Description of the theme and subject matter
Under the widespread of COVID-19, I have stayed at home for a long period and it becomes my studio and workspace for my coursework. When I am stuck in thinking, I tend to find a quiet and undisturbed space for concentration and brainstorm. And I discovered that there is a private and isolated room at home once I closed the door that I can stay for alone in the toilet. Although it provides a room for thinking straight, I still want to go out and take a breath from being cooped up indoors. The first part of the video depicts my experience on brainstorming projects in the toilet and the habit of looking for some circles to direct my attention, however, I still came up with no idea and decided to leave. I flashed the toilet and the water was drawing into the hole arouses my curiosity about the outside, where does it go, what it will pass through and How does it connect to the outside. The second part is based on research of sewage system in Yuen Long which is the route it goes and the distinction and some of my imagination.
Method of research and making of the video
Video making is a combination of live-action with a real actor in the first part and animation in the second part. I utilize animation for narrating the journey of sewage because it is impossible to film inside a real drainage system and difficult to record the situation inside small pipes with a phone. Inspired by the example of mocking up Wuhan City by recreating the environment through setting in the film in workshop one, I watched a video record of sewers repairmen for reference and then used a white paper straw and lightning to mimic the inner of the pipe and take photography for making some scene in the animation. I do not use a soundtrack in animation besides the water sound effect because I want to offer some room for imagination for the audience to enjoy the journey with their perception.
Based on my curiosity, I went for a site visit of my building. I observed and investigated the flow of sewage and the interconnection and direction of water pipes from my flat to the ground and end up with a manhole. After that, I researched on the Internet and found out that the manhole is connected with the underground public sewers throughout Yuen Long District and those sewers are collected in sewage treatment works for further treatments. Separated sludge from sewage is disposed to landfill while treated effluent is discharged to the river and bay.
Objectives and Reflections
The city’s drainage system is always neglected by people. However, it is a vital infrastructure for maintaining the city’s operation and public health. Inspired by the lecture on architecture, film, and modern city and urban mobility in infrastructure as event space, I think the complicated and systemic drainage system in the modern city looks like the transportation network underground and it could be an image of a future underground city. Moreover, unseen underground pipes are also connected with people on the street in some ways, e.g. manholes and it inspired me to use the drainage system to provide a time sequence as a spatial sequence for narrating the story in the video.
-LAI Man Ching 3035825083
Site visit:
References:
Drainage Services Department. (2009). Yuen Long Sewage Treatment Works.
Guan Ting Lai Ming Yuan Engineering Co., Ltd. (2019). 污水管(水泥)雜物打除. Available at: https://youtu.be/b3HDI9cadqc
Mike Leung. (2018). 航拍－元朗污水處理廠. Available at: https://mike-leung.com/2018/01/07/%E8%88%AA%E6%8B%8D%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%83%E6%9C%97%E6%B1%A1%E6%B0%B4%E8%99%95%E7%90%86%E5%BB%A0/amp/
Sound effects: Free water drops and bloop sound effect. Available at: https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-sound-effects-download/water-drops-and-bloops-17
W, mak, W. S., mok & H. T., poon. (2007). Sewer Installation by Pipejacking in the
Urban Areas of Hong Kong
Part I – Planning, Design, Construction and Challenges
Walt Disney Production. (1951). Alice In Wonderland.
welovehkchannel. (2013). 污水，你去哪裡?. Available at: https://youtu.be/Ucvqdm0sGUk
Williams, R. (2012). The Animator’s Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators. United States: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc.
環境保護署渠務署. (2010). 第 9 章:設置鄉村污水收集系統.
Storyboard & Site visit:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MK9lBgGtsvOwWZoJvI80_0f0vKhTyjwr/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1isA-g8RVaj8x1GH-eNfuA-8TiI0ze5Ou/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MK9lBgGtsvOwWZoJvI80_0f0vKhTyjwr/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MK9lBgGtsvOwWZoJvI80_0f0vKhTyjwr/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T8cE2dzLW1TeGunlR8PtssjtiDuNpM_k/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u2kCrgemTuHda3HSCQYR4G0Pi34LVGwo/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tdfLHf3BJT3tPxHo3gpqbPZXJ0yWqQCj/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjJaw_e5BVQ8sJE1WIBhkTVvpVM9hQLI/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AjyJxARaFVTMo590MTeF8zDE_SvQyoP6/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ijypLVd-6sAGBBNddw3AfBFI3-eIkNM/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OZwAK-14b1v0d1QW6ZahTyH5MOaMRWb8/view?usp=sharing
Hi. I think you have successfully brought out toilet in a different perspective via an interesting journey of sewage. Effort shown on your hand-drawn animation, and I really enjoy it.I think it is creative and suitable to combine the live-action with an animation. You have also done sufficient research to bring out the topic. Great job!
This is definitely an interesting video showing the ‘Another City’ in the toilet. I love your idea of linking multiple drawings together to make a video to show your story with us. I also appreciate your drawing and video production skills. The way to you create the atmosphere and draw interiors of the pipes are amazing. Your video also depicts the flow of sewage and the interconnections of water pipes. It is like the city we have mentioned in class regarding Jennifer Yoos and Vincent James’ readings, where the highly complex interconnection between different pipes that linked to buildings and manholes are vividly demonstrated. I think you can compare the underground city with the real city to make it more comprehensive. Overall, your video is great and acknowledgeable.
Firstly, I really enjoyed the hand drawn pictures which coupled together to become a animation. The video was also highly informative, showing a side of the city that we so rarely and perhaps don’t even want to see. The techniques that you used with the straw and light to mimic the pipe is also very innovative. I can’t stress how much I adored the cute animations, thanks for the great video!