Hello,
I’m a Vietnamese-American writer, producer, and director based out of Los Angeles, CA.
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Directing
LINES is the second short I’ve produced and directed, and is the capstone project for my UCLAx Film Directing Certificate. The thriller short, written by Paul Knauer, tells the story of a family in desperate need of a way out when a drug lord comes for what he’s owed. It was shot in Los Angeles over three days in Fall 2021 with 26 cast and crew members. LINES is an official selection of the 2023 LA Shorts International Film Festival. It was also an official selection of the 2022 UCLAx Film Festival, the Independent Shorts Awards, and a semi-finalist for the Indie Shorts Fest.
No One Else
Armed with a fascinating script (written by Jake Kilroy), a great DP (Geoff Boynton), and a cast of friends, I made my first student short—When the World Belongs to You and No One Else—for $150. The film follows a loner with the power to freeze time who uses his special abilities to visit the women he longs for.
Producing
16 in ‘16
A highlight of my career to date was being the lead producer on the docuseries 16 in ‘16 for Participant and TakePart about 16 girls from six continents turning 16 in 2016. They discussed identity, relationships, religion, family, and more in revealing interviews that shed light on what it’s like for their generation to come of age.
Journalism
A sampling of my writing portfolio below includes interviewing an engineer who started in the mailroom and has now helped design three of NASA’s Mars spacecraft; a profile of Caleb Holloway, one of the youngest survivors of the Deep Water Horizon; and the real story behind why so many salon manicurists are Vietnamese.
