An indigestible diet of TV films for teens

There’s a spate of silly, shallow TV serials for teenage audiences, so much that even some kids are turned off by the ‘dishes’ they are served day after day. 

 

A scene from "The Short Supermodels"

 

Huge investment in films for students

 

Local TV channels are being flooded with serial movies for teenagers. Besides “Co Be Phep Thuat” (Little Girl of Magic), “Gia Dinh Phep Thuat” (Magic Family) and “Sieu Mau Xi Trum” (The Short Supermodels), which are on the air now, many TV series for school-aged children will be shot in 2009.

 

While “Magic Family” is on the air, the film crew (directed by Kim Hy Jung from South Korea and Chu Thien, produced by Vifa and Chu Thi) is working on more episodes. Producers plan to make 500 episodes and they are already working on 200. This project has cost VND20 billion ($1.17 million), mainly for movie magic, costumes and props.

 

“Magic Family” is the longest, most expensive film for children in Vietnam so far. It is also the first TV series containing scenes shot from a plane.

 

Son An Film Studio and the Mat Troi Nho Company have joined to produce another teenage TV series with a huge-for-Vietnam investment, VND30 billion ($1.76 million). The first season of “Tia Chop Nho” (Tiny Flash of Lighting), with 52 episodes written by Nguyen Tri Cong, will be shot during the next six months for airing in summer 2010.

 

The series tells stories about a group of kids who bravely stand up for good behavior and aren’t afraid to show affection for their friends, families and people in general.  Its producers say that they hope the series will guide teenagers toward a good lifestyle and strong community values.

 

Meanwhile, Crea TV and TV Plus will jointly produce “Nhat Quy Nhi Ma” (Mischievous Students), a 30-episode series which highlights the relationships between teachers and students. The leading role belongs to pop star Dan Truong.

 

Other film projects for teenage audiences now underway include “Nhung Thien Than Ao Trang” (Angels in White Blouses) and Mua He Soi Dong (Eventful Summer), both with 30 episodes, produced by Green Planet, directed by Duy Ngoc and Mai Tuan; and the 21 episode “Nhung Ngay He Xanh” (Green Summer Days) produced by Lasta, directed by Xuan Phuoc; “Cau Vong Don Sac” (The One-Color Rainbow), 22 episodes, produced by Lac Viet, directed by Quoc Thinh, and “Ke Di Tru” (The Immigrant), 20 episodes, produced by TFS, directed by Chau Hue.

 

Among projects still on paper are “Mau Cua Tinh Yeu” (Color of Love) and “The Gioi Bi Mat” (Secret World) from World Star Company, and “Con Gai Lao” (Naughty Girls) by Viet Film.

 

Fed up with teenage movies

 

Explaining the trend toward producing films for teenage audiences, a film producer said that it is because there are many good scripts about teenagers and it is easy for directors to cast actors. Some directors who are involved in teenage film projects said making films for young viewers is a way to recapture their own youth.

 

After the popular director Le Hoang announced a casting call for “Thien Than Ao Trang,” 900 youngsters registered immediately. Hoang stated that he broke an oath never to direct TV films because “our TV movies, especially those for teenage, are really awful!”.

 

Schoolchildren are no longer “starved” of movies, but they aren’t entirely satisfied with the “fare” now served on TV.  They said the plots of the “Sieu Mau Xi Trum” (Short Supermodels) series is far removed from real life. Just in the three first episodes, the difference is shown very clearly. Characters in the series wear the ‘Harajuku’ costumes favored by Japanese youth and they act like they come from another country, not from Vietnam.

 

Director Le Hoang complained: “The bad aspect of serial films for teenagers in particular and TV movies in general is that they don’t convey any message to viewers.  There’s no real emotion, just puppy love. The dialogue is too silly or grown-up sounding.”

 

However, Hoang takes issue with the thinking that adults cannot write film scripts for teens. “Hans Christian Andersen was still writing very good fairy tales at the age of 70. It is important that writers have young souls”.

 

Even delicious food will start to taste bad if the same dishes are served everyday. That is the circumstance of teenage films. Moreover, these films don’t really touch the matters that really concern young people. If they continue this way, they will only satisfy young people for the moment and be soon forgotten.

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