Motion Design / 2.5D Photography · 2026
Sacred Spaces
of Kyoto
Architecture, belief and nature
What makes a place sacred?
A 70-second motion-design film exploring how architecture, belief and nature shape the experience of Kyoto’s sacred spaces. I developed a journey through Fushimi Inari Taisha, Ryōan-ji, Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji, using layered photographs, typography and 2.5D parallax to create moments of quiet wonder.
- Project
- Monash · MDC4502 Place Snapshot · 2026
- Role
- Image preparation / Compositing / Animation / Typography / Edit
- Tools
- Photoshop / After Effects
01
Four places, one journey
Wide views and close details guide the film from the vivid architecture of Fushimi Inari to the stillness of Ryōan-ji, across Kiyomizu-dera and towards the light and reflections of Kinkaku-ji.
02
Establishing the visual direction
Vermilion, warm gold, stone grey, moss green and muted blue inform the palette. Bold sans-serif type gives the photographic scenes a consistent voice, while restrained movement supports a quiet, reflective atmosphere.
03
Planning depth and rhythm
The storyboard records shot order, timing and camera direction. Photographs were separated into foreground, middle-ground and background layers in Photoshop, then animated in After Effects. Different movement speeds create 2.5D depth, with pans, zooms and transitions connecting the scenes.
Student project. Motion design, compositing, typography and edit by Xiyuan Bai. Photography sourced from Pexels and Unsplash; selected image elements were reconstructed with AI-assisted tools. Full credits are included in the film.
Photography & music credits
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Kai-Chieh Chan / Pexels; Travel with Lenses / Pexels; Levi Meir Clancy / Unsplash
Ryōan-ji
Bart Wellens / Unsplash; Griffin Quinn / Unsplash
Kiyomizu-dera
realfish / Unsplash; GUO ZIYU / Unsplash
Kinkaku-ji
Sebastian Kurpiel / Unsplash; Jean Vella / Unsplash
Music
Hakushin’s Lullaby — Yu-Peng Chen / HOYO-MiX, 2021