SOCAM

For the new visitor, Hong Kong, the mega city, is a shock to the senses. Thousands of skyscrapers made of glass and concrete, with the tallest reaching 500 meters, weave this incredible tapestry of mountains upon mountains, as far as the eye can see.

Walking the busy streets of Central or Mong Kok, it's often easy to forget the towering structures above. However, crane your neck, and you're hit with instant vertigo. While you contemplate this urban maelstrom, you can't help but wonder who the mastermind behind it was.

Or... was there even one?

To think about the men and women who build these massive structures evokes a feeling of wonder and amazement. This is what humans can achieve!

Having crisscrossed this city for decades and frequently looking upwards, we at The Hong Kong Fixer, have always been intrigued by the numerous construction sites we pass daily. We've often wondered: what’s happening behind those boarded-up areas that we usually perceive through sounds and the towering cranes above?

So when we were asked by the top Hong Kong developer, Shui On Land, to produce the company’s 50th-anniversary hero film for their construction arm, SOCAM, we seized the opportunity to satisfy our curiosity and delve into the stories of the men and women who shaped the city we live in.

The Challenge

We were given the responsibility, of creating a film that would represent the company and its values, projecting a modernized image of an evolving sector. Showcasing youth and innovation, as well as green initiatives were vital parts of the brief. Equally important was highlighting the company's engagement with society, as a principal builder of public facilities and housing. One key request was to spotlight a dozen iconic structures built by the company, which led us on a city-wide drone filming spree. These included the North Point government buildings, the stone by stone relocated Murray House, and The Ma On Shan estate.

The Production

We conceptualized, storyboarded, and directed a film that begins from the perspective of a bird in flight, echoing the seagull from the short story Jonathan Livingston Seagull that inspired Chairman Vincent Lo's vision over 50 years ago.

Over several months and 15 shooting days, we captured the breadth and depth of construction, from towering cranes to deep foundation basements. Our camera acted as a silent observer in on-site meetings, capturing the majestic act of building. We shot with a Sony FX6 boosted with Canon prime lenses, and Arri lights.

Drone filming on the Mavic 3 Pro was particularly thrilling. We aimed to be “birds in flight” as we soared over landmarks like the avant-garde, Zaha Hadid designed, Polytechnic University Innovation Tower and the newly built Children’s Hospital at Kai Tak.

While parts of the shoot were challenging, sometimes under harsh conditions (our respect goes out to all construction workers enduring long days under the scorching sun), it was undeniably an exciting experience, and we're eager to film the art of construction again.