Collaborated with Anthony Yiguan Liu and Leo Jiayi Lin for Chroma Awards AI Animation
About the Project
Before Spring Ends is a watercolor-painted short film inspired by the song “Before Spring Ends” by Wang OK and Tianze Li. The emotional landscape of the music, its longing, softness, and quiet hope, became the foundation of the story. We wanted to explore how light, memory, and love persist even when the world collapses.
What Inspired Us
We were deeply moved by the idea that spring can disappear, yet hope can survive inside people. This became the emotional core of the project: even in darkness, the memories we carry can still guide us.
What We Learned
This film taught us how powerful minimal storytelling can be. In just a few minutes, subtle gestures, watercolor lighting, and sound design can carry immense emotional weight. We also developed a deeper understanding of how hand-painted textures can evoke nostalgia, softness, and warmth.
How We Built It
Digital compositing to simulate living watercolor light
A hybrid workflow blending AI generated video, illustration, animation, and real-time tools
Story beats shaped around the emotional structure of the song
A focus on quiet, cinematic visual storytelling rather than dialogue
Challenges We Faced
Conveying a complete emotional journey within three minutes
Balancing poetic stillness with clear narrative progression
Building a believable relationship between characters with minimal dialogue
Maintaining a consistent watercolor aesthetic across digital tools
Ensuring the film’s mood and pacing aligned seamlessly with the music
In the end, Before Spring Ends became more than a short film, it became an exploration of how art, design, and technology can come together to tell a story that feels both delicate and enduring.
Built With
Chatgpt
Elevenlabs
Gemini
Krea.ai
Midjourney
Nanobanana
Veo
