Video: A hundred stops on the New York subway in just two minutes
- Text by Adam White
It’s no surprise that artists are drawn to the commute. It’s arguably the one thing that truly unites most of us, filled with its own unique brand of storytelling. The suspense of catching your train, the discomfort as you’re squashed against a subway door during rush hour, the rage at being stuck in traffic.
It’s also inspired a new short film by director Roddy Hyduk. Titled Stations, Hyduk’s film is a two-minute snapshot of 100 New York subway stations, each depicted in a rapid highlights reel of couples fighting, performers singing, dancers twerking and New Yorkers sweating the commute away. Shot over ten days during the summer and fall of 2015, Stations ultimately took two months to edit together.
“The goal for the piece was to represent all five boroughs of New York City,” Hyduk says. “We identified a number of stations that are the most lively commuter hubs, as well as stations that might be at the end of a line or have specific destinations associated with them. The shooting was simply an exploration – getting off at stations along the way whenever time permitted and searching for moments that fit into our loose storyline.
“I think artists are drawn to the subway because it’s such an incredibly sensory environment. We can be inspired by the diverse representation of people and the wide range of experiences related to being in transit. Imagining what’s happening simultaneously across the entire system sparked the initial idea for the project. The subway commute provides a unique opportunity to shape an interpretation of life in a particular city.”
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