Notes of
Kite Artist

Stories of
Kite Artist

Treasures of
Kite Artist

Honors of
Kite Artist

Connections through Kites

Creations of SkyDreamer

Interview Preparation

Interview Q&A

Interview Reflection

　　We made an appointment with Mr. Huang on January 20th to visit his studio. Mr. Huang said that he is not a kid expert who cannot really interact with children, so he’s never interviewed by kids before. However, he especially agreed to our interview request that made us feel so honored and excited. We got to grab this chance to do a great interview. Our teachers reminded us to be well prepared before the interview comes, so as to grasp the gist and make the interviewee feel that we are fully prepared. In order to show our respect, we put a lot of efforts preparing for the interview.

Reading the Data

　　Each of us had read the related information about Mr. Huang. The materials included the book “Wings of Dream the Stories of Kites” , “Buteo Huang’s World of Kites - DVD”, and information found on the Internet. We tried to know more about Mr. Huang’s works and his experiences before interview.

 

Preparing the Interview Guideline

　　We wrote down the questions we want to ask while reading the literature. Then our teachers helped us organize and generalize the questions, put slimier questions together, delete questions that are improper. In the end, we categorized 30 questions into 5 dimensions.

Interview Guideline

Background Information

When did you start making kites? Why do you interest in kites? What your instructor had enlightened you when you design kites? What’s your family’s opinion towards you taking “flying kites” as your job? You’re major is architect, what is the connection between kites and architect?

Public Appraisal

Where do you get the inspiration when you are making kites? What kinds of things have inspired you? Can you tell us about some of your friends who share the same interest as you? What do your friends’ comments on the kites you made? In a kite making contest, the golden dragon kite that you spent three months on it was thought by the judges to be an unfinished work because the frame of the kite was not covered with paper. What do you think about this matter? Is there any differences between the comments made by Taiwanese and by foreigners? You used to incorporated kite design into interior design, what elements of kite design did you use?

Work Analysis

How many series of your work? What are they representing? How do you name your kites? After the name of a kite has been decided, will you still change it? Is there something in common in every series of your works? Or every series has its own character? What frustrate you the most during the years you design kites? And what impressed you the most? Who do you appreciate the most during the years you design kites?

Local Culture

If it all started again, will you still choose to fly kites? Or is there anything you want to make changes? What are some elements in our local culture will take and incorporate them in kite design? Do you think are there other uses of kites except for flying them? You make exquisite kites, have you thought about pass on your craft to your kids or any students? What do you think our government should do to protect the kite cultural asset and how to make it popular again?

Future Development

Is kite flying popular in other countries as well? Do they fly kites differently from what we do in Taiwan? What difficulties have you encountered when you go to the exhibition outside Taiwan? What do foreigners often say to you when they see your work? What are they curious about your work? What kind of kites do you want to design in the future? Can you give a sentence to people how are sticking to their dreams?

Equipment Preparation

　　There is an old Chinese saying: Sharpen your swords before you go to the battlefield. Besides preparing the interview guideline, the equipment is rather important as well. We got cameras, video recorders and voice recorders. We brought all the recording equipment in order to document the whole interview and get all the information.

Instruction before the Interview

　　Teachers taught us how to do the interview, including asking questions, listening, probing and the interview manners. We also assigned a certain tasks and practiced beforehand. We appreciated Mr. Huang’s kindness for the interview on the day before Chinese New Year’s eve, so our team made a thank you card to show our appreciation.

With anticipation for the interview,
Skydreamers now are about to go!