LUMINOUS
2024 Illustration & Short Video
This story is about a glowing little boy who lives in a colorless world. Determined to bring light and hope, he sets out to illuminate everything around him. However, the story takes a surprising twist at the end—the world he inhabits turns out not to be a real world, but a stove.
ROLE
Narrator
Designer
Sound Editor
Video Editor
TIME
2024, April, 1 month
CLIENT
TOOL
Procreate
Adobe After Effect
SUBJECT
The animation explores themes of hope, change, and the power of individuality. By blending elements of fantasy with the boy's determination, this story invites viewers to reflect on the impact of one small spark in a world waiting for transformation. The surprising twist at the end encourages audiences to reconsider the boundaries of perception and embrace the limitless potential of imagination.
STORY SYNOPSIS
In a city where only black and white exists, a little boy with color appears. He was determined to light up the city and fill it with color. At first, no one thought much of him, but he lit the lights on the tower and illuminated the whole city through his actions. The reverse is that it's actually just a stove being lit up.
CHARACTOR DESIGN
Lucian
Lucian, the protagonist, is portrayed as a child, symbolizing both his physical size and his humble abilities. His image was inspired by fireflies. The protagonist Despite his seeming smallness, he is naturally optimistic and cheerful, never allowing challenges to defeat him. With a strong belief in his mission, he is determined to bring change to the world.
Brain
Brain is the antagonist. He is an ordinary accountant working in an office. Compared to the protagonist, he is tall and thin, and looks tired from the workload. Everything is in contrast to Bob.
The twins
The twins, they are non-player characters (NPCs) . They met Bob on their way home from school.
STORYBOARD
COLOUR THEORY
Black and white constructs the outline of the world. Combining Chaplin's humor with the style of silent films, it expresses how the world is both flourish yet simple, and how people busy themselves with daily routines in an orderly fashion.
Yellow presents the illuminations which make the boring world world bright, joyful and warm. Yellow is like a happy virus. Everyone or everything infected by it will become bright and cheerful.
MOODBOARD
ANIMATION REFERENCE
The movements of Lucian hopping and skipping.
Reference for Brian jumping in fright.
Reference for Lucian being knocked down and pushing his hands against the ground.
The other reference for Brian jumping in fright.
Reference for Lucian climbing the tower.
SOUND DESIGN
The boy's glowing effect is conveyed through the sound of 'fairy dust.'
The sound of ‘popping the balloon’ serves as a cue for the climax of the short animation, signaling the boy's sudden burst of inspiration.
The sound of ‘bouncing’ expresses the boy's energy and his happy mood.
As a turning point, in contrast to the variety of sound effects used beginning, the background sound becomes much quieter toward the end, with only the ‘sizzling of oil’ in the pan. This effect makes the audience suddenly realize that the world the boy is in is actually a stove.
KEY FRAMES
