House of Flying Daggers: Visualizing the Essence of Chinese Pipa Music

Unleashing the Power of Melody through Black and White Cubes

The 'House of Flying Daggers' is one of the ten most famous Chinese traditional music pieces, depicting the Chu-Han battle of 202 BC. The music portrays the intense fighting scenes between the Chu and Han armies, with the sounds of drums, swords, and crossbows resonating through the air. Lu Zhao and Sen Guo were inspired by the internal meaning of this song and sought to find a way to visualize its power.

What sets this project apart is its innovative use of black and white cubes, which represent the contrasting forces at play in the music. Through the combination of stop-motion animation, graphic elements, and rhythm changes, the designers create a captivating visual experience. The audience is immersed in the relevance between two opposing strengths, interweaving and fighting in sync with the changing melody.

The realization of this design involved utilizing stop-motion animation as the primary medium, enhanced by 3D MAX, AFTER EFFECT, and ILLUSTRATION technologies during post-production. The result is a visually stunning and emotionally impactful piece of art.

The entire work spans 2 minutes and 10 seconds, with a resolution of 1920px * 1080px. It can be viewed on the Vimeo website, where its rich visual effects and high-quality production can be fully appreciated.

Lu Zhao and Sen Guo, the creative director and designer respectively, have successfully brought ancient Chinese music to life through modern performance language and expression techniques. By incorporating geometric shapes, visual symbols, and rhythm changes, they have enriched the charm of traditional Chinese music, captivating audiences worldwide.

The 'House of Flying Daggers' project was initiated in August 2016 and completed in November 2016 in Dalian, China. The designers dedicated extensive research to understand the underlying essence of the Pipa music and its historical significance. This allowed them to create a design that not only visually represents the music but also evokes the emotions and intensity of the original composition.

This project presented several challenges, particularly in finding the right balance between modern expression and ancient Chinese music. The designers had to carefully select and incorporate elements and editing techniques to accurately convey the mood and emotions embedded in the music.

Lu Zhao and Sen Guo's 'House of Flying Daggers' has received recognition for its outstanding design. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Movie, Video, and Animation Design category in 2017. This prestigious accolade acknowledges the project's well-designed, practical, and innovative nature, meeting professional and industrial requirements while contributing to a better world.

Through their unique visualization of the famous Chinese Pipa music, Lu Zhao and Sen Guo have created an immersive experience that allows audiences to connect with the power and emotion of the 'House of Flying Daggers.' This project serves as a testament to the enduring beauty and relevance of ancient Chinese music in the modern world.