Nguyễn Siêu attends the premiere of the second season of 'Gossip Girl' on Max in November 2022. Photo baotintuc.vn
Vietnamese video producer and content creator Nguyễn Siêu has been involved in several of Hollywood's most diverse and high-profile film projects, including Younger, Euphoria, The Flight Attendant, The Idol, and The Girls on the Bus. Since their releases, these series have become American television phenomena, reaching wide audiences globally.
Nguyễn Siêu, the only Vietnamese working in video marketing for HBO, credits his success to hard work, perseverance, and putting in 200-300 per cent more effort than his local peers.
Born in Hà Nội, Siêu was offered scholarships from seven prestigious universities, including Yale-NUS College in Singapore, Tufts University, and Oberlin College, all ranked among the top 30 universities in the US. He ultimately attended Vassar College in the US, receiving a scholarship worth US$208,000 over four years.
Siêu (centre) speaks with students of Vassar College early this year. Photo dep.com.vn
Siêu has seven years of experience working in the US television industry, spending 4 and a half years at Paramount Pictures and 2 and a half years at HBO.
"Initially, the biggest challenge I faced was being a foreigner. Language and cultural barriers are unavoidable when you work daily with content deeply rooted in American culture. Throughout the video production process, I constantly strive to learn about American characteristics, delve deeper into the American media landscape, and always ask 'why' to create videos that resonate with the audience," he said.
Siêu likens making videos to writing, with three essential parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.
"Just like a good introduction, I have to choose a captivating question to start the video. The body of the video, like paragraphs, needs a strong structure. The ending should be impactful and emotionally resonant. After editing, I send the video to senior producers and actors for their feedback. It's an incredibly rewarding experience," he said.
To produce a 5-10 minute video, Siêu meticulously interviews actors and directors about the ideas behind the episode. He also diligently researches hard-to-find information on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. To select the most impactful and concise visuals, he analyses the film, reads the script, and watches numerous behind-the-scenes videos.
This dedication and passion have earned Siêu significant success in recent years. Seven of his videos have been nominated for HBO's annual video awards.
The transition from Assistant Producer to Producer at HBO was both exciting and challenging for Siêu. Unlike other companies where good performance automatically leads to promotions, at HBO, aspiring candidates must submit applications and go through the interview process as if applying for a new job.
"I submitted my application and interviewed with my own boss. The opportunity for this position was open to everyone, both inside and outside the company, so the competition was fierce," Siêu said.
Nguyễn Siêu and his colleagues at the 100th anniversary celebration of Warner Bros. Discovery. Photo baotintuc.vn
He values the lessons he has learned at HBO, particularly professionalism and technical skills. "Here, I learn from my colleagues how to find sound effects that make videos more relatable through emotions. Instead of creating videos just for Americans, I now think about creating global content to reach even more people," he said.
In his role, the Vietnamese writer and producer is responsible for creating short-form videos to promote television shows and documentaries on HBO and the streaming platform Max. These include trailers, promotional clips for upcoming episodes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and content for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.
For each video, he conceptualises and writes the script, gathers information from interviews with producers and actors, selects music, edits the video, and oversees colour correction, sound mixing, and graphic design to ensure the final product is polished before presenting it to viewers.
During his 2 and a half years at HBO, Siêu worked on major projects like the TV series Euphoria, The Idol, Selena + Chef, Hacks, The Flight Attendant, Perry Mason, The Girls on the Bus, and Bookie, as well as documentaries such as The Insurrectionist Next Door, Murder in Boston, and George Carlin's American Dream. Notably, his promotional work for Euphoria contributed to the show becoming the second most-watched HBO series of all time when Season 2 premiered, with an average of 16.3 million viewers per episode.
Siêu is pictured at the HBO editing studio. Photo dep.com.vn
In addition to his work in television, Siêu published a book titled Cô Đơn Để Trưởng Thành (Loneliness for Growth) in 2018, documenting his four-year journey in the US.
Offering advice to others with similar aspirations, Siêu said: "Pursue your passion and take risks for big ideas. Don't limit yourself to your comfort zone. Take a chance because even if you fail, you'll gain new experience. If you just follow the same old routine, life will be so boring." VNS
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