Defying Gravity: The Art of Yukiko Kuribayashi

Exploring the Innovative Design Behind the "Gravity Cat"

Yukiko Kuribayashi, a renowned production designer, drew inspiration from the movie "Inception" directed by Christopher Nolan. The film's depiction of a world where the laws of gravity and physics are ignored sparked the idea for the "Gravity Cat". Kuribayashi's design aimed to create a similar gravity-defying environment, resulting in a captivating visual spectacle.

The "Gravity Cat" is a unique design that showcases a world where gravity changes. This was achieved by constructing a cylindrical structure made of steel frames that rotate 360 degrees, housing a wooden room set within. As the structure rotates, the room and its props appear to float and swing, creating an illusion of altered gravity.

The realization of this design was a meticulous process. The team built a motor-controlled chain around the core of the cylindrical structure, with caster wheel units at the base to facilitate rotation. The room set contained a mix of fixed heavy furniture and unfixed light props, the latter of which would fall and fly to effectively depict drastic gravity changes.

One of the challenges faced during the design process was deciding which furniture and props to fix and which to leave unfixed. This was crucial to ensure the safety of the actress acting inside the rotating room set. Despite these challenges, Kuribayashi and her team managed to create a realistic room set that added an interesting contrast to the unrealistic movement caused by the rotating structure.

The "Gravity Cat" project began in November 2016 and took a month to design and plan. The shooting was completed within three days, but the construction of the cylindrical structure and its system took four days. The result was a unique, gravity-defying room that captured the attention and imagination of viewers.

In recognition of its innovative design and execution, the "Gravity Cat" was awarded the Golden A' Movie, Video and Animation Design Award in 2019. This prestigious award is granted to outstanding creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.