Our submission to the 48 hour film project – Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Synopsis: An up and coming reporter uses a romantic encounter with a heart surgeon to get the inside track on an organ transplant feature he’s working on. The heart surgeon finds out the truth, and works with her friend to get revenge. The reporter soon finds that revenge is a dish best served….grilled! a dark comedy short film from “What Up, Kaohsiung?”

For the most part, if you are going to be living in Kaohsiung, you will probably be living in either a mid-rise or high-rise apartment building. There are many apartments available for rent, but if you’re not able to read Chinese, it may be a bit challenging to find one ahead of your arrival. There are some English language resources that may help. First is the taiwanted classified section of forumosa.com and there’s also tealit – both of these boards are more focused on living in Taipei, but may offer some pointers specific to apartments in Kaohisung.

For specific information on apartments in Kaohsiung, the Kaohsiung Living group on Yahoo! is probably your best bet. Some samplings of what you might find there (note: prices in NT dollars):

3Bedroom Apt rent for 13900/mon

It is in the best location of Kaohsiung,only 2mins walkingfrom MRT,and
,4mins from Art Musuem,3mins from MinZu Dollors,Lighthouse.The Apt is
fully furnished,Tv, Refrigerator, washer,A/ C in each room,Adsl is
ready.This nice 3bedroom apartment with 1master bedroom and 2good size
room.If u would like to take a look,please text or phone at
0932778098.thks

One Bedroom with Chen Chin lake view Rent for 7900/mon

It is perfectly cosy for a one person or couple,this unit designed with
wooden floor,and also fully furnished.and building complex with nice
swimming pool,gym ,pool table,and garden.if u are interest ,please
contact at 0932778098 for a look.

2Bedroom Apartment Rent for 10900/mon near MRT R10

It is perfectly cosy for a one person or couple,this unit designed with
wooden floor,and also fully furnished.if u are interest ,please
contact at 0932778098 for a look.

We just participated in the 48 hour film project – Kaohsiung. It was a great weekend, lots of fun, and I’m very pleased with our entry.

This video is more of an attempt at artistic expression than anything else. I have spent countless hours commuting to and from work in Kaohsiung and I came to notice that traffic patterns tend to be static even though the individual vehicles are a dynamic force. This video hopes to illustrate this fact.

The 2nd commercial. This was more about taking a joke I had in my head and making it into something visual…the commercial opportunity served as the catalyst.

I’m still working on one episode, have another experimental project in the works and plan on possibly shooting a new episode this coming weekend…..stay tuned!

What Up, Kaohsiung? – New Year 2011 Fireworks from What Up, Kaohsiung? on Vimeo.

The 2011 New Year’s fireworks display at the Dream Mall in Kaohsiung Taiwan

So, at one point fairly recently, I made a sort-of pledge to aspire to two episodes per month. Obviously, this hasn’t happened. I’ve been really consumed with a different aspect of film making, one that may, eventually pay the bills. So, here it is, my first effort at moving from hobbyist to professional. This is a shot that we did in response to a call for submissions from Zippo Lighters. Making this video was a great learning experience and I really enjoyed the creative process of getting there. I met some great new friends during the process and I’m really, really happy with the end result. Though it might not be as slick and polished as some of the videos I’m in competition with, there’s no doubt in my mind that this video absolutely nailed what the client was asking for. A big shout out to everyone involved – you know who you are….

Improve Your Game from What Up, Kaohsiung? on Vimeo.

What Up, Kaohsiung? Iron & Steel Sculpture Festival from What Up, Kaohsiung? on Vimeo.

The biennial Iron & Steel Sculpture Festival in Kaohsiung, Taiwan at the pier 2 arts center draws local and international sculptors alike. In this episode, we talk to one of Taiwan’s sculptors and explore his views on art, culture, politics and people of Taiwan and the world.

Now in its tenth year, Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Wannian Folklore Festival offers an opportunity to explore the unique culture of Taiwan. In this episode, we take a closer look at the Firecracker Game, which is a representation of defeating foreign enemies and attacking the city with firecrackers.

What Up Kaohsiung – The Firecracker Game from What Up, Kaohsiung? on Vimeo.

What could possibly be more fun than a game where you throw firecrackers at other firecrackers? NOTHING!!!

Follow along as our adorable hostess gets an explanation of how to properly BLOW UP A CASTLE!!!

Night markets are a hallmark of Taiwanese culture, attracting throngs of locals and foreigners alike. I became curious about the history and significance of night markets in Taiwan so Elyse and I set out for the famous Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市) in Kaohsiung to ask around and try to answer some of my questions, such as why are they so popular and what is that awful smell. The Taiwan tourism board recently rated the Liouhe Night Market as the best in Taiwan based on an online poll. The Liouhe Night Market got the top votes in all six categories beating out both Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) in Taipei and Yilan County’s Luodong Night Market (羅東夜市). The categories were: most eco-friendly, most tourist-friendly, most charismatic, most organized, most popular and best food.

What Up, Kaohsiung? – The Liouhe Night Market from What Up, Kaohsiung? on Vimeo.

What is it about food that smells like Satan’s Anus that draws throngs of people? Elyse and I set out for the famous Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市) in Kaohsiung to ask around and try to answer this and some of my other questions.