Dear Editor,
Recently, the question of whether filming movie should be allowed in the city centre has heated up a debate in town. Some people agree with that while others sing a different tune. I believe that filming movies should be allowed in the city centre and the following three arguments will be presented.
On of the crucial reasons is the reputation and image of the filmed country will be increased. In the world, there are different attractive buildings which are located in the city centre. By shooting some scenes around these extraordinary scenic spots, audiences around the world will have the chance to have a look at them. In this way, the attention of the foreigners will be drawn, following that tourism will also experience a boom. A successful example is the Rainbow Bridge located in Tokyo. Several movies had been shot on it, describing the love story of the main characters. Since then, it has been famous for couples from other countries to visit as they want to experience the romantic atmosphere they have seen on the screen. At the same time, citizens feel proud of their home town, which in turn raises their sense of belonging as they will be happy for their city to stand out from the others. These can conclude that allowing movies to be filmed in the city centre is beneficial to the reputation of the place, hence bringing positive effects on tourism and citizens’ view towards the country.
Another reason to support my stance is that the effects and inconvenience brought by filming in the city centre can be minimized through flexible arrangements and preparation. The opposition side may argue that shooting in the city centre will bring great troubles to the public as the process of filming will disturb and affect people’s normal life. However, there will be no conflicts between the two if the movie producers have received formal approval to film in specific places and have picked the most suitable time when the least number of citizens will be affected. In this way, filming in the city centre will not bring much disruption to the people. The American movie, ‘Transformer 4’, had also shot scenes in the streets in Hong Kong. In fact, it invited zero criticism by the locals but praises by the audience after the movie was on air. This proves that negative effects caused by filming in the city centre can be eliminated through good considerations and arrangements in advance.
One more reason which cannot be neglected is that allowing movies to be filmed in the city centre can be a good gesture to save the dying movie industry in Hong Kong. Nowadays, citizens’ favorites are usually the films that are produced by the American companies like 20th Century Fox and the Marvel Studios. They have replaced the locally produced movies in the hearts of citizens. The reason is not only about the famous actors in Hollywood, but also the local productions being not outstanding enough. I believe filming in the city centre can be a good gesture to cheer for the local movie industry to regain the position in our hearts. One of the most unforgettable local movies in recent years is the ‘Echoes of the Rainbow’. This Hong Kong drama, which was filmed in the streets in Sheung Wan, received the Best Film at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival. Since then, Hong Kong people have had more hope and confidence in the local productions. This can help to save the dying movie industry in Hong Kong.
All in all, the above three reasons fully explain why movies should be allowed to be filmed in the city centre. It is hoped that the government will carry out various actions to support our once-flourished industry in the coming future.
Yours faithfully,
Edison Ho
Edison Ho