Storytellers is a free training program aimed at developing the skills to create socially impactful short films for students in the Southern region. The program is fully sponsored by the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and implemented by ForGood Vietnam.

StoryTellers runned from March 2023 to June 2023 and consisted of three components: Training, Coaching, and Short Film Production. The goal is to equip participants with film production skills and enable them to create documentaries on social topics that are of interest to young people and they wish to share. The program is one of the contributing factors in promoting sustainable development awareness at individual schools and in the Southern region as a whole.

The StoryTellers Kick-off Event and Meeting with Oscar Shortlist – Director Hà Lệ Diễm on March 1, 2023

Students who meet the following criteria can register to participate in the Program:

• Aged between 18 and 35, currently enrolled in universities, academies, colleges, or equivalent institutions in the Southern region.
• Have a desire to contribute to social issues and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Can communicate in English.
• Have a passion for creativity and a willingness to develop storytelling skills to create social impact.

Mentees engaging in discussions with speakers during the class

When participating in the program, mentees will have the following benefits:

• Receive training and connect with renowned directors, screenwriters, and creative media professionals with extensive experience.
• Receive a certificate of completion from the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and ForGood Vietnam.
• Participate in the course completely free of charge.

The StoryTellers program consists of three main components: Training, Coaching, and Short Film Production.

During the training phase, StoryTellers provides instruction on video shooting techniques, screenwriting, and ideation for film projects. This phase will take place two days per week for four weeks at the U.S. Center, located within the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

StoryTellers mentees focused on studying the workshop

After the training and coaching process, each mentee will develop a script idea, create a shooting plan, and produce a short film under the guidance of coaches for a period of two months. They will then present the project results at the U.S. Center, located within the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

Mentee received awards at the StoryTellers Short Film Projects Summary 

& Award Ceremony on June 2, 2023.

The program was hold from December 2022 to June 2023, with the following key milestones:

• December 27, 2022, to March 5, 2023: Students register to participate.
• March 10, 2023: Organizing Committee announces the official selection results.
• March 15 to April 30, 2023: Training phase.
• May 1 to May 15, 2023: Project development, coaching, and short film production.
• May 15 to June 2, 2023: Reporting results and program summary.

In terms of the registration process for StoryTellers, the Organizing Committee will review applications submitted through a form, which includes the following documents:

• Storyboard with a logline describing the theme and story, composed of 6 to 9 images arranged in sequence to convey the desired narrative (images provided by the Organizer).
• A video, maximum 60 seconds in length, introducing yourself and explaining why you believe you are a suitable candidate for StoryTellers.
• A motivation letter, maximum 200 words, highlighting the benefits of the program for you (the letter can be written in Vietnamese or English).
• Information about two nominated individuals whom the Organizing Committee can contact for further inquiries about you.

Other information about the program:

• View the program report here.
• View information about the trainers and program coaches here.
• Information about enrollment for the 2023-2024 cohort will be updated here.