Vanishing City – The Disappearing Laundry Lines in HK
Director: Yan Chi Hong
The bamboo pole or scaffold, commonly referred to as the Hong Kong drying rack, presents a smart answer to the problem of drying laundry and other objects in a crowded cityscape with limited space.
However, the Hong Kong drying rack goes beyond its primary function of drying garments; it also serves as a representation of sustainability. By utilizing renewable and biodegradable materials, it embodies an eco-friendly approach. Moreover, opting to hang clothes for drying instead of relying on a dryer enables individuals to conserve energy and diminish their carbon footprint.
Description of the theme and subject matter
I mainly went to three locations for filming and interpretation of this video, namely Man Wah Sun Chuen (Fig 1) which is located at the junction of Jordan Road and Ferry Street, in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Shek Wai Kok Estate (Fig 2) which is located at a hilly area at the northeast of Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong. And Tamar Park (Fig 3) which is an urban park in Admiralty, Hong Kong.
Man Wah Sun Chuen (Fig 1)
Shek Wai Kok Estate (Fig 2)
Tamar Park (Fig 3)
At the beginning of the video, I lead my readers step by step into the interior of Shek Wai Kok Estates via a long staircase. Using the first-person perspective allows readers to try to peek into the internal structure of an old housing estate. As Shek Wai Kok Estates is one of the oldest public housing estates in Tsuen Wan. This experience can let the readers have a different insight towards the public housing estates.
Also, I have done a drama in Shek Wai Kok estate. I have filmed an old woman who is hanging clothes on the laundry drying racks outside her flat, and accidentally fell from the building. In this drama, I mainly want to recreate the real tragedy that happened in May 2022, a 66-year-old woman in Ho Man Tin hanging out clothes onto the laundry rack outside the window suspectedly slipped and plunged to her death. The tragedy occurred at Kwun Shing House, Kwun Tak Court in Ho Man Tin (Fig 4). This is a sad news that aroused enthusiastic responses from the public and also attracted the attention of the government.
“The Standard.” Woman doing laundry suspectedly slips and plunges to her death. Accessed May 15, 2022. (Fig 4)
Then, I have chosen Man Wah Sun Chuen as one of my locations of filming because it is one of the oldest private housing estates in Hong Kong. On the exterior walls of the estates, drying laundry racks were all hanged outside. This can let the readers to have an insight on how the drying racks are working like.
Finally, I have taken some shots in the Tamar Park, the reason why I took place there is because the Central Government Complex and the Legislative Council Complex are adjacent to Tamar Park. In this regard, I want to raise different questions to readers. Is this accident caused by the old woman’s carelessness? Or does the government have certain responsibilities? Or is it a problem with the design of the clothes drying rack itself?
So, I want to use this video to arouse everyone’s different thoughts. Because the design of the clothes’ drying rack has also changed in many different ways. Public housing clothes drying facilities have faced significant criticism, particularly prior to 2005 when the older estates used the “Three Incense Sticks” pole-style drying rack. This outdated system required residents to lean out of windows to hang their clothes, resulting in tragic accidents and fatal falls. To address this issue, the Housing Department has implemented three replacement programs for the drying racks in the past decade. Despite efforts to improve the facilities, each new version has been met with criticism, as some public housing residents argue that the provided solutions are impractical. Consequently, the struggle with clothes drying persists among the residents on a daily basis.
Method of conducting the research and producing the video
Color Tone
The color tone of the video is mainly cool undertone (Fig 5). I added a layer of filter to the video, mainly to create a sad and helpless feeling, because I think the accident is already very tragic, but what is even more tragic is that so far, we have not had an effective solution to deal with the problem of clothes drying racks. Do we really have to give up clothes drying racks outside the wall just because of the risk factors? But if you hang the clothes at home, the clothes cannot be dried most effectively. At the same time, this kind of Hong Kong clothes drying rack with Hong Kong characteristics will disappear from the Hong Kong cityscape, so I think this is very sad.
Cool Undertone clipped from the video (Fig 5)
Sound recording
I chose a song called “Depressed feeling” as the background music of the film. This music sounds sad, helpless, stagnant, and without progress. This music exactly matches the theme of my film. There is a direct echo. In addition, I created a voice over with my own voice, but at the same time I added the special effect of echo, mainly to make people think twice and think deeply, and to use the different issues raised by my text content to allow readers to deepen their understanding to discuss the issues that I want to bring up today. Furthermore, I also added some more sound effects to the video, such as the footsteps. Mainly, I wanted to create a feeling of helplessness and a feeling of problem which is approaching to us.
The language of the lens
In terms of the use of lenses, I mainly divided them into two parts. First, I used first-person vision and bystander vision lenses to shoot the accident of the old woman, including the scene of climbing the stairs and the scene of the old woman falling to the ground. I did this mainly so that the reader can feel like a spectator but also feel like an old woman. In this way, readers can have a deeper understanding of the main reason for the accident, and at the same time, it can also stimulate readers emotional. In addition, I also used a wide-angle lens to shoot the exterior of the building, so that the video could show the clothes drying rack from the inside to the outside of the building.
Hong Kong Public Space Initiative 2015, Significance of Public Space, Hong Kong Public Space Initiative, viewed 19 February 2018, <http://www.hkpsi.org/eng/publicspace/ideal/>.
11 thoughts on “[Field-Homework 3] Vanishing City – The Disappearing Laundry Lines in HK”
Shuet Ying Cherie says:
The video presents a thoughtful exploration of the humble clothesline, a seemingly mundane object that is deeply woven into the fabric of Hong Kong’s community culture. The director skillfully highlights the ingenuity and practical functions of the clothesline, while also inviting the viewer to consider its broader societal and architectural implications.
The choice of focusing on the clothesline as the central subject is both clever and insightful. This everyday item serves as a prism through which the video examines the unique living conditions and space constraints faced by Hong Kong residents, as well as the creative ways in which they adapt and thrive within these limitations.
The narrative flow of the video is logical and coherent, guiding the audience through a seamless progression of insights and observations. The pacing and structure allow for a natural unfolding of the topic, ensuring that the viewer remains engaged and intrigued throughout.
The use of text in the video is impactful, providing useful information that enhances the visual storytelling. The videography and cinematography are of high quality, capturing the clothesline and its surrounding environment with a keen eye for detail and composition. The use of diverse camera angles, framing, and lighting effectively conveys the visual poetry of the subject matter.
Overall, this video stands as a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the clothesline, showcasing the filmmaker’s ability to find the extraordinary within the ordinary.
Hi Hong! Thank you for the video!! The minimal saturation filter on the video really helps with the story telling. The first person point of view and “falling” scene really add to the theme and point of your chosen topic. The additional voice echo also adds to the mysterious and ominous feel. However, one thing that could be improved is the steadiness of the camera during slowed down shots: but, overall, amazing work!! Keep it up!!!!
Excellent video! I like your black and white filter and dreamy atmosphere that is created by your unique shooting style, especially the opening long shot, it is very impressive. It is almost like a dream sequence. The voiceover is very soothing too, fits with the overall atmosphere very well. Your topic choice is also very unique and interesting, makes us reflect about the very controversial existence of the drying rack nowadays in Hong Kong.
Dear Hong, thats a brilliant video. I really like the scene of using first person perspective, which unfortunately the women jumped off from the building. I wonder how did you went in the Shek Wai Kok Estate and asked for the old woman to film because it looks like hard to get permission from the residents.
Dear Hong, thats a brilliant video. I really like the scene of using first person perspective, which unfortunately the women jumped off from the building. I wonder how did you went in the Shek Wai Kok Estate and asked for the old woman to film because it looks like hard to get permission from the residents.Anyway, keep up your great work and look foward to see more of your future work!
Hi Yan Chi Hong! Amazing direction and editing. Overall you present a thoughtful exploration of the Hong Kong drying rack as a symbol of sustainability and the ongoing challenges surrounding its practical application in crowded urban environments. The multimodal approach, including visual, aural, and narrative elements, effectively conveys the complexities and human impact of this issue. I especially love the quality of your videos and photos in this video. Keep it up!
Man Wah Sun Chuen (Fig 1)
Shek Wai Kok Estate (Fig 2)
Tamar Park (Fig 3)
The video presents a thoughtful exploration of the humble clothesline, a seemingly mundane object that is deeply woven into the fabric of Hong Kong’s community culture. The director skillfully highlights the ingenuity and practical functions of the clothesline, while also inviting the viewer to consider its broader societal and architectural implications.
The choice of focusing on the clothesline as the central subject is both clever and insightful. This everyday item serves as a prism through which the video examines the unique living conditions and space constraints faced by Hong Kong residents, as well as the creative ways in which they adapt and thrive within these limitations.
The narrative flow of the video is logical and coherent, guiding the audience through a seamless progression of insights and observations. The pacing and structure allow for a natural unfolding of the topic, ensuring that the viewer remains engaged and intrigued throughout.
The use of text in the video is impactful, providing useful information that enhances the visual storytelling. The videography and cinematography are of high quality, capturing the clothesline and its surrounding environment with a keen eye for detail and composition. The use of diverse camera angles, framing, and lighting effectively conveys the visual poetry of the subject matter.
Overall, this video stands as a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the clothesline, showcasing the filmmaker’s ability to find the extraordinary within the ordinary.
Lok Shuet Ying Cherie 3036107505
Thank you for your comments, Cherie ! ><
Hi Hong! Thank you for the video!! The minimal saturation filter on the video really helps with the story telling. The first person point of view and “falling” scene really add to the theme and point of your chosen topic. The additional voice echo also adds to the mysterious and ominous feel. However, one thing that could be improved is the steadiness of the camera during slowed down shots: but, overall, amazing work!! Keep it up!!!!
CHING Hau Sik Monique 3036207525
Thank You Monique ><
Excellent video! I like your black and white filter and dreamy atmosphere that is created by your unique shooting style, especially the opening long shot, it is very impressive. It is almost like a dream sequence. The voiceover is very soothing too, fits with the overall atmosphere very well. Your topic choice is also very unique and interesting, makes us reflect about the very controversial existence of the drying rack nowadays in Hong Kong.
Cheung Wan Suet, Yvonne
3036234401
Thank you so much, Yvonne. Hope you enjoy it ><
Dear Hong, thats a brilliant video. I really like the scene of using first person perspective, which unfortunately the women jumped off from the building. I wonder how did you went in the Shek Wai Kok Estate and asked for the old woman to film because it looks like hard to get permission from the residents.
Dear Hong, thats a brilliant video. I really like the scene of using first person perspective, which unfortunately the women jumped off from the building. I wonder how did you went in the Shek Wai Kok Estate and asked for the old woman to film because it looks like hard to get permission from the residents.Anyway, keep up your great work and look foward to see more of your future work!
Ho Tsz Hei 3036193059
Anyways, keep up and I look foward to see your future work! HO Tsz Hei 3036193059
The old woman is my grandmother ><
Hi Yan Chi Hong! Amazing direction and editing. Overall you present a thoughtful exploration of the Hong Kong drying rack as a symbol of sustainability and the ongoing challenges surrounding its practical application in crowded urban environments. The multimodal approach, including visual, aural, and narrative elements, effectively conveys the complexities and human impact of this issue. I especially love the quality of your videos and photos in this video. Keep it up!
Anvesha Bajpai (3036137184)