Before The Camera Rolls
A documentary journey in Taiwan that reminded me how observation and research can reshape the way a story is told.
Jace Chong
1/23/20261 min read
One thing I realised during my recent documentary project in Taiwan is that research can really change the way you tell a story.
I was invited to produce a documentary series related to Master JiGong during the Hungry Ghost Festival period in Taiwan. Before the actual ceremony started, I spent almost one month there just observing and understanding the environment first.
At first, I thought I would naturally compare the practices between Malaysia and Taiwan. But after spending more time there, I realised the Taiwanese audience already grew up around these traditions. So instead of explaining the festival itself, I needed to understand what made this particular temple and its practices different from others.
That completely changed my content direction.
I spent time observing how people in Taiwan view the Hungry Ghost Festival, how the temple prepared for the ceremonies, and why certain rituals were done the way they were. Only after that did I start developing the interview direction and storytelling structure for the series.
Honestly, this project also reminded me of a few things that help me stay on top of documentary shoots:
Don’t rush into filming before understanding the environment. Sometimes observation is more important than immediately picking up the camera.
Pause your own assumptions first. Especially when telling stories from cultures or communities different from your own experience.
Spend time with people beyond the interview itself. A lot of the real story comes from conversations and moments outside the formal shoot.
The footage from this trip eventually became a series of 8 short videos, however it is only a small part of a much larger documentary project that is still ongoing. The full documentary will likely take a few more years to complete, but I’m so grateful to be able to create something meaningful to share for now. it was truly it encouraging to see the positive response from the audience.
