Our Story

A Bowl of Rice was never part of the plan.

When Max moved to Vietnam, it wasn’t to start a production company. He had just left a comfortable marketing career and flown halfway around the world to direct a reality TV show about magicians. Around the same time, Jane had returned home from Japan determined to build a creative career on her own terms.
When the two met, everything just clicked. It was a perfect match. They started saying yes to every opportunity they could find. Concerts. Music videos. Commercials. Television. Online content. If it involved a camera and a good idea, they were in.

But it didn’t take long to realize something was missing.

Making beautiful videos was rewarding, but the projects that stayed with us were the ones where storytelling could do more than entertain. We found ourselves drawn to organizations solving real problems, entrepreneurs building something new, educators opening doors, and communities whose stories deserved to be heard. That’s when A Bowl of Rice became more than a production company. It became a way to use creativity for something bigger.

Over the past fifteen years, that journey has taken us across Vietnam and beyond. We’ve filmed in mountain villages, hospitals, classrooms, factories, forests, startup accelerators, and places that don’t appear on most maps. Along the way, we’ve partnered with organizations like UNICEF, innovators raising millions in investment, educators transforming how people learn, and local communities creating lasting change.

What hasn’t changed is the way we work. We’re a small team by design. We stay curious, travel light, and believe the best stories come from listening first. Whether we’re producing a nationwide campaign, documenting a conservation project, or developing our own feature film, we approach every project with the same belief: the right story can help people understand, connect, and care.

Because at the end of the day, that’s why A Bowl of Rice exists.
To tell stories that make a difference.

Why ``A Bowl of Rice``?

People ask us this a lot.
The truth is, it seemed like a pretty good idea at the time.

Over the years, though, the name has taken on a life of its own. A bowl of rice is simple. It’s nourishing, It can be something shared. It brings people together around the same table. It can even save water soaked electronics from certain death. We like to think our work does the same, bringing people together through stories that inform, inspire, and occasionally make the world a little better.

The Way We Work

Start with People

The human story is always
the one worth telling.

Listen First

The best stories begin with a question,
not an answer.

Be Useful

Creativity should help people,
not just impress them.

Travel Light

Small crews. Less equipment.
More trust. More connection.

Go Further

Sometimes it means staying longer.
Sometimes it means asking one more question.

Make it Matter

We want people to feel something
long after the credits roll.

These are some of
the awesome people
we've worked with

Airbnb
Amiana
Arizona State University
ASEAN
Becamex Business Incubator
CFA Institute
CoderSchool
Converse
Couleurs D’Asie by Rehahn
Dancenter
EU JULE
Fondation Botnar

GIZ
GSO
Habitat for Humanity
Harley-Davidson
HCMC Peace & Development Foundation
ILA
Inspectorio
Sabra
LIN
Madoka Legal
MARD

MOHA
MOLISA
MPI
Nestle
Ngoc Nghia Plastic
RMIT University
RTB House
Save the Children
SonKim Land
Tribee
UNESCO
UNFPA

University of Sydney
UNICEF
United Nations Vietnam
UN Women
Urban Dance Group
USAID
Vans
VCCA
Vulcan Augmetics
WEF Global Shapers
Women Empowerment Club
Yamaha

What kind of content do we make?

We make all kinds of content but, most often, we work on video focused projects.  These are usually documentaries, brand films, and explainer videos. We also make educational video content for international schools and universities and have expanded our capabilities with animation and motion graphics.

What kind of clients do we prefer?

We work with everyone from large, international brands and development agencies to independent start-ups and local, non-profit organizations. Our favorite people to work with are great communicators who believe in their products. We especially enjoy collaborating with people who are working to make positive and sustainable change in their communities.

Why do people work with us?

We have the patience to guide the people we work with through the process of properly discovering and telling stories that will matter to their community. We’re good at taking complicated ideas, products, and projects and transforming them into something that is easy to understand. Most of all, we have experience and the flexibility required to deliver results.

Do we work with other agencies?

Of course! Some of our favorite projects have been in partnership with other agencies. We’ll bring our own creativity and perspective into the mix but we’re always excited to collaborate with other creative people to take a project to the next level.

Do we produce animated projects?

Totally! We have the ability to make 2D, fully-animated videos. We also often integrate animated, motion graphics into our videos as visually exciting way to deliver information.

How much will it cost to make a video?

Since 2014, we’ve made hundreds of videos for a wide range of prices. The cost of a video depends on a variety of factors and we always have a bunch of questions to ask before we can give an accurate estimate.  The best case scenario for us, is to let us know the budget range  you’re working with so we can tell you what is possible.