Mark Wu : Design & Art Direction for Digital Media
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Photography : Monkey King by CHi2 - A Modern Beijing Opera

Saturday, 19 January, 2008

Sarah and Liz Liew, friends of mine who are professionally known as CHi2 (British Chinese "double violin assault specialists") recently premiered their new show MONKEY KING - A Modern Beijing Opera, in North London at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre.

The show celebrates the richness and colour of Beijing Opera whilst being re-interpreted for the modern day, creating a visually and musically exciting show, blending digital media and music.

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They asked me to photo document the event, the results of which would support their application to expand this one-off performance into a tour. I readily agreed, although I'm not a professional photographer (and I don't pretend to be!).

Since buying a Nikon D80 a year ago, which was my first (and currently only) foray into DSLR's, I've really enjoyed the extra quality you get in the results, as well as the flexibility in the settings. This all helps since my work is visually-led anyway.

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I'm still trying to get used to everything the camera offers, and so shooting CHi2's show, both during the full dress rehearsal and the actual performance (with audience) was a good opportunity to practise. Particularly as I had the freedom to move around during the dress run, and the fact that the "project" was quite specific i.e. shooting a live performance, so I could concentrate on capturing the subject over the course of a few hours.

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In the end, I had a better idea and experience of what to expect and how to shoot a live performance. That its bloody difficult to plan a shot with quick-fire and assorted light effects happening!

Still, after deleting all the crap shots, I was left with a collection of photos that I felt captured the rich colours and textures that formed part of the show. I'm pretty sure a professional would have done better, but hey, its still a learning experience!

So my advice is, if you have a DSLR and are quite interested in photography, get yourself into a dress rehearsal where you can practise and click away to you hearts content - until you realise how heavy your camera really is, after 6 hours..

Check out the photos for MONKEY KING by CHi2

P.S. I also helped them out in some of the edited footage that's projected on the screen by doing some stick fighting with the main actor Tom Wu, but I don't think I'm easy to spot in the photos. Doesn't matter - he's the real star of the show anyway!

P.P.S. If you like performance arts but don't actually do it, photographing an event is a good way to get involved. I found myself moving around front and back stage, and in the performers changing and rest rooms freely, being able to absorb the atmosphere of preparing and excitement, but without the nervousness and pressure of putting on a good show.

P.P.P.S. The venue, Bernie Grants Arts Centre (near Seven Sisters Tube) is really nice - it reminds me of Scandinavian interior design. The strange thing is you enter a small building for the reception, then go out to another building which houses the theatre and café. Noticeable to me, because it was freezing that day!

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This entry posted in : Events. East Asian Culture.

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Quick intro :

British Chinese, Digital Design Consultant. Professional experience spans over 9 years working on digital design projects for both small and large clients. Read more...

Events attending :
  
28/04/08 :House of Commons :
Barry Gardiner MP Reception
13/04/08 :The BC Project :
Get Active UK - Register to Vote (Chinatown 12 - 4pm)
27/02/08 :The British Chinese Project :
Political Seminar
Hosted by Cllr Thomas Chan
21/02/08 :Five Circles Arts Festival :
Gala Reception
14/02/08 :Cirque Du Soleil - Varekai
10/02/08 :Chinese New Year celebrations in London Chinatown
16/01/08 :The British Chinese Project :
Working Group Meeting
  
Website updates :
  
27/01/08 :Games and Digiquaria wallpaper now added to the Downloads section
  
01/01/08 :Initial version of MarkWu.Info finally live. Lots of refining and adding to do though, so its live, but not really, if you know what I mean...
To Do :
  
Visit China Design Now at the V & A
Sign petition to stop BIA raids on Chinese catering businesses
Absorb The History of Visual Communication
Listen to the Five East Asian Music Acts to watch in 2008
Revisit my childhood
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
  

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