1. Design Evolution
At the beginning of the project, I considered using a young girl as the main character to explore anxiety and the pursuit of freedom through her personal experiences.
However, as the project developed, I realised that the girl’s distinct age and identity might lead audiences to interpret the film as a personal coming-of-age story, rather than an exploration of the broader social anxiety I wanted to address.
Therefore, I decided to move away from this design and use a plastic mannequin as the main visual reference.
2. Design Concept
Plastic mannequins have standardised body proportions, smooth surfaces and expressionless faces.
Their lack of individual identity makes them more suitable for representing emotional numbness in urban life, as well as the gradual loss of individuality under social expectations and collective routines.
3. Visual Design
I retained the main characteristics of plastic mannequins, including simplified body structures, smooth surfaces and minimal facial features.
As the film uses stylised black-and-white rendering, I reduced unnecessary surface details and focused on clear silhouettes and body proportions.
I also used clothing and posture to distinguish different characters while maintaining a consistent visual style.
4. Character Movement
Since the characters have limited facial expressions, body movement becomes the primary way of communicating emotion.
I used repetitive walking, running and mechanical movements to represent anxiety and emotional numbness in urban life.
As the film’s pace accelerates, the characters’ movements become increasingly hurried, contrasting with their expressionless faces.
The characters appear emotionless, yet they are constantly moving and unable to stop.