An Elephant Sitting Still · Title Sequence
Scientists can’t explain how elephants sense disasters before they strike. Maybe they feel the weight of impending tragedy.
In An Elephant Sitting Still, four protagonists attempt to escape Shijiazhuang, tangled by unshakable ties weighing them down, to reach Manzhouli. The film portrays a society oblivious to others’ suffering, lost in its own struggles.
The sequence follows their journey of healing, resisting a seemingly predetermined fate through resilience. Each porcelain piece represents a character, mended by Kintsugi—symbolizing both neglect and inner strength. Fragile yet enduring, they mirror the characters’ trauma, where even the smallest fracture can shatter them.
Project Role Art Direction · Graphic Design · Modelling · Compositing · illustration
Programs Photoshop · Cinema 4D · RedShift · Clip Studio · InDesign
Collaborator Eunseo Ryu
Frames
Process
Porcelain Pattern
The porcelain designs are inspired by traditional Chinese patterns, each symbolizing cultural fables. Bamboo represents resilience like Wei Bu, the peach tree signifies wisdom and care like Wang Jin, the lotus flower embodies innocence and purity like Huang Ling, and the lion reflects boldness and fearlessness like Yu Cheng. Each type of porcelain also features a unique pattern system with inner and outer designs.
Programs
The Kintsugi effect is digitally applied in Photoshop to create a glistening look. The porcelain patterns are illustrated using watercolor and ink brushes in Photoshop and Clip Studio. The objects and lighting are arranged in Cinema 4D, with minor lighting adjustments made in Photoshop.
Visual Direction
The title uses the Chengyuluoyan typeface, a Chinese font that mimics handwriting, paired with Azo Sans to contrast with its more fluid, handwritten style. The lighting of the scene correlates to the setting of the movie. The environment is dusty and forgotten, yet light still breaks through, offering hope to those who are lost.
