Accomplishments

Four Communication School students triumph in video contest

Man Sze-yan (Professional Programme in Film - Higher Diploma, Year 2) of the Communication School won a bronze prize for her work "Happiness can be heard" in a video contest for post-secondary students. The theme of the contest was "Take one more step to gain happiness". Albert Au Yeung (Public Relations and Advertising, Year 2) and Tim Lai (Digital Graphic Communication, Year 3) joined hands to scoop a merit prize for their production "The staircase of life". The co-production "The road happiness" by Antony Law (Public Relations and Advertising, Year 3) and Un Ng (Public Relations and Advertising, Year 3) was also shortlisted.

Sze-yan said she was inspired by a blind father and his two daughters she saw on an MTR train. Her video shows a blind father accompanying his daughter to school. The two were kindred spirits. When they got separated in the busy streets, the daughter would sing to help her father find her. When the daughter grew up, she did not enjoy her father's company anymore. She walked ahead so her father could not catch up with her. But one day, when she turned around and saw her father, she was moved and began to sing to help him find her again. Sze-yan said happiness is very simple; it takes a small action to express it and doesn't require sweet words.

This is the second time Sze-yan has won the award. She said "I was surprised to win the third prize as there were more than 330 entries. I thought I would probably get a merit prize as I was not entirely satisfied with the atmosphere created in the video." For this production, she served as director and cinematographer as well as handled the pre- and post-production work. Sze-yan said filming in a busy street was the most difficult part as too many or too few people would affect the shot and atmosphere building.

Albert and Tim's video was about a mother and her child. When the child was small, his mother held his hand while walking up the stairs. When he grew up, his mother's health deteriorated, so he carried her on his back up the stairs. Tim said the story brought out the message of health and happiness. He added that since he and Albert were not Cinema and Television majors, they were not familiar with filmmaking techniques and came up against many difficulties, especially in putting together the cast and finding a venue.

Tim and Albert got to know each other while studying Advanced Advertising Design and Visualization. Tim said the class enabled him to get to know and work with students from different majors. The crossover helped to ignite their creativity and has prepared them to work with different professionals in the future. He said "A big thank you to our teacher Ms. Gladys Lam. She encourages us to participate in competitions to enrich our experience and career profiles. The winning video was part of our course work."

The video contest aimed to encourage students to express the spirit of taking steps to improve their lives and be happy through video production.

	Man Sze-yan (right) clinches a bronze prize at a video contest

	Albert Au Yeung (left) and Tim Lai (right) win a merit prize

	The co-production by Antony Law (middle) and Un Ng (right) was shortlisted