My thesis film! :)
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THE STORY of CHAOS 话说浑沌2022
Director/ Writer/ Fabricator/ Animator Techniques: claymation, pixilation, paper stop-motion Synopsis: A student presents an imaginative rendition of the ancient Taoist parable of Chaos. She is admonished by her teacher for her unorthodox delivery. Two parallel narratives run through the film: the quashing of the student’s creativity and the death of Chaos in the parable. This stop-motion film underscores the contemporary relevance of Taoist wisdom by cautioning against dogmatism and the disregard for the natural way of things. |
Character and asset design
Chaos / 浑沌I picked plasticine for its malleable, formless quality that corresponds nicely with the muddled mess of “Chaos.” In the Taoist text, Hundun 浑沌, or Chaos, refers to the spontaneous, non-reflective state before any human action or reflection. Unformed plasticine, too, reflects a kind of unformed, creative potentiality.
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The two emperors / 倏忽In contrast to Chaos' chunky character design, I chose to work the emperors to a fine finish. Their robes were made from neatly-pressed sheets of plasticine, cut and layered orderly. Unlike Chaos, who embodies the fluidity of perspectives and non-differentiation, the two emperors are trapped in their particular, anthropocentric way of perceiving the world. Their dogmatism is reflected in their character design: they are identical in essence with superficial colour differences
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Asset designs were heavily informed by Chinese cultural motifs and traditions.
The Original Legend
The emperor of the southern sea was called Swoosh. The emperor of the northern sea was called Oblivion. The emperor of the middle was called Chaos.
Swoosh and Oblivion would sometimes meet in the territory of Chaos, who always waited on them quite adroitly. They decided to repay Chaos for his virtue. “All men have seven holes in them, by means of which they see, hear, eat and breathe,” they said. “But this one alone has none. Let’s drill him some.” So every day they drilled another hole. Seven days later, Chaos was dead. Zhuangzi, Chapter 7
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南海之帝为倏,北海之帝为忽,中央之帝为浑沌。倏与忽时相与遇于浑沌之地,浑沌待之甚善。倏与忽谋报浑沌之德,曰:“人皆有七窍,以视听食息,此独无有,尝试凿之。”日凿一窍,七日而浑沌死。
庄子·应帝王
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Quek, Y.Q. (2021). Moulding The Story of Chaos: Interpretation, Perspectivity, and Materiality [Bachelor's thesis, Nanyang Technological University]. DR-NTU. https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/handle/10356/149544
Zhuangzi. (2009). Zhuangzi: The essential writings with selections from traditional commentaries (1367104982 999761766 B. Ziporyn, Trans.). Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.
Zhuangzi. (2009). Zhuangzi: The essential writings with selections from traditional commentaries (1367104982 999761766 B. Ziporyn, Trans.). Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.
Director
Supervisor Cast Music / Sound Design Performed by Recording Engineer |
Quek Yu Qing
Bernhard Johannes Schmitt Lim Ci Xuan Quek Yu Qing Sulwyn Lok Huang Ming Xiang Calla Lim |