A new teaching mode
As part of the “Cities as Creative Sites: Urban Studio” course, our mission is to make a short video about local examples in Edinburgh, using images and storytelling to highlight the city’s creative spaces and sociocultural significance.
This course differs from others in that most of the activities take place outside of class. For example, we form groups to explore, film, and conduct research throughout the city. Classes are not limited to the four walls of a classroom, but can take place anywhere in the city, in a park, or even on a street corner.
Group brainstorming
At the beginning, we brainstormed different ideas to find a central theme, such as exploring the past and present of the Edinburgh Future Academy or focusing on urban art. We had lots of ideas, but they all suffered from the same problem: they lacked a clear thematic focus. We finally chose the theme “In search of the city’s secrets,” but it was actually a very vague concept and we didn’t really know what we were going to film.
Exploration and discovery in the field
During our explorations andfilming, we recorded the city in a fragmented way: little slogans on the street, benches, artworks made from bottle caps, a converted piano shack, squirrels…These elements seemed disparate and disordered, so we wondered how we could connect these “secrets” to form a common thread.
The turning point came when we noticed the slogan “no plastic” on a park bench. It suddenly made us realize that many of the fragments actually had something in common: through art and creativity, they were redefining neglected and marginalized resources and spaces.
We gradually defined the central theme of the video: to explore urban spaces that have been reinvented and redefined through art and creativity. “No plastic” is not just a slogan, but a call for a sustainable way of life.
Reflection
Looking back on the whole process, we went from a state of confusion and uncertainty to gradually discovering a common thread. It wasn’t just about learning how to make videos, but also about learning how to “see” the city. The real secret lies not in the apparent mystery, but in your ability to see beyond appearances to discover the creativity and vitality hidden in seemingly insignificant things.
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