Tue Jul 19 2022
About Project
I created this title sequence for The Box Man, a 1973 Japanese novel by Kobo Abe, as a way to capture its haunting exploration of isolation and identity. The story follows a nameless protagonist who abandons his identity to live inside a large cardboard box, shutting himself off from the world. As a motion media designer, I was drawn to the novel’s stark portrayal of societal pressure and self-imposed isolation, and I wanted to translate this into a monochrome, noisy frame-by-frame animation. My title sequence aims to immerse viewers in the box man’s perspective, creating a depressing yet poignant atmosphere that reflects the novel’s themes.
Conceptual Framework
I designed the title sequence to embody the box man’s isolated existence, focusing on his view of the world through the cardboard box’s cracks. The concept revolves around the contrast between the box man’s inner world (dark, confined, introspective) and the outside world (chaotic, indifferent, yet fleetingly visible). My key ideas include:
- Box Man’s Perspective: I wanted to show the world through the box man’s eyes, using the box’s narrow cracks to frame fragmented glimpses of reality, emphasizing his detachment.
- Monochrome Aesthetic: I chose a black-and-white palette with heavy noise to reflect the box man’s bleak, self-closing life, evoking a sense of desolation and emotional weight.
- Emotional Expression Through Eyes: I used the box man’s eyes to convey his complex feelings—thinking, doubt, fear—making them the emotional anchor of the sequence.
- Many Eyes Motif: I included a scene with multiple eyes to symbolize the countless “box men” in society—people suffering from depression and isolation, overlooked by the world.
- Zoom-Out Transition: I used a zooming-out effect to represent the box man’s growing distance from the world, suggesting both his self-isolation and society’s tendency to forget him.
My goal was to create a sequence that feels oppressive yet introspective, inviting viewers to empathize with the box man’s loneliness while confronting the broader societal issue of isolation.
Storyboard for the Title Sequence
The title sequence follows the box man’s perspective as he peers through the cracks of his cardboard box. Fragmented glimpses of the outside world—blurred faces, bustling streets, fleeting moments of life—appear and vanish, framed by the box’s edges. His eyes, visible in the darkness, express a range of emotions: curiosity, doubt, fear. As the sequence progresses, the camera zooms out, showing the box man as a small, solitary figure in a vast, indifferent world. The sequence ends with a haunting image of many eyes staring from within their own “boxes,” representing others who share his isolation. The title, The Box Man, emerges in stark, textured letters, fading into noise.
Styleframes