A Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: Vô Thường / Impermanence
Genre: Drama, Action, Thriller
Date: January 22nd, 2020
Director: Phạm Gia Quý
Producer: Nguyễn Văn Duy Linh
Writer: Phạm Gia Quý
Cinematographer: Kai Dickson
Production Company: Self
Budget: 64000 USD
Financing: Self
Shooting Format: Digital
Screening Format: Digital
World Premiere: N/A
Awards: Gold Remi Award from “Worldfest Houston”
Website: https://www.kai-dickson.com/work-1/impermanence
indieactivity: What is your film about?
Phạm Gia Quý (PGQ): ‘Vô Thường’/ ‘Impermanence’ is a film about the interconnecting lives of people in Saigon surrounding a murder and how it affects their lives and how they tell their stories. It all began when a bruised and bloodied man leaves a Chinese restaurant through the second-floor window, a low-level runner for the local crime boss is implicated in the crime and his life becomes a whole lot more complicated.
“Vo Thuong” or “Impermanence” is an independent short film by Phạm Gia Quý.
The name “Impermanence” is given to the film as the story reflects the unexpected, unordinary, constant flow of life that is always running through Saigon, with all its complexities. The question that the director wonders constantly when he’s writing the screenplay of “Impermanence” was simply: “How do Vietnamese people tell stories?”, hence, the film acts as his personal answer to that very question, the theme of narration and storytelling revolves around the Saigon culture of cafes, of gossips and of obscurities.
Tell us about the festival run, marketing and sales?
Phạm Gia Quý (PGQ): The film has received a Gold Remi Award from “Worldfest Houston”, Official Selection at LA Shorts Film Festival, Official Selection at Brisbane International Film Festival, Official Selection at Norwich International Film Festival, Official Selection at San Jose International Film Festival, Prague International Film Festival Best Young Filmmaker Nomination, Official Selection at Hollyshorts Film Festival, and more to comes. As it was selected in the LA Shorts International Film Festival, the film has received much press/media coverage in Vietnam as a new generational representation for Vietnam’s cinema. The film has also received much support from people in the industry and gained certain popularity with the youths in Vietnam.
Give the full Official Synopsis for your film?
Phạm Gia Quý (PGQ): Tuy, a mean gangster is retelling his story about Quang’s murder that he witnessed a few days ago. Huan, the syndicate’s boss is the killer, but he decided to lay the blame on Tuy. As Tuy flees from the police, he crashes his bike trying to dodge Hien, Quang’s daughter, and gets captured. Tuy then becomes a character in Hien’s story. She is unsatisfied with the coincidental karma at hand. In the end, the truth of death runs deeper than what it seems.
Development & Financing?
Phạm Gia Quý (PGQ): The Director has written the first draft of the screenplay for the film since summer of 2018 and self-financed the film to shoot in summer of 2019.
Production?
Phạm Gia Quý (PGQ): The film was created with careful planning from mid-May, 2019, the director and the director of photography have worked on the storyboard for the film and explored its visual language, translating the. In June 2019, when the director returns to Ho Chi Minh City, location scouting, casting, and other pre-production for the film is initiated, constantly updating with the crew in America who would fly over in July to do necessary prep works like stunt rehearsals, acting rehearsals, camera rehearsals, pre-production meetings for a month up until the shoot in August. Initially, the language barrier was a formidable challenge for the crew to work out, but after adapting, communications improved and so did efficiency in all departments. The shoot was five and a half days long and went smooth as butter, always wrapping on time and without incident.
Almost all post-production work for the film was done in America, except for ADR (Dat Phi Media) and Graphic Designs (nowhereland). The post-process was quite pleasant and eye-opening for the director as he has the chance to work with “Company 3” and “Method Studio” in Atlanta on the color grading and VFX for the film, introducing the Hollywood standards that were needed for “Impermanence” to compete against other works from around the world this festival season.
Festival Preparation & Strategy?
PGQ: The Festival Strategy for “Impermanence” was quite simple, targeting all the biggest and most prestigious film festivals first, then the smaller, up-and-coming ones, almost all done on FilmFreeway.com. There wasn’t any PR for the film, internationally, all the selections all depended on the merits of the film itself.
The Release?
PGQ: Since it’s Covid-19, the release will only be online through all the wonderful film festivals that puts the time in to develop the virtual film festivals!
Advice from the Filmmaker?
PGQ: Tell your story in the most original way, the most authentic way you can. Represent your people, represent your culture, and most importantly, represent yourself, express the love for cinema through hard work and efforts, it is all worth it, do not give up!
Tell us what you think of the Case Study for Vô Thường / Impermanence What do you think of it? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook or Instagram! Or join me on Twitter.
MORE STORIES FOR YOU
