Invitation to Travel in Hong Kong (the filming of a TV show)
Hong Kong a la carte is an inbound travel agency that focuses on organizing private and tailor-made city tours throughout Hong Kong. Yet, thanks to our training and experience, we are regularly contacted to give assistance to various other projects such as the shooting of television shows.
Helping on each of these projects has been very rewarding, as we often not only give expert advice but also help with the logistics of the video shoot: identifying suitable locations, interviewees, optimizing the crew’s filming schedule and sometimes serve as interviewees ourselves.
Last November, we worked on two upcoming television travel daily shows for ARTE’s “Invitation au Voyage”, one featuring Tanka fishermen and the other Feng Shui and local superstitions.
Whilst the filming preparations are often tense due to tight shooting schedules, last minute changes and limited budgets, the shoots are generally friendly and the opportunity to meet fascinating people.
In Tai O, an 85-year old Tanka fisherman agreed to share his memories and tell stories about his ancestors. He welcomed us inside his stilt house and small boat where the film crew gathered precious testimonials. Our role on set was to ensure all went smoothly: the entire crew to fit on the small boat without falling overboard (it happened while filming a similar program in the Caribbean), watch for coastguards (we overcrowded the boat), find suitable locations and access to film the best images (Tai O shooting ended on the rooftop of a 3-storey house without any safety rail!).
At Wong Tai Sin Temple, we pushed professionalism to the point where we had to be told our fortune on camera, a very personal experience…
If you would like to learn more about Tanka fishermen or local superstition or need help with an upcoming video shoot, let us know at contact@hkalacarte.com