228 Incident (The Terrible Inspection)
artist: Jun Li (Rong-zan Huang)/ Woodcut Printmaking/ ca. 1947
A detailed account of the events that transpired on Feb 27 & 28, 1947 can be found HERE, a chapter from George H. Kerr’s book Formosa Betrayed, detailing his experiences in Taiwan as a US diplomat.
It should be noted that initial publication of the book prompted the KMT to acquire the rights to the manuscript and subsequently ban its distribution.
The book, now in public domain, can now be found in its entirety HERE.
a brief Wiki overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/228_Incident
a fun little project while back in Taiwan this past December.
im generally not really a fan of “on location” dance videos.. but for being in the homeland, I suppose I was willing to make an exception…
probably the first project we’ve done that required a little more planning… storyboarding, and editing concept, something of a storyline, etc… although it was probably done moreso to keep ourselves in check/on schedule/focused while shooting since we literally only had one day in which everyone could be present… and also being able to incorporate arthur since he wasn’t able to physically be with us in Taiwan..
if anything, this was a good editing project for me to work on and learn from.. not just cutting/editing, but finding points of transition.. in the video itself, in the music, deciding to place certain scenes for comedic timing, even some instances of sound editing.
i’d have to say the coloring was probably the most time consuming. especially since the lighting was generally inconsistent as we worked with what we had.. fluorescent, tungsten, daylight, cloudiness… you name it, we had to work with it.
aaahhhhh so much more to learn!! another progressive step.
i hope you enjoy this one!
**thoughts on lacking inherent Taiwanese cultural depictions:
in this video it’s mostly landmark/modern locations.. the MRT, Taipei 101, 7Elevens (yes those count as Taiwanese landmarks haha). as a Taiwanese/Taiwanese-American, what am I doing to show where I am, convey my history, and tell my stories without stereotypical (and possibly contrived) portrayals?
i had the opportunity and chance to teach once again at our old high school in Taipei while back here. over the last two/three years i’ve had the chance to sort of work semi-consistently with some of the students and its been amazing to watch and see growth and progression each time i return to Taiwan.. my own included.
i’ve always loved Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana” but i was definitely captivated and blown away when i heard The Weeknd’s cover off of their newest album, Echoes of Silence. choreographed in the wee hours of the morning.. sometimes inspiration comes at 2am.. or perhaps you just have a screwy sleeping schedule.
hope you enjoy and thank you everyone for dancing with me!
and just for the hell of it, some life relevance.
what’s warmer than a scarf? a scarf on fire.
tomlikesdance:
Grandma was wearing an absolutely horrendous scarf so we bought her a better one!
currently home at the moment.. there are things i feel like i haven’t done in Taiwan, despite having grown up here.
spent an afternoon out in 淡水 (Dan Shui), exploring the river/small town sights via rental bikes with Tom and our friend Shahanna (小北). everything was pretty much spontaneous in this case..
..also in dire need of a steadicam.
enjoy!
Filming: Rob Tsai/Tom Tsai
Editing: Rob Tsai
Equipment: iPhone4/Canon 5D Mark II
Song: Ovall - Take You Somewhere
creation of ownership/ownership of creation
a blurb from something recent:
"Dance has always been part of this journey of social and cultural self-discovery and self-identification. Having grown up in Taiwan in the midst of the political status-quo that currently exists, I feel that it is only natural that I am always questioning, "What does it mean to be Taiwanese?”, “What is my identity as a Taiwanese person?”, and more recently, “What is my identity as a Taiwanese-American?”
My family and I have always identified on the end of the political spectrum where Taiwanese sovereignty is favored. Definitions of Taiwanese (politically/culturally/socially) have always been blurred, existing within a grey area. When I am asked, its always easier for people to understand what I’m not, rather than what I am.
Although I may not necessarily answer these questions of nationality, and cultural identification through dance, this eternal search for self has in turn fueled the strong sense of belonging and ownership of the definitive qualities that I have been able to create, and still am creating, for myself. Through my dance, I am making active choices and decisions about my effort, and my aesthetic; how I want to move, my creative process… all coupled by an overall encompassing awareness of all these factors, which in turn produces self-applicable ideas and concepts that I can firmly believe in and call my own.”