We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tien Nguyen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tien, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity definitely comes from my parents. After our family immigrated to North Carolina from Vietnam as refugees, I saw them constantly support and build up their community along with relatives, friends, and in the church. The way they gave back was never ostentatious. It seemed second nature to them that if they could help someone, they would. My four siblings and I soaked in that lesson indirectly. I tried to embody that value in every space I’m in. I believe generosity creates connection and a beautiful atmosphere, whether you’re offering it or accepting it from others.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m currently producing my first feature-length documentary about a Filipino migrant family in the aftermath of an anti-Asian hate crime in Los Angeles. It’s been an incredible learning experience in a couple big ways. One, in being entrusted to collaborate on this story with our collaborators and two, navigating the complex problem solving that is being a producer. I’ve been consuming huge amounts of information about independent film and producing and also relying on my community for guidance. I’m hoping to find a way next year to share this curated information with fellow producers to create community and help ease the way for others.
I did something similar almost a decade ago when I made the transition from chemistry graduate student to science writer/journalist. It was a blog post that’s still on my website today for any students looking to make the leap. Over the course of my career, I’ve transitioned from science journalist to video journalist to video producer to docuseries producer to now where I do a mix of all those things. I love the process of researching, advice gathering, figuring out how a new ecosystem/industry functions and how I could fit into it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey are: 1) My ability to ask for help 2) My willingness help others and build community 3) My writing skills. Even if I wasn’t a writer by trade, being able to write compelling emails, grant applications, personal bios, cover letters is helpful for any professional but particularly for artists, for whom it’s crucial to be able to communicate what we are making/want to make and why.
My advice for folks early in their journey is to work on asking others in the field good questions. It’s something I’ve learned through trial and error. But in my opinion, a good question is one that arises from an honest curiosity. One that’s not driven by a hidden ‘what can you do for me.’ It’s something you’ve arrived at after doing all the pre-requisite googling and self-reflection and shows you care about the craft/industry/thing that you’re asking about.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
It’s not a single book but the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh have been an invaluable teacher for how I move in this world. We all get so caught up in chasing goals, creating endless to-do lists, made-up external awards/validation. But ultimately we all have is the present moment. So despite whatever is going on work-wise, personal achievment-wise, I try to remember what is actually important to me and that I already have everything I need. Connection, community, helping others, not adding to the violence in our world even through a harsh or unmindful speech, and the simple joys in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tienminhnguyen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mustlovescience/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tien-nguyen-76276211/
Image Credits
Tien Nguyen
