Theme
My theme is that the pier helps people slow down and enjoy their lives. In general, many citizens in Hong Kong have a very fast pace of lifestyle – they walk fast, eat fast, and speak fast. Although some of the citizens in HK will unwind to release stress on the weekend by joining various entertainment venues and scenic spots, it is not the case for most of the people in HK. According to the career portal jobsDB, 89% of HK employees work overtime. The amount of weekly overtime runs from 4 hours (39%) to 7 hours (23%) and 16 hours or more (3%). The heavy workload refrained them from getting access to various places for entertainment, which brought adverse effects on people’s general health. Thus, it is essential for them to find an effective venue to slow down their life.
Among many venues in HK, the pier is an appropriate place to slow down people’s life. The dock in central and western is mainly used in the video. The video can be generally divided into three parts. The video begins with a crowded crosswalk in HK. The main idea in the section is to form a strong comparison with the atmosphere on the pier. The video then moves on to the description of the pier, which includes the background information and the reason for choosing the pier.
Method of conducting the research
My theme in the video is the slow city, so all my research is focused on how slow the pier is.
In order to specify the word “slow,” I further divided the word” slow”into physically slow and spiritually slow. It is relatively easy for me to illustrate the physically slow by using the method of comparison between the walking speed of people on crosswalks and the one on the pier. However, I also noticed that another group of people is not physically slow. For example, some citizens will choose to run or play on the pier. In order to demonstrate the spiritually slow, we need to identify the ways that slow down people spiritually. From my perspective, turning off the noise is an appropriate choice. Pier is an effective place to avoid noise. There will be little noise on the pier, due to the fact that the sounds of wind and waves are large enough to cover the noises. Furthermore, the sea also plays an important role in terms of slowing down spiritually. The sea air improves our ability to absorb oxygen, which can relieve people’s stress effectively. In summary, the pier carries the transition from the city to the sea. It is an effective platform in which citizens can watch the sea in a short distance and in the end slows down their life.
Method of producing the video
At the very beginning of preparing the video, I spend a lot of time determining the site. I choose the pier in the central and western district in the end because it is very close to my hall. I’ve also been to that pier at the beginning of this semester, and it really leaves a deep impression on me. As stated in the requirement of the video essay, I’ve included several elements in the video, such as sound effects and on-screen text.
At the beginning of the video, I included a crowded crossway in HK. I did not set any background music in this section, as the original sound is a better choice when illustrating the word “fast”. Specifically, the sound of traffic can resonate with the audience, for every citizen of HK knows this sound well. I also add the on-screen text in accordance with the scene displayed in the video. For example, I added the on-screen text that “they walk fast, east fast, and speak fast when the citizen in the footage started to walk fast on the crosswalk. After the illustration of “fast” in the first section of my video, it then moves on to the background information of the pier. The background music started in this section so that a large comparison in terms of the atmosphere can be constructed. During the processing of the video, I also included many pure black screens with on-screen text in the middle of it to leave space for the audience to think more about my subject. My conclusion in the video is the pier slows down people’s life. In order to emphasize that, I added the black screen in the climax of the background music. In the end, I also took advantage of Google Earth to show the word “transition”. Just because of the pier, we can watch the sea in a very close manner. Just because of the sea, our life is slowed down.
Reference:
- Why we love watching the sea
https://simplyseaviews.co.uk/blog/love-watching-sea/
2.75% of employees work overtime without compensation: survey
https://hongkongbusiness.hk/hr-education/news/75-employees-work-overtime-without-compensation-survey#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20new%20survey,hours%20or%20more%20(3%25).
- Hong Kong Local Lifestyle
https://www.chinaodysseytours.com/hongkong/hongkong-local-lifestyle.html
4.Hong Kong very busy pedestrian crossing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGxrKyioNuM
5.香港好去處】中西區海濱長廊 西環碼頭 日落打卡｜Instagram Pier: Central and Western District Promenade｜Travel Guide in HK
- The ocean By NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57286/the-ocean
7. How to Slow Down : 20 Simple ways to Slow Down & Enjoy Life
8. 12 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Life More
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personal-growth/the-beauty-of-slowing-down
9. Life style and Culture in Hong Kong
https://www.rocapply.com/study-in-hong-kong/about-hong-kong/hong-kong-lifestyle-and-culture.html#:~:text=Generally%20speaking%2C%20Hong%20Kong%20people,pay%20great%20attention%20to%20relaxation.
10. The Power of Vitamin Sea: Why the coast makes you happier and healthier
https://www.bluestonewales.com/discover/health-and-wellbeing/vitamin-sea#:~:text=A%20breath%20of%20fresh%20sea%20air&text=Not%20only%20do%20they%20accelerate,feelings%20of%20wellbeing%2C%20and%20happiness.
A relaxing film. I appreciate that your definition of slow is both ‘physically’ and ‘spiritually’. Like you, I think the ocean is free, where we can experience it and feel it quietly. As Shakespeare said, ‘There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes.’ I think it is the same for the sea. In the pier, the closest place to the sea, we can stop being physically affected by the fast pace of the city and stop being under the pressure of mental urgency. Everything is slow and free. But if I may suggest one thing that needs to be improved, it is the background music that you have deliberately adopted. I personally think that in this open place, what we see and hear should be open, so it’s not only the beauty of the picture, but also the sound of the waves washing the pier, is also wonderful. Of course, this is just my personal preference, the music you adopted is also very cheerful, which is another kind of feeling. All in all, it’s still an enjoyable short film.
I find this video very relaxing as it has a tranquil background music attached to the video. I do admit that Hong Kong is a fast-paced city which people in Hong Kong are hardly slow down their pace and appreciate every moment in the scenery of Hong Kong. Indeed, pier has provided an amazing spot for people to temporarily stop their own task, contemplating their lives for a moment and freeing themselves from the tight of workplace. It is also noteworthy that the slow pace of life can indeed help us to release ourselves to vent out stress from anything outside our brain. I think it is worth to have a try to walk through the pier and view the skyline which reflecting the light on the ocean and listen the sound of wave. It is really tranquil and I am pretty sure we refresh ourselves by escaping from busy life for a moment. To conclude, it is really nice video to encourage people to slow down their lives.
I found your video interesting and creative. I love the way you contrast the people in a hurry in the city with the people wandering along the pier, as well as the contrast in the background music. The main idea in this video is thoughtful. Many people in Hong Kong are pushed so hard to rush forward, that they often forget to find a place to slow down. The pier is a perfect place to get a day off, to meditate, to recharge oneself.
The video you shot gives people a very soothing feeling, which is also similar to the theme of your article. In addition, I think maybe the library is the same as the harbor, one is to give people a slow mental progress, and the other is to relax both physically and mentally. Through the video you shot, I can clearly see what you want to express. Maybe sometime all of us need to spare some time to experience a slow pace in the fast city.
The main idea about how the pier is a space to slow down in a fast-paced city like Hong Kong is clear. Perhaps you can further explore how the pier is different from other kinds of leisure spaces. Overall, there is insufficient original content. When including non-original works, they should be attributed clearly within the video. Also, take note of the proper way to cite your references.