Toda Nakataro | Director of ‘Chronicle’ animated music video–The mind and thoughts are our final fortress
Toda Nakataro is a young multimedia artist. This year they produced the music video for “Chronicle” by The Hertz, a local Hong Kong band, and received resounding positive feedback. Many viewers were impressed and surprised to see such high-calibre animations created in Hong Kong.
“No matter what this city becomes, I hope I can stay here to bear witness. Although the laws are constantly tightening, personal creativity is difficult to restrict unless I willingly self-censor or narrow my thinking.”
In this turbulent society, the consequences of crossing invisible lines causes everyone to be on edge. Many Hongkongers discuss staying or leaving while the word ‘emigration’ occurs evermore frequently in our minds. However, over the past two years, the connection I have with this city I call home has become stronger than ever. Although we are treading on a knife edge, I still believe one’s mind and thoughts are a final fortress. Even if I end up joining fellow protestors in prison one day, tyranny will not be able to stop our artistic creation.
From a young age, I have been interested in art and design and have been involved in different types of artistic creation. After secondary school, I studied animation, but my graduation project was so exhausting and demanding that I was put off from entering the industry. I did artistic design in a corporate setting instead, taking up freelance work that piqued my interest in my spare time.
The pandemic seems to have put a pause on the anti-extradition movement in the past year. I once again picked up my brush to create artwork and time lapse animations about Hong Kong. Although these semi-animated snapshots of daily life are not overtly political, they candidly reflect the current Hong Kong in which we live. I hope to capture and record Hong Kong to let those outside the city understand why this city has captured our hearts.
Relying on favours during MV creation
Besides art depicting Hong Kong daily life, I also recently participated in the creation of the animated music video for “Chronicle” by the local Hong Kong band The Hertz. This was even more exhausting than my graduation project, as the overview, storyline, and all the characters needed to be designed. The enormous scope of the project meant I needed favours from friends who graciously helped to illustrate some of the backgrounds. It took a month for the overview and character design alone, and three months for the actual animation.
I was already a fan of The Hertz prior to this project so this was an amazing and fateful opportunity. I usually make spontaneous decisions without too much planning. I commented on one of the band’s Instagram posts because of a fleeting thought, which led to them discovering my illustrations and subsequently to this collaboration.
The “Chronicle” music video is about searching for the chronicles, a record of history. The Hertz gave me a lot of creative freedom. In the final boss battle scene, I did not have all five protagonists face the enemy head on. Each had a different role in their fight instead which expresses the concept from the anti-extradition movement that “we fight on each in our own way.” Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and success does not equate to everyone rushing to the frontline, nor is it cowardly to take on a supportive role.
Hoping Hongkongers can better appreciate their home
I like to create in any medium. Therefore, although I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the “Chronicle” music video, I will not only do animation. I’m afraid of boredom and I don’t want to pigeon hole myself especially on the content and style of my future work. My inspiration often occurs spontaneously. I enjoy browsing Pinterest and going on walks. While strolling down the streets, a casual glance can reveal a beautiful streetscape.
There are actually so many beautiful places in Hong Kong. Sometimes when foreign productions film here, Hongkongers praise that “They’ve made Hong Kong look so good!” and “How come Hong Kong looks this beautiful?” They’ve also said how Hong Kong looks as good as Japan in Beyond the Dream. I can't help but sigh in response: this is our usual Hong Kong which you just haven't discovered. I sincerely hope everyone can appreciate their home a little more, instead of constantly thinking which places in Hong Kong remind them of other countries.
Strong belief that creation is difficult to restrict
As freedom is eroded bit by bit, many are choosing to leave Hong Kong. As many friends emigrate, I feel conflicted. In the past, I didn't have strong feelings for Hong Kong, but now I feel that I can’t let go. After all that I’ve experienced in the past two years, I now take an active approach and do what I want when I want. No matter what this city becomes, I hope I can stay here to bear witness. Although the laws are constantly tightening, personal creativity is difficult to restrict unless I willingly self-censor or narrow my thinking.
“I am Toda Nakataro. I am a HKer.”
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