Day 2:

“You know the big difference between you and me, creed? The reason I’m always gonna beat you? I’ve actually got something worth fightin’ for.”

James Howlett, Logan, Wolverine

Wolverine #301

 

Tucked away in a quiet corner in Chiang Mai, the fulldome office was the image of serenity and peace. But who could have known that unassuming  housed to an actual time-machine?!

 

The fulldome deserved the title of a time-machine, hands down. I have never been so blown away by a cartoon animation about Indian Folklore or by a video showcasing the works of an abstract artist!

 

More importantly, behind that astounding technology lies a team of people who are working hard for their dreams. For their dream that the fulldome technology can one day be used tell the stories of others. And hopefully one day, the story of Chiang Mai.

 

While the immersive experience of the full dome proves that it is more than capable of telling a story vividly, I have my doubts about the applicability of the technology to heritage preservation. My concerns about it was the cost behind the production. One of the production team member shared that on average, a 5 minute full dome video requires the collective effort of the entire production team for a whopping of three months to complete. I am worried that the hefty price tag will deter many from considering the dome technology as a viable means to tell the story of Chiang Mai’s heritage.  

 

But with the rapid advances in technology, who knows where it will take the fulldome technology in years to come? Perhaps the next big breakthrough the team manages will allow them to commercialise the tech fully?

 

On a random note, after watching the first clip in the dome, I remember telling myself: “This is the future of cinema” Just last year, the Interstellar director, Mr Christopher Nolan urged exhibitors to seek ways to improve the movie experience- to prevent the decline of the movie industry. To me, the dome experience is the key to cinematic future!! It felt like IMAX on steroids. I am beyond excited to see this technology again soon in the future!!

 

Next stop, a local temple with an unusual local “museum”!

 

A groovy Thai song crackled through the stereo. Rows and rows chipped wooden display cabinets lined the room, displaying antiques through it’s slightly frosted glass panels. Some of the larger artifacts, like swords, medals and bowls were haphazardly placed on the cabinets, with half an inch of of dust and mold caked in them. There wasn’t a clear organisation system in the display, nor were there display boards describing the artifacts. As compared to the pristine white museums that I was accustomed to, this place was definitely…. quirky? And interesting, I couldn’t very much decide if I loved it or hated it.

 

It is (or rather, was, after the Black house experience) the most mind-boggling museums to me. The dusty and chipped artifacts basically suggests that little or no restoration or preservation efforts have been attempted on them. The bizarre collection of antiques (including a vintage circular television set with a hole in the glass screen to an extensive collection of Singapore’s Banana Money) shown that these items were probably not curated. We are stretching the word museum too far now?

 

To shed some light on the mystery at hand, we decided to interview the main caretaker of the place- a smiling tiny-framed middle-aged looking man.

During the interview, we had to rely on the CMU student to help us with the translation from English to Thai and vice versa. Although I couldn’t understand a word of what the uncle was saying, I couldn’t look away from the tiny framed man when he was speaking. His eyes lit up with a fierce determination and unmistakable pride. A stark contrast with his reserved and gentlemanly mannerism. He couldn’t be more than 50, I figured. And this place probably meant a lot a lot to this man.

And indeed, he told us his hoped that his museum can help to pass down the knowledge of Chiang Mai’s heritage to the future generation. He had spent the past 15 years of his life building up this museum, together with the local community. 80% of the items there were donated by the public while the remaining 20% were donated by the local temples. All of the funding required to keep the place running came from donations from the local temples. With a slightly cheeky glint in his eyes, he told us that even the local Chiang Mai government commended him for his efforts. His dream, the translator said, is to build a “community museum” to preserve the most authentic past of Chiang Mai for the children in Chiang Mai. For them to understand their roots and history.

 

After the interview and the obligatory group photo, I took the opportunity to shake his hand. It appears that he was actually able to converse in english using simple phrases!Turns out, he was 70+ years old.  

 

At the end of the day on the car ride back to the hotel, what struck me the most was how this two groups of people worked hard just to get a shot at achieving their dreams. I believe that we have a choice on how we are going to spend our lives. We could join the rat race where we work to eat and eat to work. Or we could take the less adventured path, and truly live. For them, it’s pretty clear that they are spending their lives to fight for something they believe in. Even when others scoff at their lofty aspirations and cast doubts on the efficacy of their attempts, they will still plough through.

Perhaps it’s because they know that they, like Wolverine, will always have the last laugh anyways.