Shann
Xiangnuo Xia
Motion + illustrationI like stories that are a little offbeat, but still hit home.
Shann
Motion + illustrationI like stories that are a little offbeat, but still hit home.
Inspired by Kafka’s Metamorphosis, this storyboard reverses the original transformation. Instead of a man turning into a beetle, a beetle longs to become human, to feel emotion, romance, and connection.
Set in a surreal school environment, the narrative explores how the creature’s attempt to “live” through a human body which he falls in love with. In his desperate pursuit of emotion and connection, Gregors parasitically inhabits the boy’s body. The work blends satire and empathy, using distorted proportions, symbolic imagery, and theatrical color to blur the line between parasite and participant, observer and dreamer.
I used warped perspectives, dramatic lighting and controlled composition. Harsh contrasts and directional shadows were used to externalize feelings of isolation and scrutiny, while tight, off-centered framing heightened discomfort and psychological tension. By carefully adjusting each frame’s visual weight and perspective, I aimed to let Gregor’s internal struggle unfold without words—purely through atmosphere.