Production in Vietnam | GAA Mimic the River

Cobrandit’s Owen Mack travelled to Vietnam as Field Producer and DP for the Global Aquaculture Alliance and Shave Media. An epic mission!

Our task: Tell the story of in-pond raceway aquaculture in Vietnam, and the necessity of ensuring sustainable fish farming practices.

Our challenges: 24 hours travel each way. Carnets for all equipment. Filming and drone permits in a socialist republic (yes, gov’t minders and bribes). Language. Heat and humidity. We set up primary interviews and b-roll in rural Vietnam, about 2 hours outside of Hanoi. The site was an aquaculture facility manned by local staff constantly smoking raw tobacco from a bamboo bong and protected by guard dogs (one of the puppies made the cut). When it came time to fly the drone guess who showed up? Two army officers in uniform…our permits were not in order. That’s where the bribes came in.

Secondary locations included urban shots (drone and GoPro) in Hanoi, as well as pick-ups in Ha Long Bay.