Master for Grand Festivals

After the brilliant success of “Vinh Phuc Street Festival 2020” taking place in Vinh Yen City, Vinh Phuc Province on January 31, 2020, Director Tran Trung increasingly confirmed his fame as a talented planner who has created cultural events imbued with national characteristics and modern elements very cleverly and uniquely.

Having worked as a stage director for nearly 20 years, in charge of many large and grand stages such as Hanoi City Food Festival, Program of Miss Culture of Ethnic Groups, Thai Nguyen Tea Festival, Lang Son Peach Blossom Festival, Street Festival of Northern Provinces, etc, few people know that Director Tran Trung was formerly a student at University of Copenhagen (UCPH) in Denmark, specializing in Information Science and Cultural Communication. That Director Tran Trung came to the limelight was not only predestined, but also a burning passion, a love for art and Vietnamese folklore.

In recent years, the event planning industry in Vietnam has been developing rapidly and catching up with the world trend. As a director professionally trained abroad, what do you think is important to create success for each event?

I feel sorry that in Vietnam, there are very few schools offering professional and formal training in Event Planning, while this has become a hot industry in recent years. However, in my opinion, the professional training is only a stepping stone, the key is still experience accumulated from the success or failure of each program. To create success for an event, it is essential to have a team with many sub-teams in charge of each work; any weak sub-team will cause errors that affect the quality of the program. I am very lucky when I have worked with Viettimes Media, a team of energetic and enthusiastic co-workers who are especially extremely thorough and elaborate in every phase from brainstorming and idea generation, to scripting, implementation, logistics and management. I always ask the sub-teams to have mutual connection, to complete the task in their charge, and at the same time, each individual must be equipped with the skills to solve any situation which can come up.

How do you feel when many people say that many of Vietnam’s events are simulating or even copying foreign ideas?

Having more than 20 years of experience in this field, Viettimes Media and I have implemented a series of major cultural programs and festivals throughout the country. I don’t know how other event companies are, but for me, constantly learning and updating the latest technology in the world to apply to my programs are an important element to create difference and success for each of my events. However, learning, but not “copying”, constantly changing and creating, is also my concern and challenge through each show. The more difficult it is, the more challenging I want to be. Even though many people have said that I was “crazy”, Viettimes Media and I are extremely proud to bring the most spectacular and unique parties to my spectators.

What do you consider the most memorable part of your career?

All events have left me unforgettable memories, but I will probably never forget the most recent program which I and the team of Viettimes Media have done, “Vinh Phuc Street Festival 2020” held on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year. The time to implement this program was very short, only 14 days including Tet Holiday, especially this was the event with the presence of more than 1,000 folk artists and street performers. This was a big challenge for the whole team to meet the deadline. The whole team worked non-stop, during the Tet Holiday, even when the program was about to take place, we stayed awake for three nights to complete the stage and the remaining work items. And in response to the effort of Viettimes Media team, the program was successful beyond expectations, bringing a folk-filled festival which re-created a “holy land with talented people” and also a booming and vibrant land that brings vitality and enthusiasm to the next generation.

Thank you very much!