Meet Margie Nguyen | Video Editor & Videographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Margie Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Margie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’m incredibly fortunate to have parents who allowed me to choose my own path, especially given their challenging journey from Vietnam to America. Throughout my childhood, a lot of subjects in school never really interested me and I thought I was just someone who was not great in school. It turned out that I was just focusing on the wrong things. In my junior year of high school, I joined yearbook and that’s when my creative path started. Designing yearbook pages, taking photos, documenting, and creating video montages became a way for me to express myself. What made that even better was knowing that my work was positively impacting others. Fast forward to today, and I’m now in my 10th year as a Video Editor/Videographer, I still feel the exact same way. Whether it’s documentaries, narratives, or commercials, I’m grateful to use my skills to tell others’ stories or make a difference through my work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
For me, art is the ultimate form of expression and video has always been that tool for me to explore human connection and tell a story.

What sets me apart in my field is my dedication to capturing the essence of a story in its truest form, particularly in documentary-style videos mixed with my musicality and ever-evolving techniques. Less is also always more. As a video editor, I take pride in my ability to tap into different emotions as it is a crucial part in telling a story visually.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a creative is learning how price my work appropriately. It’s difficult to assign a monetary value to something I’m passionate about because it’s invaluable – it’s a reflection of my dedication, passion, and creativity. However, with each new experience, I grow more adept to finding that balance.

Ultimately, I just want the world to know that my art is a reflection of human experiences and connections. And my that brand will always be rooted in authenticity and I am committed to continuously evolving and refining my craft to bring stories to life in the most genuine and impactful way possible.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a LA native, born and raised, I take this task very seriously. If it’s a week, I’ll have to approach the itinerary in a traffic-efficient way. We’ll start in Chinatown (where I was raised), we’ll get some dim sum at Golden Dragon, take a stroll around LA historic park and dog-watch. Lunch time, we can pop over to Broken Mouth or Holy Basil in Downtown then go to the Last Bookstore and then either go to the Broad or Moca. Around dinnertime, we’ll stroll around Lil Tokyo and see if we can grab sushi. Next day, we’ll get breakfast at Calic Bagel and after traffic, we’ll head to Santa Monica/Venice Beach to spend the day and watch the sunset. Following day we’ll go to Fairfax/The Grove for shopping and then hit either Brain Dead Studios or New Beverly Cinema for a movie and have dinner around there. Next day, will eat around San Gabriel Valley for the best Asian meals and go to a live show at night. Then the last few days take it easy and drive up to Griffith Observatory to get the bigger picture of LA. In general, I just would want my best friend to get a feel of every part of Los Angeles because each part is so unique in its own way.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the unwavering support of my friends and family. My partner, Brian Baldovino, made me believe in myself. My parents never pressuring me into something I didn’t love. My brothers taught me valuable lessons in resilience and the importance of embracing failure. My friends who were my constant audience, sharing and promoting my videos tirelessly. The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Cal State Northridge showed me the significance of having a supportive community and the impact of reciprocal support within it. Lastly, the guidance and wisdom imparted by my mentors at Substance Agency. Eddie Chai, Brian Marsh, Sybil Leung, and Anastasia Arnestad have been invaluable in shaping my skills and knowledge.

Website: www.margienguyen.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thnkdfferent

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margienguyen/

Other: www.vimeo.com/viewsandthrills