YouTube:https://youtu.be/x1VrJieJVbU

 

Slow City: Asia Society

Video description

In this video, it`s theme focus on discussing the feasibility of living slow in Hong Kong, specially focusing in the Central business district (CBD) in Hong Kong. It aims to find a place in Admiralty and achieve the level of having a secluded life inside the city.

There is classical Chinese ‘小隱於野,大隱於市’ which means that finding a higher level of secluded life, it is better the find it inside the downtown than from the natural ( (百度百科：黎媛21, 2024). It wants people to find its own heart, own life. People always distribute Hong Kong as a busy city (HKCityLife, n.d.),  in fact it did. In the state of the global workplace 2022 report, it pointed out Hong Kong had the highest stress index in east Asia with 53 precent of employees reporting feeling pressure at work (The State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report, 2022 as cited in The Standard, 2022) It feels like for people living in Hong Kong is more like survive rather than living and enjoying the life. Asia Society is a good place for citizen step backward, slow down their life and think about what they life for.

The video take place in the Admiralty train station- one of the busiest train station in Hong Kong and in Asia Society (Hong Kong) which locate next the British Consulate General Hong Kong. The video separates into two parts. For the first part focus more on describing citizen daily, like work and to work. For the second part focus on using Asis society`s views and some outdoor work to prove that it is easy to find a seclude place in CBD.

Method of conducting the research and producing video

Before producing the video, I did some research from the internet and field research in the area of CBD see if there are a place that can truly represent the idea. Many websites point out that park and natural park is a good place for slow city, I am highly doubt with it as those places is quiet and only quiet; it does not own the ability of enlightening people. It is therefore, I begin my field research finding if there are a place in CBD that can inspire people slowing down their life rhythm.

I find Asia society which right next to the British Consulate General Hong Kong and more importantly 100 miters forward are already CBD of Hong Kong. It fits my condition which this location has something that are truly meaningful and it is next to CBD. I chose a workday to visit Asia Society. I feel a bit pity on it as the Asia society is free for the public and I am the only visitor on that day, feels like citizen not pay attention on slowing down. Inside Asia society, I find out many outdoor artwork are thinking about urban life. For example, ‘Another time XX’ by Antony Gormley standing on the rooftop looking over the fast-paced city, ‘Lost city’ by Vaan Ip highlights the overbuilt claustrophobia of Hong Kong, etc (Asia Society , n.d.). I shot some art work and walking view after the visiting.

For the video production, two parts of video are mixed with formalism (Hellerman, 2023). Using some embraces ambiguity metaphorical imagery to inspire audience thinking about the content. I put lots of deep thinking art work inside the video. Like Wifredo Lam abstract art work, ‘Lost City No.52’ ,etc (Asia Society , n.d.).  At the end I put Dolly zoom (Lannom, 2023) on the art work ‘Long Island Buddha’ as a ending, making the space of Buddha has a suitable extension and the simulation of spatial warp . All of those are hoping that the audience can use another point of view to think about the city; focusing on the Buddha and think about its peace, self-sacrifice kindness and charity (Saksana)and then can try to apply it in daily life . Inside the video I add some question for inspiration, I want those question can guide audience to the theme that I present, I want the audience reflecting their daily life, being aware of the important of slowing down, more importantly finding the balance point of slow down and speed up. For the music, I use an active and rhythm to show that it is citizen daily life is busy in the first part. I use slow and jazz music to inspire audiences to think about the question that I ask in the video and protrude the theme in the second part.

In general, I learn a lesson from this topic. I personally realized that there is a alternative way to life instead of living under pressure. I have a better understanding on Hong Kong daily life and production of video. Hoping audience can become one of the participants in slow city, a new style of life.

 

 

 

References

Asia Society . (n.d.). Outdoor Artworks. Retrieved from https://asiasociety.org/hong-kong/outdoor-artworks

Hellerman, J. (2023, September 01). Retrieved from What Is Formalish in Film and TV: https://nofilmschool.com/what-is-formalism-in-film

HKCityLife. (n.d.). Busy Hong Kong – You’ll Never Walk Alone! Retrieved from http://hkcitylife.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=105_269_271&product_id=3102#:~:text=The%20primary%20reason%20is%20that,helps%20exude%20this%20busy%20feel.

Lannom, S. (2023, February 12). Retrieved from What is a Dolly Zoom — Scene Examples of the Vertigo Effect: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/best-dolly-zoom-vertigo-effect/

Saksana, R. (n.d.). Retrieved from Buddhism and its message of peace: https://www.ayk.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SAKSANA-Rakesh-Buddhism-and-Its-Message-of-Peace.pdf

Tthe Standard. (2022, July 28). Retrieved from Hong Kong employees’ stress index tops East Asia: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/192831/Hong-Kongemployees’-stress-index-tops-East-Asia

百度百科：黎媛21. (2024, 1 28). Retrieved from 小隱於野大隱於市: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/%E5%B0%8F%E9%9A%B1%E6%96%BC%E9%87%8E%E5%A4%A7%E9%9A%B1%E6%96%BC%E5%B8%82/93333

 

 

CHAN CHUN PONG UID:3036267135