Title: Hong Kong’s Sidewalks: An Information City
Credits: Director – LIONG Dave Henokh and Actor – SISWANTA Georgy Valencio
Description: (250 words)
The theme of the video is Hong Kong’s sidewalks. People tend to not notice the importance of sidewalks, as they are often taken for granted as only pathways for pedestrians to traverse. However, they are actually integral to channel various information.
I highlight the many subtle hints that sidewalks are important to information exchange:
- Road signs, traffic lights, and road names: Primarily used to facilitate modes of transportation, including flow of people walking, stops and goes for cars and buses. It also facilitates rules we now know to abide, such as a maximum speed of 20km/h in this certain road.
- Banners and posters: One of the easiest and most easily digestible venues for public officials, communities, and companies to spread their message.
- Street performers and buskers: While they don’t explicitly convey information like banners or posters, their performances reflects cultural and social themes, which gives insights into the values and interests of different communities.
- Public seating and greenery: They encourage people to engage with their surroundings and to interact with others, which is optimal for exchange of information and ideas.
- Murals also contribute to the aesthetic beauty of the city (hence giving art information), while also conveying social information and sparking conversation and debate.
Thus, I hope that the readers are convinced that Hong Kong’s sidewalks are more than just a means of getting from one place to another; they are spaces for giving information and civil engagement, and why they serve as a foundation for an “information city”.
Method of conducting the research and producing the video, and reflections: (500 words)
For script and video research, I observed carefully how information exchange takes place on Hong Kong’s sidewalks, including subtle channels like street performance. Then, I conducted literature review to understand the significance of these channels and their impact on the community (such as observing that public seating encourages community interaction). The literature review that I found were used to make the script for the video.
During the production of the video, I made sure to capture the various information channels that are readily present on Hong Kong’s sidewalks. In Kennedy Town, I focused on capturing the banners and public seating, while in Sai Ying Pun, I captured the stunning murals. In Nam Cheong, I highlighted the road signs and traffic lights that not only ensure safety but also convey important messages to the public. Lastly, I enlisted the help of a friend to act as a street performer. This helped to convey the message that street performances not only enhance the liveliness of the city but also serve as a means of spreading social information.
By using a first-person POV in the video, the viewers are able to perceive the information channels in Hong Kong from a personal perspective. This allows them to relate with the location, which they may recall later during going through a sidewalk.
On the other hand, the use of third-person narration in the video provides an objective and professional perspective. This allows the viewers to receive information in a clear and concise manner, without any personal biases or opinions.
Thus, by combining both first-person and third-person narration styles, the video is transformed into a documentary-style production. This style enables the viewers to experience the location through a personal lens, while also receiving factual information in a professional manner.
In editing the video, I drew inspiration from the background music used in Vox’s YouTube video titled “The design tricks that keep skyscrapers from swaying. The drum-only sounds make the audience more engaged.
Additionally, to make sure a nice flow between scenes similar to that of vlogs, I used simple cuts as the primary transition method.
In some parts of the video, I utilized “Monogatari Series” edits, such as having only text with contrasting colors for certain frames. This technique draws attention to specific parts of the video, emphasizing key points that I want the audience to take note of. This added layer of visual stimulation helps to reinforce the message and make it more memorable.
Through this research and production process, I gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of community engagement and information exchange, which I hope the audience would also gain after watching my video. It is my statement that: Hong Kong’s sidewalks serve as one of the best platform for individuals and organizations to share their messages and promote their causes. Sidewalks foster a culture of engagement and collaboration. By appreciating sidewalks and understanding the significance of them for information exchange, I hope we can work towards creating a more information-filled Hong Kong.
Bibliography:
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ブxルxキ. (2011, August 11). the American Psycho card scene but it’s edited like the Monogatari series. Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/kmvrCb_IHqY
Fuller, F. (2019). Documentary Storytelling Techniques. Desktop-Documentaries.com. https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/storytelling-techniques.html
Lai, C. (2021, March 20). How to harmoniously bring Hong Kong’s streets back to life. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3125905/how-hong-kongs-streets-can-be-harmoniously-brought-back-life
Leung, J. (2023, April 25). The best street art and graffiti in Hong Kong. Time out Hong Kong. https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/art/best-street-art-and-graffiti-in-hong-kong
Rege, G. M. (1963). Poster as an Effective Medium of Communication. Sociological Bulletin, 12(2), 34–49. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42864619
Reynolds, G. (2013, March 23). Storytelling, POV, & the power of first-person narrative. Presentation Zen. https://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2013/03/storytelling-pov-the-power-of-first-person-narrative.html
Transport Department. (2022, June 21). Transport Department – Traffic Lights. Www.td.gov.hk. https://www.td.gov.hk/en/road_safety/road_users_code/index/chapter_8_the_language_of_the_road/traffic_lights_/index.html
Vox. (2019, March 17). The design tricks that keep skyscrapers from swaying. Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/ebx5Y5qOmTM
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Liong Dave Henokh
UID: 3035902415
The video was very informative. I loved how you not only focused on the sidewalk themselves but how pedestrians interacted with the sidewalks. You have successfully captured the hustle and bustle of the city and added your creativity by asking your friend to act as a street performer. I also loved the fast-paced video editing including the sharp contrast between the colors and words. This coincided with the message you wanted to convey concerning the fast-paced life of Hong Kong people.
However, I have a few suggestions to improve your video. The first is that the information in your video is too jam-packed, you focused not only on the advertisements and design of sidewalks but also extended the reach to greening spaces and trees. The scope of content led to a too-dispersed video, where every part only shared a small portion, causing each part to lack the needed depth. Moreover, sometimes the video seems like an infomercial or ETV style more than an artistic short film. Therefore, you could work on the artistic bits and focus on one or two spots to have an in-depth description. Otherwise, the video was well done and the idea was well executed. Great Job!
I enjoyed watching your video- the editing and sound are effective in keeping the audience engaged. Your video essay has a clear structure and demonstrates the different utilities a sidewalk brings to its users. Your analysis is a good overview of forms of informations on a sidewalk. I like your transitions, the rhythm of cutting reminds one of the fast pace of the streets in Hong Kong. Good work!