Transcript:
What’s the first word that comes to your mind when talking about the streets of Hong Kong?
Narrow? Steep Slope? Hustle and Bustle? Prosperous? Artistic?
Hong Kong, is a multicultural metropolis, a traditional Chinese treasure chest full of Western elements.
In the rain, On the sidewalk that is even not wide as my umbrella, Pedestrians are always polite and modest, they queue for the bus, they silently obey the unwritten rules. Everything is inclusive here. Although Underneath the skyscrapers are shabby stalls, although unfamiliar décor and languages appear frequently, although there are still steps to the destination.
If any city can be defined by light, it is Hong Kong. It had the biggest neon lights of the 1970s, layers and layers, that couldn’t light up the night, but dropped colors on the people running around.
I am fascinated with observing the city from different angles. Standing above, the rush of people, buildings in front and behind, and the passage of time are all taken in. Crouch down,
some details are magnified, colorful spaces are shot. Running, others’ life goes backward, flashing back, turning into a dream.
On the winding, multi-dimensional structural and culture-overlapping streets, I keep knowing Hong Kong.
Theme:
Streets are often the first impression people get of a city. Hong Kong’s location on the hills and near the sea also gives the streets a unique style, with a system of narrow streets staggered in height and surrounded by endless tall buildings. Bank buildings, night market stalls all appear in Mongkok. It is a financial center and a small village full of smoke and mirrors, and the diversity is reflected in the city’s streets. Multinational companies, restaurants around the world, and British-style signs make up one part of Hong Kong’s streets, while traditional Chinese festival decorations and neon lights make up the other. In a city that has extremely dense population and cultures, there is no shortage of accessibility or inclusiveness to the arts. People seem to be united in guarding the city’s charm.
Research method:
Both literature and fieldwork were significant before the shoot took place. After deciding on a topic, I looked at several photographic magazines about Hong Kong and ended up choosing Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, the Mid-Levels Escalator in Central and Argyle Street, Tung Choi Street and Fa Yuen Street in Mongkok, which corresponded precisely to the Western-style shopping streets and Chinese markets and roads, but also included the dying neon lights, traffic and pedestrianized areas. I developed a day and night shooting schedule, walking to find evidence of my suspicions. To represent Hybrid, the most important thing was to find locations where cultures intermingled. I would look online for high-profile buildings and then scout the neighbourhood for overlooked side streets or small traders so that I could capture the most natural and contrasting hybrid urban form.
Filming technique:
Down shot: Hong Kong has many footbridges, most of which are interspersed between taller buildings. Looking down from it, you can capture a vertical overlook of the traffic, including the skyscrapers standing farther down at the end of the road commensurate with it. On the other hand, the road is lined with mainly run-down residential buildings and a few small shops with hidden openings. The three views are framed together for a more layered look.
Foreground interest and depth: The foreground is very important in a photograph to ‘guide’ the viewer’s eye. When I find an interesting scene, a branch, a rock, or a wall, I use it as a foreground. The background and foreground should ideally echo each other and lead the viewer’s eye deeper and deeper into the image. When I want to show a narrow road, I use a close-up shot of a handrail or railing. When I want to show a full view of a building, I can also use the greenery across the street as a close-up bokeh to create a sense of story.
Diagonals and triangles: Most of the roads in Hong Kong are hilly slopes, and with the buildings behind them, they can form a trapezoidal structure. When shooting, the direction of the road is placed diagonally across the frame, making a static building but giving a incredible feeling of leaping movement.
Slow-motion: The essence of slow-motion is to extend the time in reality, to prolong the actual movement. It is considered to be a “close-up in time” and this “zooming in” of time combined with the narrative buildup creates a unique visual effect and demonstrates the unique expression of film and television. The slow-motion camera shows a sense of rhythm and emotional charm, giving the action a sense of beauty, creating a lyrical slow rhythm, emphasizing key movements, causing people to think deeply, and creating a profound artistic mood. I used a slow-motion shot of a zebra crossing with people coming and going, as if time had slowed down and we were given more space to think.
Time-lapse photography: Time-lapse photography is usually a group of photographs that are later compressed into a video by stringing the pictures together to compress a process of minutes, hours, or even days into a shorter period of time. I used time-lapse photography when I photographed the road surface from the flyover, in order to represent the static nature of the building and the road surface through the rapid movement of small objects and to express the passage of time.
Bibliography:
郭斯恆. 霓虹黯色 : 香港街道視覺文化記錄. 香港第一版. 香港: 三聯書店香港有限公司, 2018. Print.
鄭寶鴻. A century of Hong Kong roads and streets. Xianggang di 1 ban. 香港: 香港三聯書店, 2000. Print.
David, Prakel. Photographic composition & design. Xianggang : Zhongguo tu shu chu ban she 2008 Di 1 ban.
葛德, and 沈嵩生. 電影攝影技巧與理論. 第1版. ed. 北京: 中國電影出版社, 1988. Print.
Leung, Angela Ka-yee et al. “Multicultural Experience Enhances Creativity: The When and How.” The American psychologist 63.3 (2008): 169–181. Web.
香港建設. 香港: 置生出版公司, 1980. Print.
Hong Kong guide : gazetteer of street and place names, 2020 / prepared and published by Survey & Mapping Office, Lands Department, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 香港: 地政總署測繪處 2020, Print.
REN XUAN 3036098340
The Video discusses the different types of streets in Hong Kong, from Western-style shopping streets to Chinese markets and roads. It also discusses the city’s dense population and culture and how this is reflected in the streets. The site is well-chosen to represent the essence of Hong Kong. The director’s creativity is evident in the way they approached the topic of Hong Kong’s streets. The director’s use of various techniques shows a creative approach to capturing the essence of the city’s streets and showcasing their unique style and charm.
Hi, your video is very smooth, with aesthetically pleasing images and proper articulation.
As for shooting, I enjoy your way of capturing streets from different angles. Especially for the overhead shot of an open-air market clip. The common observation angle is usually a flat view, but you lead us to observe the market parasols from a new angle – above. Large umbrellas are scattered on both sides of the street in a staggered manner, with blue and red crosses, very aesthetically pleasing.
At the same time, I really like the two images at the beginning of the video – the traditional Chinese Red New Year paintings and decorations and the elegantly decorated Western-style restaurant. The two images are tightly connected and emphasize the diverse theme. I noticed that at the end of your video, a few clips were shot while fast walking. The picture is a little shaky but perfectly reflects the motion and realism of the picture.
You presented various street view captures and shared your feelings of walking on different streets, making your video well-organized and informative. Also, you incorporated different camera angles and shots to keep things interesting, showing your great creativity. I really appreciate the part where you introduced neon lights since they are the iconic symbols of the city. Moreover, the audio levels between the narration and music were appropriate, creating an immersive experience for the viewer. Good job!
I like your way of illustrating the landscape of streets and digging into the urban nature so much! The whole text is very descriptive so that I can feel the elegance, tenderness and nostalgia of this city, although Hong Kong is usually labelled as an efficient, interest-leading metropolis. Your visual design is really aesthetic for me, from the different positions and colours of subtitles at the beginning to the composition of video clips.
Besides, I appreciate the suitable settings you chose. Shabby halls underneath skyscrapers and peaceful alleys behind prosperous main stems were thought to be two pairs of contrasts. To my surprise, they work in harmony, indicating the inclusiveness and politeness here.
Notably, I like your choice of background music. It sounds like Western classical music but matched with images reflecting Chinese traditions. This is an interesting contrast, though I did not feel incongruous. I think this combination implicitly supports your hypothesis well.
I appreciate your poetic narration and interpretation of Hong Kong’s hybridity. The video has some nice shots and keeps the audience engaged. You have pointed out some contrasting elements of Hong Kong’s urban landscape that elicit its hybridity, but more elaboration will enhance and clarify your argument. Bringing in some ideas from Abbas will help your interpretation of hybridity and strengthen your text.