10/10/10 (taipei)
Jon Carr
Taipei
5am wake up call. Big day. October 10, 2010 better known as 10/10/10. This day was the 99th Independence Day for Taiwan that happened to coincide with a large filming project I was undertaking. The project is called One Day On Earth and it is basically a video time capsule in which thousands of filmmakers are contributing footage from every country on the planet that will be compiled into a major motion picture and released on 11/11/11. The goal is to document one day on earth from as many perspectives as possible. The Independence celebration was a natural for subject matter and after some incredible preparation from Annie’s sister Grace and brother-in-law Arnold, we were well on our way to a successful day.
Our first stop was determined by the parade route in downtown Taipei. We had decided on a location that we thought would be the best possible vantage point but knew things would be hectic and so an early departure was a necessity. The main portion of the procession was blocked off to foot traffic and you needed special clearance to enter. We didn’t have that clearance and so we set up shop right at the edge of the restricted zone and were in location by 6am. The parade would begin shortly after 11am. The next five hours were spent jockeying for position with the aggressive Taiwanese and the conditions were far from ideal.
Things started to move shortly after 11am. The marching band in front of us trickled forward following several floats as the parade began to get underway. At this point our plan began to break down as several stubborn Taiwanese positioned themselves right is front of our curbside location and it made getting a good shot impossible. It was hot, people were pushing, and I was beginning to get frustrated. After another half an hour we decided to get some lunch and move on to our next location.
As we made our way toward the end of the parade route the crowd began to thin out. Annie spotted the Yami tribe who were making their first appearance at the Taipei parade. The Yami are the indigenous people of Orchid Island along the southeast coast of Taiwan. We had seen a picture of them in our guidebook and were planning a trip to go see them during our stay in Taiwan. Annie acted quickly in trying to salvage a frustrating situation and told the Yami parade manager I was a director from the United States. I was making a movie that would come out next year and I wanted the Yami people in it. The tide turned quickly after this request as the entire tribe came over and donned their costumes and gave us a private performance.
The parade began to move and the filmmaker filming the Yami told us to follow him and we began to sprint inside the security barricades along the parade route to keep up with the procession. We were in the parade! Things got hectic as we followed the group into the restricted zone and the Taiwanese secret service came after us. We explained we were filming the Yami and they laid off for a little while. At this point we were roughly 200 yards from the President of Taiwan. I spent the next few minutes filming the Yami as they preformed followed by the final group in the parade that showcased a large Asian dragon. At this point the secret service was on to our game and asked us to leave. He gave us the option to exit in the rear and we obliged. After walking 100 meters and no one watching us, Annie and I agreed to stay in the restricted zone and film what we could. We parked ourselves behind a crowd of a thousand Taiwanese facing a large jumbotron screen showcasing the parade highlights and I proceeded to get the best shot of the day as the parade came to a climactic conclusion and the crowd erupted waiving their Taiwanese flags. Annie saved the day yet again!
Our next stop was the Longshan Temple. Longshan is probably one of the most famous temples and it was very busy being a Sunday and people felt it was good luck to visit on 10/10/10. We spent the next hour filming at the photogenic location.
The day was to be capped along the Taipei riverbank to catch the evening fireworks. The show started at 7 pm and lasted 52 minutes. We arrived at our scouted location at 5 pm and were greeted by hundreds of Taiwanese and even more tripods along the river bank. Annie and I spent several minutes looking for a location and finally asked a group if we could squeeze in. They agreed and we spent the next two hours getting to know our neighbors. The man to our right had been at this location since 1 pm and we were once again very lucky to have gained access to a prime spot. The fireworks show was fantastic and I captured many great shots.
The day was a success and I have some great content to enter into the One Day Earth. Annie was amazing and I have to agree with her sister when she said we were very lucky on this day. Come to think of it we have been pretty lucky for this entire trip!
Reader Comments (1)