14 Hit Articles Fom undercover stories to hacking cultures 6 Countries China to Fiji Volume 1 Greatest Hits May 2014 Editors: Michael Keane Elaine Zhao Vijay Anand Selvarajan Avijit Paul Contributors for this issue: Anurag Subrimani Bert de Muynck Brian Yecies Caroline Wong Coco Ma Elaine Zhao Huan Wu Ian Weber Irene Ma Michael Alexander Ulfstjerne Michael Curtin Michael Keane Mónica Carriço Tim Lindgren Vijay Anand Selvarajan Wendy Siuyi Wong Contact Prof Michael Keane Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology Z1 515 Musk Ave Tel: +61 7 3138 3757 E: [email protected] © ACT Magazine., 2014 All Rigths Reserved Editorial Asia-Pacific Creative Landing Pad Inflight Magazine The Asia-Pacific Creative Landing Pad Inflight magazi- ne is produced at the Asian Creative Transformations research lab at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. The concept of the Asia-Pacific Creative Landing Pad Inflight Magazine came to me a few years ago when I was flying from perplexing but troubled continent. Brisbane to Beijing. Flipping through the Qantas inflight maga- zine in my seat compartment, I noticed a feature story about I don’t think in these stereotypes anymore, nor do most people the famed Silk Road. I meet. I meet a lot of people who know Asia well and some who think they know. While politicians still invoke fear about As my plane descended into Beijing Capital Airport I realized the comings of boat people and takeovers of national indus- just how little I knew about this ancient land, although I had tries by Asian millionaires, and while journalists continue to travelled here so many times. I recalled a diary entry from my stereotype elements of Asian society as corrupt, most people first visit to China in 1989. I was staying in a cheap hotel in appreciate that we are deeply connected to Asia, however de- the outpost city of Kashgar in the north-western province of fined. We depend on the Asian economy for our future. Asia’s Xinjiang, waiting for a mysterious person to deliver me a train culture has infiltrated our sense of who were are and what we ticket procured on the black market. Intoxicated by the atmos- are becoming. phere but feeling anxious about returning, I wrote, ‘I wake to the sounds of donkeys braying and Muslims praying.’ We live in a time in which Asian creativity and innovation are reaching out globally, becoming part of the global collective When I grew up in the sixties and seventies in Australia, Asia consciousness. This special downloadable pdf is a collation of was far away—a place one passed through on the long expe- articles published in the past two years covering art, media and dition to the UK, Europe or the US. I lived in the ‘lucky country’, design practice in the Asia-Pacific. The stories are written by as we liked to call ourselves down under. I imagined millions of experts, some of the writers are professors: some are prac- people in chaotic living conditions; I thought of snake charmers, titioners and students. We hope you enjoy reading and look Communist revolutionaries, fakirs and gurus, elephants and forward to publishing more stories that show the diversity of tigers, temples, incense and bells, and extreme poverty. Asia creative transformation in the fastest growing region of the symbolized the past. The Pacific Ocean separated us from this world. Content An Undercover The Life and Death Story of Pi’s Creators 06 20 06 An Undercover Story Coco Xiaolu Ma 12 Serangoon Road Caroline Wong 16 The Life and Death of Pi’s Creators Michael Curtin 20 Back to Neutral Brian Yecies 24 Fiji’s film future Ian Weber & Anurag Subrimani 26 Challenges of going over the top in India Vijay Anand Selvarajan 30 How to bake a creative cluster in China Michael Keane How to bake a Challenges of going creative cluster in over the top in India China 26 30 34 Creative land grabs Michael Alexander Ulfstjerne 38 China’s new economy of fashion Tim Lindgren 42 Thoughts on Laa-sai Cit-gai Wendy Siuyi Wong 44 Capturing China’s Creativity Bert de Muynck & Mónica Carriço 48 Make, modify, and invent Elaine Zhao 52 Putting young technology in older adults’ hands Huan Wu 56 The ‘Going Out’ of Culture Irene Ma Undercover Story An Undercover Story If you are the one In China an intelligent single woman in Beijing things started becoming If You Are the One, the show’s Chine- over 30 years old (or maybe 28 so- a bit bizarre. Almost every person I se title means ‘If you’re not sincere, metimes) is automatically tagged by knew, not just my relatives, but offi- then don’t bother me.’ You kind of society as a ‘leftover’. If this woman ce colleagues, company clients and get the idea! The show debuted in has the title Doctor placed before even total strangers in airplanes early 2010. her family name she is literally spea- are suddenly enthusiastic to set so- king ‘smelly in the marriage market’ meone up for me. I’m not exaggera- GAME RULES: in the majority of people’s minds. ting: everyone says to me ‘Coco, you Well, that woman is me. should go on Feicheng wurao.’ Single men appear one by one on stage before a group of 24 women, I spent almost 7 years living in Aus- If you haven’t heard of this show each standing behind a podium with tralia finishing my masters plus doc- you’ve probably been living on an a light on it. More or less immediately, toral degree in film and TV so that island somewhere, either that or the man picks one of them in secret I could really have a better position you are really uncool. It’s a televi- that appeals to him. Then, through to work in this industry. I didn’t feel sion dating show on Jiangsu Satellite conversation with the show’s host too bothered being single and I occa- Television Channel, which is one of and a series of videos including in- sionally enjoyed some casual dates. China’s most popular TV networks. terviews with his friends, family, and But when I took up a job offer back Although it carries an English name coworkers, he reveals more about 6 ACT magazine himself, his life, and what he’s loo- she may still reject his offer). Episode Two: How can I get on to king for in a mate. At any point, if a Feicheng wurao? woman decides she’s not interested Don’t get me wrong, I am flattered in him, she can turn off the light on when people ask me to join this I decide to try for the show under her podium and trigger a heart-sin- show. It has to be considered a big pressure from an irresistible force, a king electronic pulse sound to com- compliment for any girl. Every wee- very persuasive fan of Feicheng wu- municate her rejection. Once the kend the crew goes to five major ci- rao—my mother! It seems like it is bachelor has finished being introdu- ties in China to interview potential her dream to see her only daughter ced, if there are more than two lights participants. Hundreds of girls line on the stage fighting with another on, he must walk up to the podiums up to get a chance. Sometimes the 23 females for a dating chance and turn lights off for the women he crew travels around the world to with some stranger. Anyway it is isn’t interested in until only two are hunt for singles, including to Austra- a quite simple procedure to fill in left. Then, he gets to ask those two lia. the application form. I only have to questions, after which he can choo- click a SUBMIT button on the popu- se to date one of them or make an You must be either ‘special’ or ‘ab- lar Chinese dating website jiayuan. offer to date whatever girl he chose normal’ to be on stage in a group com which I have signed on for pre- at the beginning, even if she turned of 24 single women. Which of these viously. My profile has all my perso- her light off (though this is risky as was I? nal details including my photo, my ACT magazine 7 Undercover Story height, my age, my education level, That’s it! Thanks to my long-term ted in a Beijing suburb. I’m very lucky my profession, my horoscope, my study in Film and TV I know au- that I don’t need to travel to another blood type. diences love such nonsensical eye- city. Most of the candidates travel catching phrases! Then the director from all over the country, someti- Then someone calls me two days la- is suddenly very interested in my me even from the other side of the ter and congratulates me that I am personal life, such as how many bo- earth. My neighbor candidate No. pre-selected 6, who is a fashion designer from as the candi- Giorgio Armani, flew 12 hours from date and asks Milan to Beijing just for the shoot. me to attend a face-to-face Episode Three: Orientation interview the following Sa- On the morning of the first day of turday. shooting, all the new candidates gather with the producer for an On Saturday orientation. There are 24 women I go to the in- on stage every episode and the fa- terview point, ces are always changing. In order which is the to help the audience remember office of the the girls the producer literally en- dating web- courages us to find our own ‘label’.