Slow City: Discovering the Hidden Oasis in Hong Kong
(Director/Narrator: Liu Kexin)
Description of the theme:
Hong Kong appears to be a city that never stops moving. People always rush from one place to another in a hurry (First Impressions in Hong Kong: What’s the Hurry?, 2017), while there are more and more cafes (Mok, 2021), which seems to be a different side of the fast-paced city. They provide perfect places for people to slow down among the hustle and bustle (Connell, 2020), fulfilling the increasing demand for slow living (God, 2022).
After showing people rushing in a hurry, to make a comparison, the video displays two cafes in totally different locations, the crowded IFC mall, and quiet Tai Ping Shan Street, to emphasize no matter where they are, they can always be the hidden oasis in this city. Then by shooting the exterior and inner design of several cafes, like comfortable seating areas, the use of glass doors, and huge windows, I wish to highlight how the cafes are carefully designed to create a relaxing and cozy atmosphere that encourages slow living (Griffin, 2018).
Moreover, cafes are not simply a place for people to grab a quick coffee. Instead, they play different roles from morning to night, which is showcased by people’s activities in all kinds of cafes (Joson, 2022). They can be observed working, reading books, chatting with friends, or simply enjoying their drinks and snacks (Ferreira et al., 2021). Even when surrounded by the sights and noise of city life, they can still take a break and enjoy moments of peace from the chaos of everyday life inside the cafes.
Methods of conducting the research and producing the video:
Before creating the video, I undertook extensive research on the cafe culture in Hong Kong (Your Ultimate Guide to Hong Kong Cafes and Coffee Shops, 2023). To create a list of places to visit on my field trip, I searched for renowned cafes online and read their customers’ reviews. Then, I walked a considerable distance from Kennedy Town to IFC in Central, stopping at all the cafes on my list to experience their ambiance firsthand and collect footage for the video. During the trip, I accidentally observed more interesting cafes on the sides of the busy streets, so I finally filmed more cafes than the number on the list. In addition, I interviewed some of the waiters and cafe proprietors to determine the intent of their decorations. Moreover, I attempted to communicate with customers about their reasons and feelings for sitting in a cafe. At the end of my field trip, it was dark, so I returned to Kennedy Town to shoot one of the cafes in the evening, in order to create the day-to-night transition.
Using a variety of filming techniques, I record a great number of videos for each cafe at various locations. I utilized long shots when shooting remotely to capture the exterior and the nearby environment, which can be used to create a sharp comparison between the outside and the inside. The shot can also include patrons inside the cafes, illustrating how they were embracing slow living in an oasis of peace. When walking inside, I primarily utilized the panning technique to demonstrate the interior design, which can help viewers to take a closer look at the decorations, and close-up shots to show people’s different activities, like their happiness while chatting with friends.
When editing the film, I utilized the montage technique. The combination of a sequence of shots of both the exterior and interior of all kinds of cafes in Hong Kong helps to provide a comprehensive overview of this kind of space. In the beginning, I tried to speed up the video of the walking crowds to achieve fast-motion effects, then with the contrast cut, I wish to emphasize the slowness of cafes compared to the fast-paced city and their uniqueness amidst the bustling environment. I also added slow and calming background music to the video in an effort to create a more immersive experience for the viewer, complementing the peaceful and relaxing ambiance of the cafes.
In conclusion, I wish to present a viewpoint that is distinct from the conventional one regarding the urban characteristic of Hong Kong. Through an extensive amount of research and the application of different filming and editing techniques, this video essay examines the unique building styles and interior design of several cafes in Hong Kong, highlighting the relaxing atmosphere of these places and their important role in enhancing slow living. I hope to remind viewers of the significance of taking it slow, enjoying the moment, and being grateful for the little things in life that are often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
References:
- First Impressions in Hong Kong: What’s the Hurry? (2017, March 23). Asian Tigers Group. https://www.asiantigersgroup.com/zh/first-impressions-in-hong-kong-whats-the-hurry/
- Mok, C. (2021, September 21). Hong Kong’s Rising Coffee Culture Over The Past Decade. Tatler Asia. https://www.tatlerasia.com/dining/drinks/best-hong-kong-coffee-shops-culture-2021
- Connell, A. (2020, September 11). Coffee Culture: The Art of Slow Living. Home Journal. https://www.homejournal.com/en/article/Coffee-Culture%3A-The-Art-of-Slow-Living/
- God, V. (2022, November 1). The art of slow living – Living a life aligned with your true values. Scan Magazine. https://scanmagazine.co.uk/the-art-of-slow-living-living-a-life-aligned-with-your-true-values/
- Griffin, A. (2018, June 4). A Cultural Guide To Café Design Ideas | Habitus Living. Habitusliving.com. https://www.habitusliving.com/design-hunters/cultural-guide-cafe-design
- Joson, J. (2022, May 29). Breathing New Life into Coffee Shop Culture: A Focus on Multi-Functional Café Spaces. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/982585/breathing-new-life-into-coffee-shop-culture-a-focus-on-multi-functional-cafe-spaces
- Ferreira, J., Ferreira, C., & Bos, E. (2021). Spaces of consumption, connection, and community: Exploring the role of the coffee shop in urban lives. Geoforum, 119, 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.12.024
- Your ultimate guide to Hong Kong cafes and coffee shops. (2023, April 23). Time Out Hong Kong. https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/restaurants/your-ultimate-guide-to-hong-kongs-cafes-and-coffee-shops
- (2019, October 29). Urban Slow Living – A Quiet Life In The City. Loepsie. http://loepsie.com/2019/10/urban-slow-living/
- (2020, May 8). A Slow City – Hong Kong. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U_4gviyf04
- Tranter, P., & Tolley, R. (2020). The “slow paradox”: how speed steals our time. In Slow Cities: Conquering Our Speed Addiction for Health and Sustainability (pp. 97–125). Elsevier.
- Desai, A. (2011). The Function and Design of Cafés Throughout Time. https://courses.cit.cornell.edu/dea150/files/2011%20files/Project%202.pdf
Name: Liu Kexin
UID: 3036098182