Take a Tour of Shanghai—In Reverse—In This Mesmerizing Short Film

Spike Jonze may have mastered the technique in The Pharcyde’s “Drop” video back in ’95, but it’s still incredibly satisfying to watch a well-crafted video of people walking backwards, reversed so that it looks like they’re walking forwards (and everyone else is going the wrong way). Add to that the chaos of Shanghai’s bustling urban streets and a slew of fun camera tricks and you end up with JT Singh‘s latest short film, Walk in Shanghai. You might recognize Singh’s work from collaborations with hyperlapse photographer extraordinaire Rob Whitworth on Enter Pyongyang and This Is Shanghai, but with his latest effort he channels both Jonze and slow TV trailblazer Simon Bouisson, casually strolling ahead past pedestrians who bounce awkwardly backwards across the frame.

“One of the underlying concepts of the video is that curiously walking in cities can truly be a mind-altering experience, full of unique and surprising moments that can only be personally experienced by the walker,” Singh tells The Creators Project. The trick camera shots, hyperlapses, and nail-on-the-head sound design support this effect. “The opening upside down shot, in a way, portrays the idea that the viewer is now joining a strange, even dreamlike journey that I personally go through as I walk on with eyes wide open.”

See more from JT Singh on his website and on Vimeo. 

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