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Behind-the-Scenes
This project is inspired by the rise of video essayists and commentary channels, which have gained popularity as a visual-audio alternative to traditional forms of education like academia. Video essays are integral in democratising information such that anyone may contribute to the discussion, while practising a sense of responsibility that comes with presenting information in a persuasive and integrous manner. Popular video essayists include ‘oliSUNvia’, ‘Linday Ellis’, and corporates such as ‘Vox’, who are all active content creators on YouTube.
For the video essay, I have caveated my findings in the form of a preliminary investigation. The main takeaway of the video is divided into six points of comparisons between modern day Singapore and Imperial China on the topic of Chinese Popular Religions. I have utilised a combination of both secondary and primary research exploring between comparisons of the state, to the role of elites, and finally the average individuals. I have also explored the changes and continuities of religious forms, be it through syncretism and reformism or continued co-existences of Daoism and Buddhism, within the parallels I have drawn across both time periods.
Primarily, I enjoyed conducting oral interviews and fieldworks in multiple sites, as seen from vlog and audio excerpts in the video. Through visual elements, I intend to flag out “religion” for its interesting, or even exotic concept, presenting its findings in ways that may appeal to curious viewers in its already modern, familiarised form while inviting them to expand their knowledge into the imperial period. Since “religion” is a topic that most non-religious individuals do not have any prior knowledge of, I have used the aesthetic and symbolic appeal of temple sites, and the authenticity of the architecture and literature explored in Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth centre to pique their interest.
In relation to the theme of Imperial China, I am passionate in my belief that video essays, act as a unique platform to spread awareness about such niche topics that are not “sensational” or “click-worthy” in today’s times. For instance, the general perception of China is skewed to modern western lenses and are often perceived in the news for its contemporary state of politics and their foreign policy projections. However, as this module has presented, the state of China’s contemporary politics cannot be fully understood without going in-depth into its imperial histories, especially in relation to the type of cultural judgements imposed among the public sentiment, which may in turn affect policymaking. Without such prior knowledge, not only are people prone to misinformation, but they are also not conditioned with the relevant skills or mindset to filter out biases to achieve an objective understanding of complex topics handled by experts. Therefore, the democratisation of such information has an existing loophole to be addressed.
As such, the way I intend to represent the video essay, is through the act of democratising information from the perspective of an individual who has access to academia, and to remove the preconception that niche topics are reserved for intellectual elites of the field. Instead, video essayists’ comparative advantage is its form as a bridge of information, empowering interested researchers, who may not yet have experience, to delve into the intellectual discourse. Simultaneously, I intend to appeal to the busy, every-day viewers who wish to inform themselves meaningfully, but do not have the time to watch a one-hour documentary or consume bite-sized news pieces at the expense of its quality. Video essays thus act as a perfect balance, with its length not too short nor long. My video essay may also be taken as a form of podcast. As a history student, I wish to debunk the image of China beyond contemporary lenses and into the past and evaluate its socio-politico landscape in a complete picture.
The form of my project is such that, viewers may understand a simple, linear narrative of the topic I have presented in a way that is not too convoluted or lost on the reader. My goal is such that the average individual may continue self-research or seek clarifications on the topic I have presented, across various discussion platforms. In the process of film production, I have left room for improvement in terms of the factual accuracy of the arguments, as I intend to simulate the process in which viewers may chip in on contrarian opinions or corrections. An example is with regards to the definitions of “Chinese Popular Religion”, as there are more than multiple ways to define the term, but I had chosen one out of many for the simplicity of the video (which is quite lengthy at 25 minutes, approximately the average for video essays). Furthermore, experts in the field may also chip in on the discourse and inform the public on a much greater scale, making quality education more accessible to everyone.