Experiencing Interruptions?

What Remains of a Step

This is a sensory-driven, stream-of-consciousness short animation that follows a character’s journey into a mysterious, dreamlike forest. The story begins in emptiness, as the protagonist takes a step and triggers the appearance of vibrant nature beneath his feet. Drawn by glowing creatures and strange forces, he interacts with the environment in increasingly intense and symbolic ways. Each action causes unexpected transformations—light turns into lines, sound into form, and touch into absorption. The narrative flows like a visual poem, with no dialogue or strict plot structure, but instead a continuous unfolding of encounters and exchanges. As the protagonist is gradually consumed and fused with the world around him, the line between self and environment dissolves. The story invites the viewer to experience perception, change, and integration in a surreal, immersive way.

  • Yuxin Sun
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 5 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 18, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - UAL
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Yuxin Sun

Yuxin Sun is an award-winning independent animator based in Shanghai and London, focusing on 2D, mixed media, and experimental motion as a form of sensory and visual exploration.

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Director Statement

My animation practice is not defined by a single visual style but is driven by the playfulness and expressiveness of motion itself. I combine physical and digital drawing techniques, using mixed materials to explore how texture, rhythm, and movement shape a distinctive visual atmosphere. I aim to work flexibly across different animation forms and apply this visual approach to film, games, and advertising.
Beyond technique, I am deeply interested in how animation can create beauty, emotional resonance, and meaningful storytelling through its own language. I am drawn to visually striking, immersive, or tactile imagery, as well as innovative story structures that move beyond convention while remaining intuitive and emotionally clear. My practice values both aesthetic richness and narrative experimentation.
I am particularly excited by cross-disciplinary and hybrid forms of animation—projects that require inventive thinking and unconventional solutions. This includes designing interactive animated moments within games or developing mixed-media works that blend live-action with 2D animation to create unexpected visual chemistry. These processes allow animation to transform and re-imagine reality, which aligns with my interest in pushing the medium beyond traditional boundaries.
Overall, my practice is guided by curiosity, adaptability, and a desire to craft visually compelling work that invites audiences into new aesthetic and emotional spaces. I view animation not only as a technique but as an open, flexible medium capable of carrying beauty, experimentation, and storytelling in equal measure.