Thang Soi is well-known for majestic flycam projects such as Vietnam - Dream of Unity (Non Song Mot Dai) and Vietnam From Above. Thang also does commercial work for flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and creates other tourism promotional content.
The local videographer recently announced in a Facebook post that he and a group of fellow creatives have recently developed a stock photo and video platform service named Vscape. The name is a portmanteau of "Vietnam" and "landscape."
"A number of local media companies in Vietnam have bought my photos for projects that need images about the country. And there are companies outside Vietnam who have done the same when they need decent visual materials about Vietnam," Thang writes in Vietnamese, adding that because he keeps getting requests for photos of Vietnam, he sees the need to build a stock image platform so that these transactions can be more convenient for photographers and clients.
Another reason why Thang chose to develop Vscape is that prices on popular service such as Getty Images, Shutter Stock or iStock can be expensive for those just starting out in videography in Vietnam. Moreover, he thinks that the Vietnam-specific selections on such sites lack diversity and don't cover many aspects of the country's culture and geography.
Vscape currently has a database of 500 photos and 500 videos. Thang is looking to expand this library by recruiting more contributors, and aims to make Vscape a community for photographers and videographers in Vietnam while also cultivating an environment where authors' rights and copyrights are respected.
Have a look at one of Thang Soi's most celebrated works, a montage of Vietnam from above, below:
Video via Vimeo user Thắng Sói.
[Top photo via Vscape Facebook account]
