Topic description:
For Hong Kong people, coffee is already a natural part of everyday life. The average volume per person in the Coffee segment is expected to amount to 1.89kg in 2023.(Statista, 2023)
Coffee as a beverage has actually been around in Hong Kong for a long time. Coffee was already present in Hong Kong cafes in the last century, but there was a very big difference between the architectural style of the cafes and the modern ones. Now, with the development of the world, many traditional cultures are forgotten, or even gradually disappear. But I think in Hong Kong, this situation does not exist. Hong Kong itself is a city where Chinese and Western cultures are fused, and the old and new styles of cafes instead add a different style to Hong Kong culture. By photographing different styles of coffee shops, I hope to show the fusion between old and new cultures and styles. In order to show it more clearly, I chose two cafes with completely different decoration styles in the video, one with a minimalist modern style and one with an antique vintage style. The video emphasizes that regardless of the style, the cafe can give guests a very good experience. Even the pursuit of “slow life” people will prefer the retro style of the cafe.
No matter the style of the cafe, the ultimate goal is to provide a comfortable environment for consumers. Different decoration environment gives people more choices. Consumers in Hong Kong live in a busy environment, so they can relax and eliminate fatigue by drinking coffee, which can relieve certain life pressure. That’s what a cafe is all about.
Methods of conducting the research and producing the video:
First of all, I had a preliminary understanding of coffee shops and related tea restaurants in Hong Kong. In order to delimit the scope, I made a general understanding and selection of well-known cafes in Hong Kong through some software with large user groups, such as Dianping and XiaoHongshu. According to the search results, tourists will prefer the traditional style of Hong Kong coffee shops. I picked out the representative ones and went there and stayed for half a day on each weekend. I observed the customers in the store and tried to talk with them and the staff, hoping to have a more comprehensive understanding of the cafe.
Coffee shops will be located in many parts of the business district, providing white-collar workers and professionals with a space to meet and relax from busy work. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, some planned cafes could not be carried out field visits. I hope I can conduct a more comprehensive study on this subject later. Even the Starbucks I searched was closed, but I had been there before and was able to use some of the old material.
My main shooting device is an iPhone 14Pro, and I think the resolution is good enough. But the footage is a bit shaky, so you need to use stabilizers. I used propulsion more in my shooting to highlight what I wanted to show. In the beginning of the video, the busy people on the street are shot, and the leisurely cafe is contrasted. According to the two architectural styles I chose, I made a comprehensive shooting and display. Display the overall image of the cafe storefront from the outside, including the exterior decoration and signboard. The interior will be more detailed to shoot some details, such as tableware, ornaments, furniture, color collocation and so on. And for the beauty of the whole video, I filmed some process of making coffee as an empty mirror. Finally, in the editing process, in order to express the laid-back atmosphere of the cafe, I used a piece of light music I like very much as the background sound. On the way to shoot, I passed a street singer, because it was so beautiful, I also put it in the video to share with you. He elevated the romance of coffee culture to a higher level.
This video once again promotes the mixed nature of Hong Kong by showing the coexistence of modern and vintage cafes. Some people compare the coffee room to the symbol of the city, and this analogy is quite accurate. Coffee culture is the reflection of the culture of the city itself, the showcase of the city trend, and the indicator of the city aesthetics. But most importantly, it’s a place where customers can relax and enjoy their time.
References:
The coffee culture in Hong Kong [J]. Shanghai Hong Kong Economy,2000,(06):41-42.]
Zeng X N. (1995). The advent of flavored coffee in Hong Kong. Fujian Textile Information (01),17.
Hannah H, Coffee Shop Design Ideas. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/2880/coffee-shop-interior.html
Jiang Yibo, Long Ziwu & Shi Ai.(2014). Hong Kong coffee Market Analysis. Journal of Wuhan University of Light Industry (03),108-111
Statista, (2023), https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/hot-drinks/coffee/hong-kon
Name: Yutao Xie
UID: 3036106525