In this blog I will discuss in detail the research and concept design of my assignment. I will record the evolution and iteration of my ideas from the initial design.

First Stroy: Visual impact brought by the giant hand and the size difference

The initial inspiration came from a giant hand that stretched out from the ground. This hand came from a buried, dying giant. In my initial setting, this giant symbolized an ancient, forgotten power, and he stretched out his hand before dying, like a last struggle or a call for help. However, when the giant died, people did not regard him as a miracle, but began to build a tripod on this giant hand to conduct research, trying to understand the origin and power of the giant.

I started from the size difference between the giant hand and humans and conceived the giant hand as the core visual element of the story. Visually, the huge size of the giant hand represents an irresistible force, like a powerful existence that has revived from nature or history. This contrast not only brings shock, but also conveys a sense of powerlessness between the individual and the huge force, which is an emotion that modern humans often experience when facing a force beyond themselves (such as nature, fate, and technology).

The design of the giant hand is not only huge, but also reflects the traces of time in the details, as if it has awakened from an ancient civilization buried deep underground, with rough skin, clear cracks, thick nails, and every texture of the palm is like a river across time.
 
In order to highlight the contrast between the giant hand and humans, this difference can be strengthened through scene design. Humans may walk beside the giant hand like ants, build tripods, and move back and forth between the huge fingers, forming a sense of powerlessness of humans in the face of powerful forces. The giant hand seems to be everywhere, overwhelmingly dominating the entire scene.

I even wonder if the scene design can be more religious, like the interaction between man and God in Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The initial conception mainly revolved around human ignorance and exploration of natural forces. The giant symbolizes the ancient, primitive natural power, and the scientific research conducted by humans after his death symbolizes the exploitation and control of nature and unknown things in modern society. Although the visual effect is unique and the connotation of the story is relatively profound, I feel that the conflict between the scene and the theme is not clear enough.

Second Stroy: A warning from the ocean

The inspiration of the story comes from the sea pollution. The environment of the sea was damaged a lot by human, oil spills and plastic pollution had become serious problems. This story shows nature’s attack against human – a giant hand stretches out from the bottom of the sea and destroys the oil tanker, representing nature’s awakening and revenge.

In this story, a giant hand rises from the sea and destroys an oil tanker. It’s no longer something humans study, but a force of nature striking back. This attack shows that after years of damage, nature is finally waking up. The ocean, once a home for life, is being weakened by pollution and overdevelopment. When the giant hand emerges and smashes the ship, it feels like revenge for the sea creatures harmed by oil spills, plastic waste, and industrial dumping. It’s not just destruction, but a warning from nature: if humans keep ignoring environmental problems, there will be consequences.

Although the second story has a deeper meaning, it lacks dynamic elements and story progression. The scene where the giant hand destroys the oil tanker is visually striking and symbolic, but as the main focus of the animation, it may not hold the audience’s attention for long. There isn’t enough action or variation to keep the narrative engaging and interesting.

Third Stroy: Overwork

In the final story, I shifted the focus from the big theme of humans and nature to something more personal that almost everyone faces: overtime work. The giant hand is still there, but it’s no longer the main focus. The real main character is the playful and innocent child that lives in all of us. The giant hand now represents endless overtime and work pressure, symbolizing the forces in modern society that weigh us down.

The true main character is the playful, innocent child that lives inside everyone. This child symbolizes the purity and longing for freedom that we all carry within us. Wearing a raincoat, the child wanders through a city filled with giant hands and overtime notices, surrounded by cold skyscrapers and massive mechanical structures. Under the gaze of tired, watchful eyes, the child finally reaches a huge mechanical heart, which powers the entire city and represents the source of all its oppression. Without hesitation, the child pulls the lever, shutting down the heart. The city falls silent.

This animation manages to keep the content rich without requiring overly complex animations. It focuses more on building an immersive atmosphere within the scenes, which allows for deeper emotional resonance with the audience. By emphasizing the mood and symbolism, rather than intricate motion, it creates a powerful connection, making it easier for viewers to relate to the story’s themes of work pressure and the inner desire for freedom.

Further exploration of the content, including detailed discussions on scene concepts and character design, will be covered in the next blog post. This will dive deeper into the visual and thematic choices, giving a more comprehensive look at how these elements contribute to the overall atmosphere and storytelling of the animation.