4/3 The Search - Video

June 29, 2016
Final Version

                                  

The Search

Theme: Dance/ Story/ Social Media 

      The Search is a story of a foreigner searching for herself and her dreams in NYC. Times Square is chosen as a bazaar yet beautiful, saturated urban scene lit with 24 hour LED lights and neon lights. A set to emphasis on this touristic place that almost all of the people wondering around are not New Yorkers - they are tourists, like all of us living and working in this city. I directed the dancer to reach out with her hands to express the idea of searching, almost to God, to heaven. The lights and tall buildings become a symbol of heaven. Something unknown, a force that she may gain from her love of dance, body movements and faith. The music is allegro pop and electronic to correspond with the atmosphere and jump cuts edits. Some sounds of the traffic and horn in the beginning and the church bells and wind sounds at the end are added for sparkles. Contrasting in volume is linked to her jumping movements. Sliding sounds are incorporated to parallel with her dance, organ music appears whenever she reaches out her hands to the lights and up into the sky. I fuse my experiences as a "tourist local" living in many cities into these instances when the Times Square LED Ad screens that becomes Notre Dame de Paris. 

Final Version Comments:

Translation of comments:

"I follow you in the big city, I feel this flow in this crowd and it touches my heart."
"People are always searching for themselves in the city, such a great atmosphere, this is great!"

      I inquired my friends (mostly artists, musicians, curators, teachers, culture blog editor) to give any thoughtful comments, reflections, interpretations, suggestions they might have in refining the video (story, editing, music, composition, cutting, clothing etc.) The final version is polished by considering some selected feedbacks. The social media is a very power tool to interact with friends or non-friends around the world and connect people closely in no time. As many of my friends are also foreigners, they feel touched by this film, and I appreciate their comments greatly.

FIRST DRAFT FEEDBACKS:

Other Comments from Facebook messages:

- "Good, but can be shorter."