"Documentary film in Hong Kong, 1967-2006: The documentary films and film series of Television Broadcasts Ltd. (TVB) and Asia Television (ATV)"

The project proposed in this application will research the documentary film production of Television Broadcasts Ltd. (TVB) and Asia Television (ATV), the two terrestrial television broadcasters in Hong Kong. This proposed project is an EXTENSION of an existing GRF project: 'Documentary Film in Hong Kong 1959-2006: The Documentary Film Series' (RGC/HKBU ref: 240109), which is due to end 29.12.2011. The 240109 project undertook a critical analysis of documentary film series produced in Hong Kong between the dates given. The project sought to arrive at conclusions concerning the range and diversity of films involved, the authorial profiles and stature of film-makers, the themes, subjects and stylistic characteristics evident within the films, the intellectual, cultural, social, political, organisational and other influences upon them; and the national/international importance of respective films, film-makers and institutions. The original intention of project 240109 was to focus research on the films and archival holdings of ALL the major producers of documentary film series in Hong Kong. These are (a) the Hong Kong Film Unit (HKFU) (1959-1968) and Radio Hong Kong Television Unit (RHKTVU (1969-79) (both of whose films/resources are held at the HK Public Records Office (PRO); (b) Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), (c) Asia Television Ltd. (ATV), and (d) Television Broadcasts Ltd. (TVB). However, mid way through project 240109 it became clear that the project could not cover all the new research materials and tasks that emerged as the project progressed; and it was subsequently amended to concentrate on the public sector: the HKFU, RHKTVU, and RTHK. It was not possible to cover the films and resources of the commercial sector: TVB and ATV.

The extension project proposed in this GRF application, will cover this area, and resolve this problem. This extension project will be directly linked to project 240109. However, it will focus research exclusively on the resources and films of TVB and ATV. Project 240109 was itself an extension of an earlier CERG project (2007-9) which successfully focused mainly on individual documentary films, and the independent sector. The extension project proposed in this application is necessary in order to fully conclude and thoroughly finalize these first two GRF projects, within the framework of the overall research programme. This extension project will, therefore, serve to effectuate and COMPLETE the overall research programme on the subject area of the documentary film in Hong Kong, and thus constitute a unified study of the subject.