A new experiment During a recent commercial shoot produced by Almaz Media in Ninh Binh and Hanoi, we experimented with some behind-the-scenes photography by partnering up with medium-format photographer Joseph Gobin. There was no set concept for his project, so Joseph shot “carte blanche”, with the only necessity being that he used an analogue camera. By avoiding most of the main action and the camera gear, Joseph focused on showing what the reverse of a film shoot usually looks like. Using accidental bounces from the main lighting, he took the opportunity to reveal what how people usually spend most of their time during a shoot: waiting.

Hanoi was bustling with TV cameras and Video journalists for the summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un. While CNN had exclusive access from the White House, and brought 60 of their staff for the occasion, they chose Almaz Media as their production services provider, with 10 producers and fixers, 98 airport transfers, and 11 vans and drivers operating around the clock. According to the American broadcaster’s Production Manager, we “really did provide top notch service across our entire operation.” This is the level of excellence we strive for!

Seems like it’s festival’s season in South East Asia! With Equation music festival coming soon, and with all the other amazing ones like Monsoon, Quest, Hanoi Sound Stuff to name a few. British Council Vietnam commissioned us a video showcasing the popularity of UK music in Vietnam, with Monsoon festival as a main support for it. We captured the wonderful dynamic vibe of the local music scene, presenting exciting opportunities for international artists to showcase their talents, to connect with new audiences, and to have a taste of the inner workings of Vietnam. Enjoy following the journey of Rukhsana Merise and her band at the Monsoon Music Festival, with British Council bringing artistic talents from the UK to perform in Vietnam since the early 1990s.

When was the last time you saw an entire country united behind hundreds of thousands of flags? We did a short story to help you experience the madness around the 2018 U23 Asia football cup. The football fever that gripped Hanoi and the whole of Vietnam, during the later stages of the AFC U23 Championships overwhelmed the streets of all major cities and even villages. This is the 4 minute assembly edit we produced. All this for getting into the final of an U23 cup, and loosing! Felt like they had won three world cups at once. Sit back and enjoy the madness.

Along with our friends at thephotoagency.asia, based in Singapore, we had the privilege to film a hidden gem lost in the the Indonesian waters. A private archipelago turned into an eco-resort, a preserved island one accessible for a handful of lucky adventurers, only accessible by boat or sea plane from Singapore. Architect Sim Boon Yang from Eco-id has designed the villas and restaurants in a Balinese Lo-Fi style, using local resources and genially structuring bamboo together while keeping the customer experience at the hight of luxury. Landing on the shores of the retreat from a sea plane made us imagine how the first sailors would feel when they reached areas that were preserved from human presence. Unlike our intrepid forefathers however, from the moment you arrive you experience wildlife mixed with opulence provided by the resorts stunning design and the first rate levels of customer service. Just stepping on the pier from the plane you see shoals of colourful fish and on the white sand beach, lazy lizards sunbathing among the turtle hatchlings tracks. It was easy then to focus on the brief : texture, wildlife, and minimal landscape. Trekking through the primal forest, wandering on the beach and sailing around it almost made work feel like a holiday… Almost! 4K cameras and equipment is still too heavy for a tropical island!

With the founding members of this architecture studio, we designed together a concept video to highlight the company's uniqueness in Asia. Every shot was made in slow-motion at 200 frames per second while on a slider, with a side motion from left to right. No compromise was made during the conception of the final video, which gives it a feeling of continuity and confidence.