[Field-Homework 3] Escalator – Control City

Title: Control City

Minrui Zhao 3036101020

 

Creditcs:

The Script, Director and Voiceover: Minrui Zhao

Actors: Muqun Zhang, Hao Zheng, Yiqing Zhang, Minrui Zhao

 

Theme and Subject:

This video used the heroine’s eyes as clues to shoot on the escalators of Hong Kong’s subway stations. It was taken from the first-person perspective of a female university student, recorded and evaluated a common social phenomenon in Hong Kong: “People always walk left and stand right on escalators.”

It is well known that the escalator is created as a convenient and efficient space for citizens’ daily travel. However, almost everyone in Hong Kong, whether resident or tourist, busy or leisurely, chooses to lengthen their queue and reduce their commute efficiency to obey this unspoken rule: “Walk left and stand right.” This phenomenon’s perversity, breadth and consistency makes the heroine shocked and curious. What controls everyone in Hong Kong to obey this rule? What precisely controls this busy city?

All shots in this video could be divided into three parts, each with an answer to this question. The first two were rejected through an article and individual shots. The third one mainly focuses on a new tourist in Hong Kong, who even do not know this unspoken rule, but imitates the behavior of others to fit into the mainstream. Hence, she complies with this social phenomenon.

This shot leads to the central conclusion: herd mentality is the main factor that leads people to follow the rule. Since conformity generates peer approval and personal pride, deviance generates disapproval and causes embarrassment or shame. Hence people will follow and imitate the behavior patterns of most people. This social psychology controls every inhabitant of the city, which in turn affects the entire city. Therefore, herd mentality plays a significant role in controlling the city.

 

Research

Escalators are ubiquitous spaces in Hong Kong. When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I found that people in Hong Kong always stood on the right and walked on the left on the escalator. This phenomenon surprised me a lot because my hometown has no such regulation. Although I don’t know why, I still chose to imitate the flow of people and stand in line on the right side of the escalator. After getting on the subway, I suddenly found that there was a magical psychological force controlling me. The left side of the escalator was obviously more time-saving, more comfortable and less crowded. However, this magical psychological effect pushed me to the right to wait in line.

Afterwards, I went on many field trips. I have been to different MTR stations, including HKU, Kennedy Town, Central, etc, to observe the pedestrians on the escalators. Eventually, I found that everyone, even those who have just arrived in Hong Kong, abided by this universal rule.

What causes such a social phenomenon? I was advised by a psychologist. She told me that the psychological theory behind this phenomenon is herd mentality and recommended me many books and documents in this regard. According to Asch, S. E. In his essay Opinions and Social Pressure, he argued that social influences shape every person’s practices, judgement and beliefs. Additionally, Rachel I McDonald conducted two researches of herd mentality to show the enduring influence and power of social norms on a broad range of social phenomena.After reading these articles, I finally understand the mysterious power behind this phenomenon, and intended to record the process and results of my film research. By photographing this public space, record this common social phenomenon.

 

Methods to produce this video

This video mainly focused on the escalator and character stories—telling stories in space and using stories to think about the meaning behind a normal phenomenon.During the shooting, I held the lens by hand and kept some shaking to maintain the dynamics and realism of images.

Roughly, we can divide all shots in this video into three types: distant shots, medium shots, and close-up shots and they are interspersed with each other.

In terms of distant shots, I chose long shots to increase the authenticity of the movie. By continuous recording space – subway stations and escalators which included many Hong Kong people, audience could more carefully and objectively consider the behavior and mentality of people on the escalators and better notice the prevalence of this phenomenon. Also the contrast between the crowded people and the neat and orderly escalators, fast-paced Hong Kong life and the empty left side of the escalators, highlighting the irrationality of the phenomenon even more.

The medium shots were usually used in individual shots to tell the development of stories and show the behavior of characters. For example, the last two stories, I used it to make audience better observe individual thoughts and activities by focusing on the whole body and half of the characters. These shots are in more detail to better explain the herd mentality.Eyes are important elements in close-up shots.  Focusing on the eyes of the heroine, audience can know that we capture these images following the line of sight of the heroine. Also these focusing shots can better emphasizing the heroine’s innermost thoughts about this phenomenon, including puzzlement, curiosity and so on.

At the same time, the choice of shooting angle is essential for movies, too. When I shot the escalator, I captured it from many angles, including from above, below, from the side of the escalator and so on. In one clip, I shot in the middle of two escalators to form a left-right symmetrical picture, which can better show the symmetrical beauty and sense of balance of the subway station.

 

Reflection:

Producing such video made me realize the importance of film as a medium of information transmission. It also enhanced my understanding of space and how space can relate with story telling.  I also improved my ability to analyze the architectural structure and style of subway stations, resulting in aesthetically appealing images and films.

 

References:

Asch, S. E. (1955, November). Opinions and Social Pressure. Scientific American, 193(5), 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1155-31

Hovland, C. I., Harvey, O. J., & Sherif, M. (1957, September). Assimilation and contrast effects in reactions to communication and attitude change. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 55(2), 244-252. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0048480Transport

Kelman, H. C. (1958, March). Compliance, identification, and internalization three processes of attitude change. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2(1), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/002200275800200106

Loxton, M., Truskett, R., Scarf, B., Sindone, L., Baldry, G., & Zhao, Y. (2020, July 30). Consumer Behaviour during Crises: Preliminary Research on How Coronavirus Has Manifested Consumer Panic Buying, Herd Mentality, Changing Discretionary Spending and the Role of the Media in Influencing Behaviour. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13080166

Sherif, M. (n.d.). The Psychology of Social Norms. https://doi.org/10.1604/9780598975881

Social norms and social influence. (2015, April 21). Social Norms and Social Influence – ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.04.006

Suhay, E. (2014, March 8). Explaining Group Influence: The Role of Identity and Emotion in Political Conformity and Polarization – Political Behavior. SpringerLink. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-014-9269-1

Transport Department – Hillside Escalator.(n.d.). Transport Department – Hillside Escalator. https://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/pedestrians/hillside_escalator/index.html

Using Social Norms as a Lever of Social Influence | 7 | The Science of. (n.d.). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203818565-7

「鐵仔」提提你：握扶手，企定定！‘T Chai’ reminds you to hold the handrail and stand firm! (2019, July 16). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAImx913zfM

Minrui Zhao : 3036101020