The Young Reporter

  Motion capture technology helps to preserve traditional martial arts by Susan Gao & Tracy Zhang He's dressed in a skintight black bodysuit dotted with 99 position markers.  A martial arts master demonstrates his Kung Fu styles in a 3D motion-capture studio, equipped with cameras and sensors. Certain Hollywood Sci Fi films, such as Avatar, are shot in a similar way. But here, the purpose is to document hundreds of different martial art styles in Hong Kong. The clips will be used to compile a new "Kung Fu Bible" called "The Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive". High technology such as 3D modeling, is used nowadays to revive traditional martial arts.Motion capture allows swift movements to be recorded in an accurate, lively and precise way. " 3D technology brings us closer to reality," said Hing Chao, Chief Executive of the International Joshua Association who launched the archive in 2013. He said 3D imaging approximates live instruction to a greater degree, in comparison with manuals, photographs or videos as references for learning complicated martial arts. "The technology will be used at exhibitions, installations, mobile apps and other digital learning applications, in order to preserve the art of Kung Fu as well as promote it to the public public," according to Chao. The novelty of motion capture is fascinating to some traditional martial arts master. "In the old days, we followed the movements demonstrated by our instructors. It depends on whether the instructor can explain well," said Tsang Ho-pan, a veteran master of Wing Tsun, a form of concept-driven martial art rooted in Southeast of China and Hong Kong. The 36-year-old Kung Fu master is now a high rank instructor of the International Wing Tsun Association. "With the help of 3D technology, we can check if the movements are similar to those …

  The Street Music Series introduces diversity to the local music industry by Emily Cheung & Morris Chan   Kung Chi-shing is a  musician and an activist. He has been trying to enrich the musical scene by organising the Street Music Series. It is a platform for young musicians and singer-songwriters to introduce themselves to the community. Mr. Kung started working  with the Hong Kong Arts Centre in 2009 to promote music diversity. Last year, the Street Music Series featured local street musician in 28 concerts. Hong Kong's music scene, Mr. Kung believes, is dominated by commercial productions. "A healthy society should be very diverse. When different aspects of Hong Kong  embrace diversity, local art does not reflect that. Why can't we do more to encourage diversity in art?" Mr. Kung said. He believed music should connect with the audience through emotions and the spiritual needs of a community at a given time. The artistic value of music , Mr Kung thinks, is undermined in commercially produced music. One of the performers Bao Kwun-ying said street music allows him to have a more freedom in his performance than in a traditional concert, partly because unlike commercial music, street music does not need to cater for the audience's needs. "A lots of factors, like marketing, are key to a concert's success, and those have restricted creativity in music," Bao said.   Shirley Cho, a street music enthusiast, agreed that Hong Kong should have more support for non-mainstream music because they are very unique. " They can touch your soul with lyrics and melody that truly reflect reality," Cho said.   The Street Music Series is not only praised by the audience, but also the performers. It provides everything they need: the equipment and a proper platform for their music. That makes …