What is a 'documentarist?' ... With convergence of media, where fresh textual information has long been delivered into homes via personal computers, and is now regularly combined with sound and video, we are currently at a stage where media professionals are rapidly rethinking how they describe their roles in society. Accordingly, the 'Multimedia Features Producer' and the 'New Media Documentary Maker' are increasingly and simply, 'Documentarists.' This is a reflection of the ambiguity, indeed uselessness of the terms 'Multimedia' and 'New Media.' Additionally, feature writers are also becoming 'documentarists,' and rightly so... Much feature writing in recent years, owes a lot to literary journalism, where writers immerse themselves into an environment for several weeks, while still being in an observational mode. Combined with soundbites and occasional video, a lot of the resulting 'features,' are better defined as 'documentary,' using well established modes and styles developed, over many decades, by the documentarist.

For travelers and others living abroad, the work and experiences of these - very immersed - expatriates, can reveal fascinating insights into local cultures and how they compare to similar regions. For a series of radio programs made for international broadcast, I travelled to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to meet such documentarists, working respectively in the mediums of sound, print and vision. The interviews reveal surprising parallels and differences about each location, being former colonies of England, Portugal and Japan and all, attracting the historical interest of China, as centers of 'intermediation' for connections to European markets and knowledge of capitalist systems. Our journey begins in Hong Kong...
  

The famous Wong Tai Sin Temple (pictured) with high rise apartments close behind, depicts Hong Kong very well. So much of HK looks small at the beginning, but stroll through that tiny entrance - and discover a crowded and mad-rushed world of high finance and international business... It is here we meet documentarist Sarah Passmore, a former BBC Producer, now with Radio Three of the RTHK network. As well as hosting a daily radio program, she regularly produces documentaries about Hong Kong for the BBC World Radio Service. I asked Sarah what makes HK unique?

She emphasizes, "I think it has been able to take its English and Cantonese history and make itself unique... It also has a 'can-do' spirit where things get done really efficiently and quickly"... HK has had to get over epidemics such as SARS, as well as two periods of financial crises"... But she says, "the thing that continues to rumble on, is this issue of democracy and when HK will get it, the interpretation of the 'basic law' that was written-up between HK and China, and how some people now think it's not being adhered to as far as democracy." Passmore says that she is always surprised at how people try to lump HK (together) with China because, although there is truth about this union, HK has its own government, a geographic separation requiring visas, but most predominately - there is a mental and emotional separation. She says there is a constant readjustment of where HK stands with China, that seems a bit like two steps forward, three steps back.

Politics aside, Passmore describes how HK is very 'foreigner friendly'; what she says is a, "total lack of cynicism; people are genuinely happy to see people... Go out to lunch and enjoy life"... However she later mentions, "every country has another it likes to make fun of" and in the case of HK, there may be a difference between what a white (Western) female, a Filipino domestic helper and a mainland Chinese will experience.

What do people come to HK for? "Money, I think" - Passmore jokes... "But seriously, it's a financial city, there are lots of big banks, corporations and companies that bring out their staff from all over the world; HK sits on the doorstep to China, 'the factory of the world,' so lots of management bases are here." Speaking of diversity, Passmore says that as a radio presenter, she often finds it amusing when featuring different guests on her daily program, "if I have a Feng Shui master, I'll get lots of Filipino women calling, if it's a give-away of comedy night tickets, I'll get lots of Indian businessmen phoning, I get CEOs of huge banks emailing to ask what song I just played... It is so diverse here"...

What do HK people do to relax? Passmore shouts, "They shop!"... "People here work very hard, sometimes I don't even think they know they are working... There is this non-stop thing about being available, all the time, for work"... "There is also this thing (expatriate viewpoint) about if local people really know how to relax"... In her view, the HK concept of relaxation is mostly connected to family-time, she describes how there are concrete BBQ areas at most beaches and parks, but returns to the subject of shopping as the number one activity for relaxation, even with the family.

When speaking of the region's future, Passmore again alludes to political concerns, however she makes the general observation that in the final balance, "when everything is good in HK, no one can be bothered (about protesting), as long as people are earning well, can live well, why rock the boat?"... "People don't necessarily see the great bonus of having democracy - one way or the other." As for industry, she thinks HK will continue being the middleman between China and the outside world, simply because it does, "a very good job at it... Plus thousands of international staff can live in a more Westernized HK, do business in China, but not have to live there..."

The façade of St. Paul's Cathedral, apart from now being a UNESCO Heritage Site, is perhaps representative of current Macau, where the spectacle and glamour of the Casino industry can lead to emptiness of pocket - and perhaps soul. Yet there is more to Macau than just gambling, according to Harald Bruning, Chief Journalist (and Editor) of the Macau Post. Prior to becoming Editor of Macau's English language daily, Bruning was the HK/Asia Foreign Correspondent for various German and English newspapers and has also worked for the big three international news agencies. I asked Harald what makes Macau unique?

Immediately he answers, "Well of course there is the heritage, Macau was a Portuguese colony until 1999... That legacy is visible in architecture and the world's largest Eurasian minority... The name used for these 8000 people is 'Macanese,' being people of Portuguese/Asian blood." However, Bruning adds that although it may seem like a contradiction, Macau is also very Chinese... The Han Chinese that have long made up 95 percent of the population, had little association with the colonial administration and, likewise, Bruning says the administrators had limited contact with the Hans. In very much the normal overseas Chinese manner, they just went about their own business. Bruning makes a comparison with Southern Taiwan, saying that parts of Macau can be, "more Chinese than Chinese - with superstitions, folk-beliefs and festivals that have to be followed," - while many of these practices have long since ceased in the mainland.

Regarding ongoing challenges, Bruning explains that labor issues date back many decades... Macau has traditionally had a small pool of local labor; therefore migrant workers, that now comprise a quarter of the workforce, are imported from China and the Philippines. This causes friction among locals, due to ever lowering wages. As with similar regions, there is also the perception that these jobs should have initially gone to Macau people. He reflects that, "this is a never ending story in Macau, but everyone knows that this place could not function without migrant labor." Although referred to as 'migrant labor,' the term is misleading as almost all are, in fact, 'non resident workers'... They cannot stay in Macau, with many having to return every day, across the Chinese border.

Although Macau may not be so friendly to migrant workers, the region is very welcoming to foreign investors who come to... spend and make money. Only two percent of tourists come from North America/Europe, the other 98 percent are from Asia. Therefore, this isn't a place where even basic English is easily found. Macau is very forward thinking in how it sees itself... Rather than seriously pursuing the long developed - and perhaps blasé - English speaking markets, it is instead pursuing the 'new wealth' of nearby countries, such as India, the Middle East and Pacific Asia. Bruning says that Macau is slowly becoming more international (in terms of using English as a lingua franca), with substantial government investment in management and service training, in English. He envisages that it will take another ten years for the entire region to reach a standard that is suitable for Western tourism and hospitality. However, it is worth noting that English speakers will be able to read the Portuguese street signs.

What do tourists come to Macau for? Without doubt, gambling is the major attraction... However, the total environment is definitely not given enough credit in this equation. When people are not at the roulette table, Macau offers an environment that equals many destinations in Europe. Buildings, with European heritage architecture are decorated and well maintained, the streets are always clean and there are no illegal structures that disrupt pedestrians or traffic. With good shopping, 19 museums, many nature/cultural walks and plenty of public spaces, other Asian cities should take note of Macau's example. Historically, Bruning also notes that Taiwan people may be interested to learn that Lú Mùzhēn, the first wife of Sun Yat-Sen is buried in Macau... Sun married her in 1885, but did not ask her to leave China, after he was ousted to Japan. Abandoned, Lú moved to Macau in 1915, and died there in 1952 at the age of 85.

What do Macau people do to relax? Bruning says people like to eat... "We have this Eurasian Macanese cuisine, which is possibly the oldest Euro/Asian fusion cuisine in the world; meaning it has been historically created over 400 years of colonization - and combines Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, Malay and African recipes and ingredients." Surprisingly (or perhaps not), Macau people also like to gamble, although the games played in people's homes are often traditional, such as Mahjong or simple card games. Perhaps gambling and a constant blend of food are indeed very healthy; in 2008 the statistic aggregate site 'NationMaster,' ranked Macau number one in the world for life expectancy, with an average age of 84.33 years old. Add to this Macau's year-round mild temperatures, and the little place starts to become very attractive indeed.

When speaking of the region's future, Bruning details how the idea of a 'wealth gap' is increasingly hard to define. He explains how young (local) casino dealers now earn an average of $US2000 a month and that the Macau government has the largest cash surplus of any government in the world. No doubt this gives the region considerable stability and confidence for the future, at least enough confidence to start building a massive 19 thousand public apartments for the poor, as well as subsidizing many families for rent and other expenses...

The architecture of Liberty Square Gate, entrance to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, contrasts sharply with the little hall itself. This is in much the same way that many who visit Taiwan, find a contradictory mix of life... From ancient to high-tech, massive to miniature... This is an initial impact that many visitors recall. It is near this gate that I met South African, Tobie Openshaw, a producer and freelance cameraman, who regularly does assignments for the National Geographic and Discovery television channels. Like the other documentarists, I asked Tobie what, in his view, makes Taiwan unique?

"I think Hong Kong and Macau very clearly show their colonial roots, whereas Taiwan has more of its own culture and ambience... Also, in Hong Kong, there is a very clear division between the classes; in Taipei you don't see that so much... In a sense Taiwan is more evenly spread out and this makes it quite comfortable to live in."

Regarding areas that need work, Openshaw says, "As a foreigner, I don't think it's my role to offer a critique of Taiwan, but I think it is generally recognized that Taiwanese can take more care in terms of branding, for themselves and their products ... They've done very well with producing products to specifications, in-time and under budget for foreign markets, but more recently I've seen that the Taiwanese have started to build internationally recognized brands, they've hired the right people and connected all the dots to make it happen." His general emphasis is that this is a transitional stage which, although connected to industry, has a big influence in how Taiwan people see themselves, as these things relate to a type of national pride and therefore, a more solid identity. It was interesting to discuss with Openshaw how these things can create even greater professionalism, resulting in better workplace and customer relations.

Is Taiwan a foreigner friendly place? Openshaw: "Yes and No... Navigating around Taiwan is usually quite hard, every town, every street looks the same; it's hard to find your direction; it's not always clear what are places worth seeing and how to get to them..." He describes how many popular places can certainly be improved with bilingual signposting and schedules. On the upside, he adds, "Local people are unfailingly helpful, and they will often go out of their way to help a foreigner who seems lost." Speaking as a migrant, Openshaw details how Taiwan still needs to make progress in areas of acceptance, saying his children are, "always seen as the foreigner kids, at an age where they would really just like to blend in." Such views should be taken seriously by policy makers, who have adopted and seemingly 'forgotten' about various schemes for the globalization or 'internationalization' of Taiwan.

Openshaw: "People come to Taiwan for a few main purposes, the most common is to teach English... It's a very good entry point for people who want to explore Asia; - they start here and then go elsewhere like Thailand, Vietnam..." ... "There are also the expat workers for I.T companies, but this is getting very rare... This is clearly seen by international student enrollment... 15 years ago the big international schools (in Taipei) were home to Western students, today they are mostly home to Taiwanese students that grew up in America - and have returned home." The final group that Openshaw mentions, are romantic connections... With increasing wealth, thousands of Taiwanese parents have sent their daughters overseas for education. As young women returning home, they often bring back their Western boyfriends, with an increasing amount of men choosing, after marriage, to stay in Taiwan permanently.

What do Taiwan people do to relax? "The Karaoke parlors seem to do very good business, you go there on a Friday night and there's 15 floors - and the whole place is just rocking, it's completely full"... "More Taiwanese are now enjoying the outdoors... Areas like Taoyuan and Xindian are developing large urban areas where people can ride bikes, entire families with pets - and bicycles." He says that a few years ago the typical local kid would be at home all day playing PC games, but that things are definitely changing with what he regards as an, 'outdoor industry.'

Looking at the future, Openshaw reflects deeply, "I think Taiwan is fast approaching a tipping point; the current administration is driving rapprochement or greater cooperation with China... This is seen by some as a positive step, in the sense that it is removing the danger of military action - and could bring peace to the region" ... "However others see this as giving up their independence or autonomy"... "I think (with elections) in the near future, chances are these issues will come to a head and the public will show very clearly, which side of the fence they are on..."

Those deeply versed in the profession observe that many documentarists are simultaneously 'educationalists' and 'anthropologists.' Regardless of their professional title or medium, we see that these people have a gift of being able to communicate a wide range of issues in a meaningful way... As a result, they help others make better sense of the world. In this instance, there are many interesting parallels within these interviews... One that is quite evident, is that despite various periods of colonization, some lasting up to 400 years (Portugal in Macau) and others that were akin to 'occupation' (Japan in Taiwan), Chinese culture - with all its customs and traditions - remains amazingly strong. Throughout this century, it will be an ever increasing balancing act, to see how these traditions can be adhered to, while people strive for a more materialistic or, as they say, 'comfortable lifestyle'.

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Academically, Glen Clifford has specialized in, and is himself a producer of radio documentary. He has also completed special studies in international journalism. His previous work was in commercial music radio production / presentation. In Taiwan, he has established 'Talk-To-Me,' a business for event / media voice work and consultancy.  www.glenclifford.com