The pre-filming ceremony, also known as the opening ceremony, is an important cultural and spiritual ritual. It involves offering incense to show respect to the patron saint of the profession and praying for smooth sailing, favorable weather, and good fortune. This is not simply a spiritual procedure but also carries significant psychological meaning, helping the film crew feel more at ease throughout the production process.
The significance of offering prayers before filming.
Our ancestors have long believed that "respecting traditions brings blessings, and observing taboos brings good fortune." Therefore, before starting important events such as the beginning of the month or year, commencing construction, or opening a business, Vietnamese people always attach great importance to rituals and offerings, hoping for everything to go smoothly, favorably, and peacefully. The opening ceremony of a film project marks the official start of a filming project and is one of the most important rituals for every film crew.
The opening ceremony is an indispensable ritual in any film crew.
In reality, the ritual of offering prayers before filming is not simply a religious practice but holds many other important meanings, all directed towards positive and auspicious outcomes, hoping for smooth and successful results. It is an expression of gratitude to the patron saint of the profession, the pioneers who laid the foundation for filmmaking, and a demonstration of respect for the work itself and all the members involved in the project.
Furthermore, when starting filming, especially in unfamiliar locations, the offering ceremony is also considered a ritual to ask permission from the local deities, the "unseen masters," to allow the film crew to work there. For film crews working on spiritual or horror films, this ritual becomes even more necessary to avoid taboos and unwanted incidents, ensuring that the filming process is safe, smooth, and complete from beginning to end.
For feature films, long-duration shoots, or outdoor event filming projects, the opening ceremony is also a way to pray for favorable weather and good rain. In some film crews, when performing the opening ceremony, they also prepare a red cloth to cover props such as cameras and clapboards. According to folk beliefs, this is a way to pray for the equipment to operate stably, avoid malfunctions, and minimize unwanted impacts from "invisible" factors.
Many people in the industry share stories of cases where cameras malfunction for no apparent reason, but after offering prayers and performing rituals, they can function normally again. Therefore, for film crews, especially those with many years of experience, offering prayers before filming is always considered an indispensable spiritual ritual.
What preparations are needed for the opening ceremony of the machinery?
Before the filming commencement ceremony, many film crews pay close attention to preparing all the necessary offerings. Depending on the project's scale, filming location, and the beliefs of each team, the offerings may be simple or elaborate, but generally they aim for solemnity, sincerity, and a wish for a smooth and successful filming process right from the first shots.
The altar is prepared according to the beliefs of each team, but it always needs to include fruits, incense, fresh flowers, and filming props.
Basically, the altar prepared before filming will include the following offerings:
- Incense sticks: Usually, there are 3 or 5 trees, symbolizing spiritual connection.
- CandlesOne or two trees symbolize enlightenment, guidance, and a favorable beginning.
- Fresh flowers: Chrysanthemums, lilies, and marigolds are commonly used as symbols of good fortune and elegance. These are also the types of flowers often found on ancestral altars in Vietnam.
- Fruit: Usually, choose 3-5 types of fruit, preferably an odd number.
- A feast of meat or a vegetarian feast: For meat offerings, roasted pork and boiled chicken are common; for vegetarian offerings, sticky rice, sweet soup, cakes, candies, or fruit are preferred. Some places also favor offering cakes such as sponge cake or fortune cake to symbolize prosperity and abundance.
- Water: The offering tray before filming usually includes glasses of water or wine (the number of glasses is also an odd number).
- Camera / symbolic propMany film crews place their cameras, clapboards, and scripts in front of the altar as a way of "presenting" their tools of the trade and praying for smooth work.
- Salt, rice: Prepare bowls of rice and salt to pray for abundance and prosperity; these are usually scattered after the offering ceremony is complete.
- Offering paper: Paper money and gold leaf offerings are used, but not strictly mandatory. They are usually replaced with a set of paper offerings for the opening ceremony to ward off bad luck and pray for good fortune.
Some things to keep in mind when offering prayers before filming.
Not only film and television crews, but also TV commercial and event photography teams often perform a ritual offering before filming as a professional habit, helping them feel more secure before starting work. However, performing the opening ceremony offering is not always simple; it must follow the correct "rules," otherwise, even a luxurious and elaborate altar may not be sufficient for filming.
The ritual of offering prayers before filming should not only be a formality but also be performed according to proper rules.
For example, some film crews spread the word that if they want to "get" to film smoothly in a remote, dangerous place like Di Linh (Lam Dong), the offering tray must include 9 white lilies, a plate of fresh fruit, boiled spring water instead of wine, and they must recite the correct prayers, the altar must be placed facing southeast, and the ceremony must be performed at exactly 5:00 AM.
When performing the ceremony to inaugurate the machinery, the following points should also be noted:
- Pay attention to the direction of the offering: Depending on the time and location of filming, the film crew will perform the ritual offerings according to different directions, and in some cases, they may even need to determine the precise latitude and longitude of the filming location.
- Placement of the altar: The altar should be placed in a spacious, dignified, clean, and tidy location, avoiding unclean areas that could easily create a feeling of disrespect.
- Sincerity: The offering tray can be large or small, but it must be sincere, genuine, and serious; laughter and joking should be avoided during the ceremony or while incense is being burned.
- Respect local space and customs: When filming in unfamiliar locations or specific areas, the film crew should pay attention to local customs, avoiding actions that might be offensive or taboo.
- Some taboos to avoid in offerings: Absolutely do not offer/eat sugarcane (fear of stuttering, ruining the performance), corn (fear of stuttering), persimmon (distraction, causing distraction), duck (the "quack quack" sound is believed to bring bad reputation), avoid artificial flowers and wilted flowers.
In general, the ritual of offering prayers before filming begins is not only a spiritual ceremony but also a long-standing cultural tradition for those in the profession. From expressing gratitude to the patron saint of the profession and seeking permission from the local deities at the filming location, to the taboos regarding offerings and the manner of execution, everything aims at the common goal of praying for a safe, smooth, and successful filming process.
Although each film crew has different practices and varying levels of belief, for many teams, offering prayers before filming remains a necessary first step to create peace of mind, a strong spirit, and a sense of belonging before starting work. In a profession that demands a lot of pressure, creativity, and risk like filmmaking, a smooth start mentally is sometimes the crucial foundation for the success of the entire project.
English 
Vietnamese 
