese viewers’ hearts. Hanoi, Hanoi, a Vietnamese-Chinese film, which has recently received the Golden Kite for Best Feature Film, is yet to play in theatres.
Many award-winning projects before it have failed due to overdue distribution: they were screened so long after being awarded that the public almost forgot what awards they had received. Yet, working with private companies seems more fruitful. Shoot As It Rings, a commercial success of the 2007 Tet, was produced by Liberation and Dao Thu studios.
Vietnam Film’s and Thien Ngan Film’s recent collaboration on two future projects, Death Dance and Wood Rescuer, for instance, should suggest to State-owned studios that working with their domestic private counterparts may be the best way to survive.
There have been talks about the government’s privatising State-owned companies. But when this process will take place and how long it will take are still matters of great uncertainty. Many say that these companies as well as their management units don’t want privatisation, which often means cutting down on jobs and independent financing without government support.
For the past few years, the progress of Vietnamese cinema has seeming been due chiefly to the efforts of private as well as overseas Vietnamese companies rather than State-owned studios.
(Source: SGGP)