I'm a huge Wong Fu fan and I decided to share here my favourite Wong Fu short and a part of their commentary that they did on the short.
Please watch the video first before reading the commentary.










"THE TELESCOPE

As many of you have noticed, I like to put a certain emphasis on objects in the shorts I write. Whether it’s a shell, umbrella, pinwheel, or telescope, I enjoy showing objects as characters themselves rather than mere props that the actors interact with. These objects carry their own story and memories just like a supporting character in the narrative.

I chose a telescope to represent the optimism and hope of Scott and Irenes’ relationship in “Somewhere Like This.” A telescope’s most basic function is to help see things that are far away. On the surface, Scott gives Irene the telescope as a gift before she leaves for college because she once told him she wanted to go stargazing. But on a deeper level, the telescope and it’s ability to bring distant things closer to us, represents the notion of not losing sight of their relationship even when they will soon be separated.

“I know you’re gonna be busy with classes but if you can, it works best if you somewhere far from the city lights. That’s where the skies are the clearest and the stars are the brightest.”

The characteristics of how the telescope works are also reflected in the couple’s relationship. If you live in a metropolitan area, with a lot of ambient city light, stars are difficult to see. It’s not that the stars aren’t there, but the night sky is already lit from buildings, cars, etc. so the stars are less distinct. Scott’s advice to go somewhere away from the city reflects his hope that Irene will not let her new life at college shake their relationship. She is about to start an exciting and different life with new people and experiences that could potentially distract her from Scott. Just like the telescope, their relationship will work best if she doesn’t let the new elements of her life consume her entirely. In essence, Scott knows there will be new factors and obstacles to consider once she leaves, and he hopes she will take the time and effort to remember what’s important.

“Scott you really don’t have to. I mean, I don’t even remember when it stopped working”

“Let me take a look at it. I want to try. I don’t think it’s totally hopeless”

Whether the characters realize it or not, the entire conversation on the driveway as Scott leaves can be seen as reference to their past relationship. Irene has let it go and moved on while Scott wants to take the opportunity to fix it and see if it can work again. When writing, I feel like everything that’s shown, should have a purpose. Why it’s shown, how it’s shown, and when it’s shown. While the telescope as a symbol may not be obviously apparent, I like making connections between different elements in the story to further the themes that are being explored."