Documentary Video-making with Nancy Tong

How do you pack a person's life and accomplishments into a five minute video? 'This was the challenge that documentary filmmaker Nancy M. Tong faced when commissioned by New York's Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA, designed by renowned artist/designer Maya Lin) to produce documentary videos on several Chinese Americans whose lives exemplified certain periods of American history. 'Working with famous writers and playwrights, Tong constructed ten videos in first person narrative which weaved together archival films from the Library of Congress and other sources. 'Through sample screening of some of these documentaries, we can come to appreciate this powerful media art, not only as an art form, but also as a historical, educational, social, political tool to convey or preserve ideas, and to even make a difference in the society.

Nancy will share with us the production process as well as the satisfaction and frustration in making documentary videos, in particular, her interesting experiences when she taught some Muslim women to make documentary films in Iran, Pakistan and Indonesia.

Nancy Tong is currently'a Visiting Associate Professor at HKU's Journalism and Media Studies Centre. However, back home, she produces and directs'documentary films in New York. 'Her films cover various subject matters on history, arts and culture.'