Among the many shared experiences connecting the world these days is a longing to travel, whether that be to a local gathering or an intriguing foreign destination. Thankfully, the internet allows us some taste of this as a proxy. Though “Vibrant Jakarta” was created to promote tourism to the capital of Indonesia, it has given viewers from all around the world a glimpse of what it’s like to bask in the traditional-meets-modern aura of this destination. Written by Ken Zheng to communicate the eclectic personality of Jakarta, this three-minute production was recently recognized with a duo of Telly Awards. Recipient of the Silver Telly Award for both Branded Content: Promotional and Branded Content: Travel/Tourism, “Vibrant Jakarta” is a brief taste of the spectrum of sights and sounds offered by an area increasingly attractive to Westerners. Filmed and directed by Livi Zheng, “Vibrant Jakarta” is a dance of colors and vistas which has mesmerized the Judges of the Telly Awards along with curious spirits everywhere.
“It’s not easy to explain, It’s true…The most beautiful things in the world can sometimes be things that we see. Things we hear. Things we touch, but what keeps you alive must be felt with the heart.” The depth of this passage written by Ken Zheng for “Vibrant Jakarta” resonates loudly as this video displays the truly multifaceted personality that is Jakarta, juxtaposing its rich tradition and history with its rapid modernization, Vibrant Jakarta explores the metamorphosis of Jakarta evolving into one of Asia’s great megapolis while holding true to its traditions and roots. An immensely modern city that also embraces its history, this area is a culmination of different peoples and influences living in harmony while enlisting the most benevolent traits of global influences. Jakarta has the remarkable ability to be simultaneously authentic to itself while graciously accommodating other cultures, beliefs, and aesthetics. This Sun and Moon Films production presents the life energy of Jakarta in a spectrum of experiences, colors, and sounds. Most profoundly, “Vibrant Jakarta” reminds us that people with an inner joy find ways to express this outwardly and offer it to others.
While it’s true that “Vibrant Jakarta” is an advertisement for tourism to this province, its dual Telly Awards confirm that it is an exceptional work of filmmaking and writing. Cinematic and emotive, viewers are whisked across countless vistas and eclectic architecture in less than three-minutes. Of course, the real attraction is the wonderful people and activities displayed through the camera. Telly Award winners are chosen from entries that span all fifty U.S. states and five different continents. They represent some of the most respected creators of content in the world. Past winners include the likes of ESPN, HBO Latin America, PBS, HBO, Netflix, Time Warner, CBS Interactive, and more. “Vibrant Jakarta” is accompanied by this year’s fellow Telly winners like Expedia’s Yellowstone National Park Vacation Travel Guide (Bronze Winner), Viacom Velocity’s “Shantay Blue Stay” with Jetblue and Rupaul (Gold Winner), and others. “Vibrant Jakarta” writer Ken Zheng comments, “We’re very happy and proud to be recognized with these Telly Awards. Receiving them places us in good company alongside some of the most respected names in the industry. Jakarta is such a wondrous and enigmatic destination filled with amazing tapestries of culture and wonderful people; Sun and Moon Films was excited to use the same techniques and skilled artists that we would use for a feature film and apply them to a production like this. Storytelling is not confined to a specific length or medium; it’s about taking the audience on a journey. Jakarta is not only the centerpiece to our story in this commercial but it’s also the perfect setting. I think that those who are unfamiliar with Jakarta will be surprised upon viewing what we’ve created and also quite excited to consider travelling there to experience what it offers for themselves.”