Animation 1

xun

Lu Xun (1881-1936) is a founding figure of modern Chinese literature, renowned for his sharp social critiques and profound insights into human nature. While his works expose the darkness of his era and the complexities of humanity, beyond his critical edge, Lu Xun was also humorous, warm, and deeply humane.

Through this short film, I hope to present a more multidimensional Lu Xun—not just a sharp critic, but also a lovable and genuine person in everyday life. I invite viewers to reflect on how historical figures should not be defined by a single perspective; their complexity and multifaceted nature deserve to be understood and respected.

This short film weaves together emotions and movement, blending the life experiences and literary works of Lu Xun. Through nonlinear storytelling, it transcends the constraints of time and space. This innovative visual expression not only offers a modern interpretation of Lu Xun's literary legacy but also provides audiences with a fresh perspective to understand and experience his works.

Concept

Animation 2 - Xin

Made with Google Flow, Nano Banana, ElevenLabs.

In 10 days, I created this animated short using Google Flow, centered on my favorite Chinese poet, Xin Qiji. His life is an irreplaceable tragedy that no one else could have lived. To make the storytelling a bit more compact, I moved forward the founding of the “Flying Tiger Army.” This adjustment does not align with historical facts, so please keep that in mind.

I plan to continue exploring this theme, with the hope of presenting a fuller, more vivid, and more authentic portrayal of Xin Qiji.

process

Originally, I want to make a 2d animation with my concept illustrations below.

However, Google Flow doesn’t work very well for 2d animation. Therefore, considering the time limit, I switched to 3d animation, and take Chinese 3d animation and pixar 3d animation as the prompts for art style.

And here is the workflow that I figured out during the entire process:

  1. generate the accurate character turnaround sheet with Nano Banana. And generate a facial design for important characters;

  2. generate the keyframe of your video, by using the pictures you have in step 1 and prompts to describe following aspects:
    (1) art style
    (2) references (e.g. the character’s face refers to pic 1, cloth refers to pic 2…)
    (3) time/era
    (4) image content
    (5) camera shot

  3. generate the video with the keyframes as ingredient or start/end frames.

I’ll show some of the outcomes from each step below.

Character turnaround sheet

KEyframes

Google Flow – Workflow Notes & Reflections

Limitations & Observations

  1. Image Quality Degradation
    Each time an image is edited or adjusted, the resolution tends to drop noticeably.

  2. Weakness in 2D Animation & Design Logic
    Flow struggles with 2D animation aesthetics and lacks strong graphic design sensibility.

  3. Unreliable Selection Tool
    The selection area is sometimes ineffective, changes may affect the entire image regardless of the selected region.

  4. Scene Complexity Limitations

    • Performs significantly better with single-character, close-up shots

    • Struggles with multi-character compositions and wide shots

  5. Timing & Spacing Issues

    • Fast actions are not fast enough → lack of proper motion dynamics

    • All generated clips tend to have the same duration → leads to unnecessary footage and poor pacing control

  6. Strength in Emotional Interpretation
    Flow is relatively strong at interpreting emotions, especially in facial expressions

Prompting Strategy

  • Start with a simple prompt as a test to identify typical errors

  • Then refine with more specific constraints to correct those issues

Practical Tips

  1. Salvage Keyframes
    Even in a poorly generated clip, you can often extract a strong keyframe image

  2. Reuse Backgrounds
    A flawed image may still contain a useful background that can be repurposed

Historical Accuracy Reflection

Although Xin Qiji’s clothing in my animation generally aligns with the Song Dynasty, there are still many details that require further research or correction.

For example:

  • The color of the waist belt is tied to official rank and hierarchy

Due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to fully explore these historically rich but important details, which is a bit of a regret.

animation sketch course

-character design

By utilizing different parts of the body as the dominant element in a character's movement, the illustration naturally showcases the character's unique traits.

process

First, define the character's personality traits, then determine the symbolic character type based on which body part leads their movement. For example, characters led by their head often appear innocent, cute, and lively; those led by their chest tend to be superhero-like protagonists; while characters led by their hips often exude arrogance or a roguish charm.

Once this is established, create at least ten rough character illustrations for each character, select the best one, and refine it into a more polished group composition.

Indistinguishable from the real

"Indistinguishable from the Real" is the title of our course assignment. The task requires us to select an animated work and, based on its worldbuilding and artistic style, create a new character. We then need to seamlessly integrate this character into a screenshot from the animation, making it appear as if they truly belong in that world.

Selected Animation:

Black★Rock Shooter

Character Profile

Rin, the Reserved Transfer Student

Rin is often praised for having a kind personality, but in truth, she dislikes social interactions. She has merely mastered the art of communication rather than enjoying it. At times, she even finds herself resenting her friends because they constantly seek a deeper connection with her. This, in turn, tightens her bond with the world—something Rin wishes to avoid. To her, human connections are an unavoidable form of entrapment.

Design Concept

  • Avian Features (Wings, Talons) → A representation of Rin’s yearning for absolute freedom.

  • Coexistence of Angelic and Demonic Elements → A reflection of the intense inner conflict between her emotions and identity.

  • One Eye Covered → Symbolizes the things she refuses to see and the aspects of herself she doesn’t want others to perceive.

  • Wasp-Waist Laser Cannon → Represents the words swallowed, the thoughts left unspoken. In the "Inner World," these repressed emotions manifest as sorrow, which fuels her destructive power.

animation 2

Self-identity

This is the first small practice of the full process of animation.

When someone tries to act in a way that doesn’t align with their usual persona, they often experience discomfort, embarrassment, or even shame. Others may also react with surprise or judgment. For example, a cool and aloof person wanting a cute plush toy, or a mature and reserved individual suddenly feeling the urge to climb a tree.

In reality, these are entirely natural thoughts and behaviors. Liking cute things or climbing a tree without worrying about getting dirty are experiences anyone can have.

In the short film, the two characters struggle against each other, yet also help one another when it comes to doing things they secretly want but feel too ashamed to attempt. When one hesitates, the other might emerge from their mind, take over, and act on their behalf.

storyboard

The content of storyboard is not fully presented in the video. I’ll polish and finish this work in the future :)

METAVERSE CUSTOM SERVICE

Worldbuilding

With the establishment of the metaverse, independent digital beings have emerged within the virtual world, forming a society of their own. The relationship between humanity and this virtual society resembles that of two separate nations engaging in diplomatic exchanges.

In this world, both virtual beings and humans can seek employment in the other’s domain.

The platform is represented by several virtual beings who perform real work within the company—clocking in, working shifts, and taking vacations just like human employees. Each of these virtual beings specializes in a different field, handling client inquiries accordingly. While the setting allows clients to be either humans or virtual beings, in reality, only real-world users interact with the platform.

Character Roles:

  • Character 1 → Handles platform promotion, general inquiries, and basic operational support.

  • Character 2 → Manages inquiries related to engineering and production.

  • Character 3 → Specializes in creative-related client requests.

  • Character 4 → Assists clients with investment-related concerns.

Each virtual being functions as a dedicated service representative within the metaverse, ensuring seamless interactions between human users and the virtual world.