Realistic 3D
The two films are intended to market Taipei and explain the planning and implementation of the city's resource recycling, wireless broadband communications, and other important programs. Hou applied the documentary-style narrative for which he is famous to his film, providing visitors with a fresh, authentic viewing experience.
Last fall, the production team began visiting sites familiar to ordinary Taipei residents-the National Palace Museum, Longshan Temple, Beitou's hot springs, Shilin Night Market, Eslite Books, Taipei 101's New Year's fireworks show, and the Lantern Festival celebrations at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. They even rode in a helicopter to get aerial footage of the city.
Hou says that to achieve the 3D/360-degree effects, the production team had to carry 11 cameras and form them into a circle to shoot. His large crew frequently caught the eye of sharp-eyed citizens. "As a result," says Hou, "we had a lot of footage that we couldn't use because a passerby would suddenly pop up in front of a camera to have a look around."
Though difficult and expensive to shoot (it cost NT$22 million), the six-minute film succeeds in giving audiences a very "local" perspective on life in Taipei. For example, the fish in the scene showing hawkers at the Huazhong Bridge fish market are so vibrant that they look ready to jump out of the screen. In the scene at Eslite Books, viewers feel as if they're standing right beside the mother reading a magazine while she comforts the infant in her arms.
To promote the Taipei Pavilion, the Taipei City Government invited pop star Wang Leehom to appear in a short film. Below are some images from the film.