Unexpected Classroom Inspiration
I think there’s a lot to be gleaned from this dim sum focused travel guide for Hong Kong, especially with all the community-based, student storytelling going on across the Commonwealth. What better way to get to the heart of a place than through the stomachs of its residents? With so many food traditions in the ethnic enclaves of Pittsburgh in particular, I could see this being a boon for faculty hoping to get their students out amongst the local business people.
In particular, I really liked the added layer of history attached to the ritual of eating the food in question and the places that the citizens eat that food. The writing is crisp and concise and imparts all of the information while weaving a story. The only way to achieve such great results is to have a thorough understanding of the background material so the subtle connections can be made. The tie-in with our Scholarly Storytelling workshop does not escape me here…
Another thing I really liked about this clip is that – despite being decidedly high budget – many of the effects and devices are entirely approachable. Making paper cutouts of letters and using stop motion animations are both very accessible to first time filmmakers and add a certain charm to the finished product that would be missing otherwise.