Duffy and Friends Friendversary

Photo by HKDL

Duffy and Friends has become a brand closely associated with Hong Kong Disneyland in recent years. Originally created for Tokyo DisneySea, it has since expanded across Disney parks in Southeast Asia, offering guests unique Duffy-themed festivals, merchandise, and dedicated playhouses.

With the franchise continuing to grow, Hong Kong Disneyland now hosts an annual Friendversary event for each of the Duffy characters, celebrating the friendship between the characters and the park’s guests. I was tasked with filming and editing a series of short videos capturing the event.

Although the project differed from many of my previous works, a similar approach was applied, beginning with storyboarding and brainstorming concepts, this time with the aim of immediately engaging the viewers. Given the social media format, audience retention was a primary focus, which relies heavily on the snappy transitions and quick pacing. For the three videos produced, each was treated uniquely, experimenting with different transition styles, from simple graphic match cuts to picture-in-picture, ensuring each short felt fresh and distinct while maintaining a consistent overall tone.

Working within Disneyland’s high editing standards and stylistic guidelines, the content also needed to highlight guest interactions and enjoyment specifically. With multiple camera operators on each shoot, every video included a standout “hero shot” or a joyful guest moment, capturing the Duffy characters engaging with visitors and conveying why Disneyland holds such a special place for so many.