Excerpt from ‘Cinephile Culture as Infrastructure: Relations and Networks in Hong Kong, 1960s–1980s’

Cameras

As discussed by the authors throughout this Special Focus, in the 1960s an alternative mediascape also emerged in Hong Kong. The availability of 16 mm and 8 mm cameras revolutionised moving image production, fostering amateur filmmaking and paving the way for independent film production and experimental art practices. While conventional image making processes were standardised within commercial film studios, the introduction of these cameras disrupted traditional production methods and infused a spirit of creativity into film culture. According to Law Kar—a critic, historian, and amateur filmmaker who was active during this time—16 mm and 8 mm cameras served as practical instruments for exploring unconventional sensory experiences and enabling an artistic form of so-called amateur film linked with a more informal and inventive approach [1].

Unlike the filmmaking technologies owned by the film studios, the 16 mm and 8 mm cameras acquired by amateur filmmakers were shared within intellectual circles based on trust and camaraderie. In their initial explorations in experimental filmmaking, Law, along with his fellow cinephiles Sek Kei and Yonfan, borrowed an 8 mm camera from their friend Tam Nai-suen. Recognising these cameras’ novelty and high cost, the young intellectuals actively circulated their equipment to the image making community. In doing so, they established a grassroots logistical approach to artistic innovation, surpassing the confines of the cinematic infrastructure dominated by the major film studios of that era. Alongside this production model for their films, they employed a comparable strategy for their dissemination. They invited peers to private screenings at their studios, where audiences (comprised mainly of other artists) shared feedback. These screening formats eventually evolved into exhibitions dedicated exclusively to amateur films by film society members, such as the Exhibition of College Cine Club Members’ Works (1968) and the First Amateur Film Exhibition (1969), both organised by the College Cine Club.

The emphasis on sharing new filmmaking instruments among participants in the culture of cinephilia underscores the camera’s central position as a critical actor in the latter’s infrastructure. The camera’s integration into relational networks spurred the pursuit of experimental practices. While there is a prevailing notion that a camera is a passive tool, implying a hierarchical and one-way relationship between humans and technology, I would argue instead that technology actively exerts its own agency, revitalising an awareness of material culture and infrastructural imaginaries.

For instance, the introduction of compact and versatile 16 mm and 8 mm cameras could guide and orchestrate corporal movements on screen. Independent films like 死結 (Dead Knot, Sek Kei and John Woo, 1970) and 乞食 (Begging, Law Kar, 1970) exemplify how the post-1967 political landscape was re-mediated into socially engaged cinematic works that intertwined media materiality with visual expression, thereby showcasing the camera’s significant role. Begging featured in its main role So Sou-chung, a former political prisoner convicted for his role in instigating mass protests against the colonial government for its decision to raise the fare price of the Star Ferry. The casting of Su as a blind beggar navigating Hong Kong’s streets activated a profound connection between the political narrative of Su’s wandering body and the camera’s motion, fostering an intimate relationship. Another noteworthy example is Law Kar’s 全線 (Routine, 1969), a 19-minute black-and-white 16 mm short film consisting of a single continuous shot that captured the urban scenery from the viewpoint of a public vehicle. The unique affordances of the 16 mm camera directed the viewer’s gaze and their bodily experience towards the time and space of Hong Kong.