[Video essay]Hybrid City
Site:Sidewalk
What is hybrid city
There are some definitions on hybrid city,suggesting hybrid city is a city in village or a village in city,in short it means hybrid city is a mix of urban and rural, I agree that I believe whether a city is hybrid or not is not just based on the type of land use.Hybrid means a mix of things, and hybrid city is definitely more than just a mix of rural and urban area , it can be a mix of how people live,and the images of different places in the city.
Description
Hong Kong is doubtlessly a hybrid city,there are places that are full of hustle and bustle,for instance, Mong Kok and Kun Tong,one of the special features these places shared is the cramp and crowded sidewalk,people are speed walking, whether they have or do not have a specific firmed direction,they all look very busy . People are multitasking ,they text while talking.Maybe it is the hectic atmosphere of these places affect the people or vice versa, the movement of these tense stressed people create such an environment.While for places that are far from urban areas with slow living pace like Tseung Kwan O,the sidewalk along the pier is quiet and there were not many people to be seen.People take a stroll walk along the pier with their family and friends,enjoying he sea breeze,and finally eyes off their phones. The sidewalks also look way cleaner than those urban areas,people are not allowed to smoke along the pier and even there are not many trash bin ,people do not litter.I believe it is the atmosphere affecting people’s behavior.The sidewalks say a lot about how people act.
Another reasons why I would describe Hong Kong as a hybrid city is because it owns both bright and dirty side,affluent areas like Causeway Bay or central,they are the center of Hong Kong,the people the place looks upright, the advertisements on the sidewalks are about houses and flats or some fine dining restaurants.This is the fair, pretty side of Hong Kong.However people choose to ignore those red-light district ,the ugly side of Hong Kong.People vape,do drugs and alcohol,so as prostitution.You can tell a lot from the sidewalks of these areas ,the lights and advertisement,the people on i reflects a lot.And this is how the poor people striving underneath. This is why Hong Kong is a hybrid city.
Method of filming:
Personally ,I think the people and the place are closely linked,and therefore I created a character, and pencil her in different places of Hong Kong,and use her to link up three places .For the first place ,she works as an office lady in those commercial areas and it looks bright and upright.Then for the second place where I want to film those red-light district ,I decided to make her as a prostitute working in these areas,showing Hong Kong also have such ugly side.The video ends with the main character going to the sea and relax,bringing out Hong Kong also have places that are less hectic.I also used third and first perspective to film the video in the hope of strengthening the linkage between people and sidewalks.
Storyboard
Reference:
P.Hubbard,(2008),Revisiting the red-light district:Still neglected,immoral and marginal?DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2008.05.003
E.Swyngedouw,(2009)The city as a hybrid:On nature,society and cyborg urbanisation DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10455759609358679
3035782023,Li Enid Geo
The main character of the video is a person who has multiple identities. One of she has a decent job and one of her represents the dark side of the city. Which reflecting the characteristic of city is hybrid in an explicit way. By using crowded scene and empty to make a contrast is a idea either. However the film less mentioned about how the COVID-19 impact of the city .
Hi! I really appreciate your idea of a woman working decently in a bright and urbanized place in the morning while turning out to be a prostitute in a red-light district at night. I was not expecting such a twist of identity when I first watching the video and I think this really helps with your topic “hybrid city”. I like your first-person perspective which adds to the immersion of the story and triggers the audience to think deeply about the dark side of HK. For some points to improve, I think you are illustrating “hybrid” in the sense of multiple identities existing within one person, and another aspect of “hybrid” could also be different classes of people being in one small district e.g. CEO, university lecturers, and street sleeper, which would also be intriguing if you film out. Also, it would be better to capture more about how pandemic affects people in a “hybrid city”.
Sze Lui 3035799337
Every city has its own ugly side, including red light districts. It often touches upon topics of labour and migration, of which the latter is commonly associated with prostitution. You were able to adequately identify some critical aspects of the theme and present a competently articulated analysis and interpretation of the topic. However, if you’d like to further discuss the theme, you’ll need to find a distinctive perspective for Hong Kong. Currently, the research component fell short – did you do any research on where the red light districts are in Hong Kong? What is the history behind and its relationship with side walks? For instance, Shek Tong Tsui, Portland Street, and Lockhart Road are areas of interest. The video is innovative in regard to methodologies – I enjoy the girl being the embodiment of this hybrid / double life in the city. You maintained a good control of techniques and organisation of the form/content and narration. The written and verbal articulation are of competent academic standard, and adequately integrated into the overall presentation.