Thúy Nga Productions

Thúy Nga Inc. (dba Thúy Nga Productions & Thúy Nga Music) ( listen) is a Vietnamese-oriented entertainment company that produces Paris By Night, as well as music CDs, musical specials, movies and films, magazines, audiobooks, posters, and calendars. It is variously referred to as Thúy Nga Incorporated, Thúy Nga Paris, and Trung Tâm Thúy Nga (literally, Thúy Nga centre).

Thúy Nga is the most prestigious recording studio and music production in the overseas Vietnamese music world. Thúy Nga Productions has been the symbol of success the overseas Vietnamese have achieved since the events in their country in 1975 that led to their diaspora. Along with Lang Van, it is the only U.S.-based Vietnamese production company to have overseas operations in Paris, France.

In addition to its headquarters at Westminster, CA and its original headquarters in Paris, Thúy Nga also has regional sales and distribution centers in Toronto, Canada and in Bankstown, New South Wales in Australia. The company also transferred part of its Australian distribution rights to a local music center at Footscray, Victoria. With a network of distribution centers worldwide, the company offers a distribution service to third-party producers and studios all over the world.

Products

List of Thúy Nga videos

List of Thúy Nga CDs

Thúy Nga CDs

Thúy Nga CDs is the second compact disc division of the company. To date, Thúy Nga has produced and/or distributed over 400 compact discs. Some CDs include bonus features, such as a VCD addition. Thúy Nga CDs are classified in a unique number system. Beginning with the first CD, the number system starts with "TNCD001". If the CD is a second-party or third-party produced, the CD is then classified into, "TNCD (party-code) 00 (number)". Each solo and/or duet CD is promoted in a very classy-looking poster, to be hung at stores in Vietnamese communities. There are other CDs as well, such as "Top Hits" CDs, which are similar to the Now That's What I Call Music! CDs, which are directly taken out of the Paris By Night videos. Other various-artists CDs include composer-selected CDs, which showcase songs by a particular composer. Others include "Tan Co" CDs and instrumental CDs.

First-party CDs

First-party CDs operations of Thúy Nga are CDs officially produced and distributed by Thúy Nga exclusively. "Original" products can be defined by a holographic production sticker on the front cover. That is to let buyers know that the product they're buying is real and authentic. This is just one way to combat piracy. First-party CDs are classified into the "TNCD00 (number)" system. To date, there are over 400 CDs that are produced and distributed by Thúy Nga.

Second-party CDs

Second-party CDs operations are CDs only distributed by Thúy Nga exclusively. No other production company is involved except with the producer. Normally, the producing company is contracted by Thúy Nga, which makes it a "second-party" company. All advertising and distributing rights belong to Thúy Nga, while the producing rights belong to the second-party producer. Some devoted second-party producers include:

• Loan Châu Music ^[9]
• Lynda Trang Đài Productions
• Vũ Thành An Productions
• NQ Entertainment ^[10]
• Bằng Kiều Entertainment

Normally, the second-party productions are owned by the artists and singers that are contracted by Thúy Nga itself. These CDs are classified into the "TNCD (party-code) 00 (number)" system.

Third-party CDs

Third-party CDs operations of Thúy Nga is a distribution only service. Any company that is not contracted or affiliated with Thúy Nga is a third-party production. This includes the international distribution rights to products produced at Thúy Nga's native country, Vietnam. Recently, Thúy Nga grabbed the international rights to hit-Vietnam artist Đàm Vĩnh Hưng's latest CD, while his own company distributes in Vietnam. These CDs are classified the same way as the second-party CDs.

Thúy Nga DVDs

Thúy Nga DVDs include digitally mastered sound and picture quality. Most Thúy Nga DVDs are presented in a wide-screen format. All DVDs are mastered in either Dolby Stereo sound or Dolby Surround sound. Normally, major companies produce "regional" DVDs, which is either DVD-1 or DVD-2. However, as Thuy Nga is an international company with headquarters in the US, Canada, France, and Australia, Thúy Nga chooses to produce the DVD-9 NTSC international format, which causes major piracy problems in Vietnam, where it is officially banned by the communist regime, which deems them as "reactionary material", for their anti-communist position. Beginning with In Paris By Night 105: The Lovers, the company began producing Blu-Ray format discs that cost $24.95.

Paris By Night

Paris By Night is the flagship program of Thúy Nga. The program contains all kinds of music genres, skit acts, and Master of Ceremonies discussion. Beginning with in Paris By Night 67: In San Jose, the company began producing the program in DVD format. Since then, Thúy Nga has remastered some old Paris By Night programs into the new DVD format. Thúy Nga eventually stopped the production of VHS programs, beginning with Paris By Night 71: 20th Anniversary.

Paris By Night has an MSRP of about $25 for two discs of the program. The program usually features "behind the scenes" footage, which is popular among fans. Paris By Night is normally about four to five hours long, stored on two or three discs. The DVD case often has a beautiful cover jacket, which helps in marketing the product. The program consists of about 20-25 songs of all genres, one comedy skit, and some added specials such as "Tan Co" or "Cai Luong". Starting with Paris By Night 24: 10th Anniversary, the entire program was guided by MCs Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn and Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên. In December 2006, Thúy Nga converted Paris By Night 18 from VHS to DVD. In 2006, Thúy Nga released 5 Paris By Night DVDs (80, 81, 82, 83, and 84). Their goal for 2007 was to release six DVDs.

Karaoke

Another popular program produced by Thúy Nga is Paris By Night Karaoke'. Thúy Nga has produced more than 50 karaoke programs for Paris By Night and second-party productions. The karaoke edition of Paris By Night normally comes about a year after the original release of the actual program. The songs that are contained in the karaoke are songs and footage, directly taken out of the original program. The only difference is that words appear on the screen, and guide the singer through, and the MC footage and comedy skits are cut out.

The karaoke programs have a different number system than Paris By Night. The karaoke program is at about number 60 (as of early 2009). Thúy Nga has no plans to reproduce very old Paris By Night programs as karaoke programs. However, Thúy Nga is in the process of reproducing the old karaoke programs, which were issued on Laserdisc format, into DVD format. Paris by Night Karaoke is the most expensive product Thúy Nga offers. With an MSRP of about $30, some retail stores sell them for $35. However, due to very low sales recently, the retail price has fallen to $15.

Special programs

Thúy Nga also produces a number of specials, which includes documentary specials, "Cải Lương", a type of Vietnamese-styled country genre, and "The Best of..." programs for individual artists. There is also a workout DVD. Normally, these DVDs are second-party and third-party produced. However, Thúy Nga does commit to producing these programs themselves, and they are very successful at it. Many of Thúy Nga's old programs from the 1980s have been remastered in DVD format.

Some documentary-musical programs include:

• Giã Biệt Sài Gòn
• Giọt Nuớc Mắt Cho Việt Nam

Both are about the Vietnam War and the Fall of Saigon, and both are best-sellers.

Others include:

• Nuớc Non Ngàn Dặm Ra Đi
• Mẹ Trong Lòng Người Đi

Some second-party and third-party productions have also chosen to distribute with Thúy Nga; examples include:

• Phi Nhung Productions (famous for the "Về Quê Em" series, now at number 3)
• Lam Trường
• Khánh Ly Productions
• Quang Le Entertainment

Comedy programs

Thúy Nga also likes to research the growing popularity of comedy programs. However, first-party produced comedy programs are only the The Best of Paris By Night Comedy DVD volume sets. These gathered all comedy skits of past Paris By Night shows and collected them into one DVD disc. Some second-party and third-party productions are committed to producing a couple of comedy skits for Thúy Nga, such as Phi Nhung Productions and Hoài Linh.

Movies and films

Since the beginning of the Paris By Night program, Thúy Nga have been gathering international rights to films produced by Lido Films, which is based in Vietnam. They gathered a handsome amount of Lido's films. Since the deal ended, Thúy Nga never got back to the film business until they decided to remaster all Lido's films into DVD format. Now, current distribution deals are with director Victor Vu's films, which was first announced as an Asia Entertainment affiliate, one of Thúy Nga's competitors, until Thúy Nga snatched the deal. A notable Vietnamese director, Victor Vu has already directed and produced two films for Thúy Nga. Both are very popular in both the international and Vietnamese communities. Vu's films are notable winners at local film fairs. Thúy Nga has not yet produced a first-party film yet, and rumors are going around that Thúy Nga might one day enter the business themselves, but nothing has been announced.

Văn Nghệ Magazine

In Paris By Night 52: Giã Từ Thế Kỷ, Thúy Nga announced Văn Nghệ Magazine. Just like its name, Văn Nghệ, which means "entertainment arts", showcases articles on entertainment and show business. One magazine is released for every Paris By Night video released. Some have speculated that Thúy Nga only created the magazine to advertise the upcoming, or recently released, Paris By Night videos. Its Editor-in-Chief is Lê Xuân Trường (a well known musician who has written more than 60 hits for Paris By Night programs since 1995).

Văn Nghệ Magazine contains the work of a lot of respected writers and reviewers around the Vietnamese communities worldwide.

Fans can subscribe to the magazine for $60 USD for 12 issues, which is about three years' worth, with about four issues released per year.

Audio books

With the rise of books on tape, also known as audiobooks, Thúy Nga introduced Thúy Nga Audio Books. A few of Thúy Nga's main competitors, such as Kim Loi, had already introduced audio books to the Vietnamese communities, and this was a major hit. Thúy Nga decided to recreate Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn's stories as audio books. They were introduced on cassette tapes, which are no longer produced. The first audio book is a non-Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn story, but mainly a collection of short stories written by other Vietnamese authors. It was not until the second audio book was when Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn was contracted to read, and contribute to the audio book program.

The author (Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn) would include a second reader to read with him. This was mainly his co-host on the Paris By Night program, Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên, singer Ái Vân, and comedian Hồng Đào. The audio books now only include Nguyen Ngoc Ngan and Hồng Đào, as they are the most favorite.

From audio book number 2 to 25, the stories are mainly society short stories, and were a big hit in the communities. Beginning with audio book number 27, Thúy Nga introduced the first full-length audio book, with a whopping six cassettes in one set. Beginning with audio book number 60, Thúy Nga began to produce the audio books on both CD and cassette. In audio book number 68, Thúy Nga ceased production on cassettes, and converted to CD-only. Thúy Nga is now in the process of converting all old cassette audio books to the new remastered CDs. The popularity of audio books has grown wary ever since Thúy Nga ran out of stories to produce. Now, Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn mainly contributes to his best-selling series, Việt Kiều, now (as of 2006) at number six.

VietFace TV

In 2012, Thuy Nga launched its own free-to-air Vietnamese-language satellite channel called VietFace TV. The station is found on KJLA digital channel 57.2, transmitted through the Galaxy 19 telecommunications satellite, and is available for free throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.^[11] It broadcasts its own local and international news programs, Vietnamese cultural shows, dramas and comedy shows, excerpts from Paris By Night productions and interviews of its singers and performers, fashion programs, music shows and Vietnamese singing contests.^[12] It is also streamed online for free viewing worldwide.

References

External links

• Thúy Nga's worldwide shopping website
• Thuy Nga audio streaming and download online store
• Official Thuy Nga - video channel at YouTube
• VFTV stream
• OfficialVietFaceTV's channel on YouTube
• Thúy Nga streaming online
• Online stream of VNA-TV, SET, Saigon TV, VBS-TV, VietFace TV