In October 2023, the 19th Asian Games were held in Hangzhou, China. Alibaba Cloud, as a official prestige partner of HangZhou Asian Games. Alibaba Cloud invited us to harness the power of their AI model Tongyi Wanxiang to create an ink-drawing-inspired animation. How to use minimalist and condensed graphics to tell a grand story. We create an Eastern style ink wash short film called "Paper full of clouds". The entire film is connected by "clouds and smoke", selecting landmark buildings from various parts of Asia and cleverly connecting them with the iconic buildings of Hangzhou through various sports activities.

In China, cultural taboos often surround the use of black and white colors. But for us, black represents the culmination of all colors, as often mentioned, the “colorful black.” This film dared to defy convention by exclusively featuring black and white ink style. The lotus leaves, bamboo, and pine are representative elements of Hangzhou, China. They weave through the entire short film, thereby enhancing the artistic conception of the ink animation.

The 19th Asian Games will be hosted in Hangzhou, China. Alibaba Cloud, as a official prestige partner of HangZhou Asian Games, aimed to create a promotional video

to welcome the opening of the Asian Games.

Inspired by the “Cloud”, our team got the idea “ Above the Cloud, All Heroes Gather”. Alibaba Cloud Migrates Hangzhou Asian Games’ Core Systems to the Cloud. Athletes from various parts of Asia converge in Hangzhou, undeterred by the thousands of miles that separate them, all in pursuit of their innermost dreams. Much like the clouds in the sky, their unity knows no boundaries, and they fear no geographical obstacles.

Inspired by the “Cloud”, our team got the idea “ Above the Cloud, All Heroes Gather”. Alibaba Cloud Migrates Hangzhou Asian Games’ Core Systems to the Cloud. Athletes from various parts of Asia converge in Hangzhou, undeterred by the thousands of miles that separate them, all in pursuit of their innermost dreams. Much like the clouds in the sky, their unity knows no boundaries, and they fear no geographical obstacles.

Our team collaborated closely with Alibaba AI model Tongyi Wanxiang to adopt a “purely three-dimensional” approach. At the same time, we combine 3D software such as MotionBuilder, Maya, and Houdini, and create an Eastern style ink wash digital short film called “Paper full of clouds”.

How to use minimalist and condensed graphics to tell a grand story. Our team collaborated closely with Alibaba AI to adopt a “purely three-dimensional” approach. The film is connected by “clouds and smoke”, selecting landmark buildings from various parts of Asia and cleverly connecting them with the iconic buildings of Hangzhou through various sports activities. We design these buildings and athletes as silhouettes between flat and three-dimensional, creating black and white tones. For instance, the Seoul Tower in South Korea merged with the Hangzhou International Conference Center, the King Power Mahanakhon in Thailand intertwined with the Zhejiang Global Center, the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia harmonized with the Hangzhou Arch, the Taj Mahal in India danced alongside Gongchen Bridge, Kiyomizu Temple in Japan blended with the serene Hu Xin Pavilion. These landmarks, representing nations large and small in Asia, metamorphosed into stages for athletic competitions on the Cloud.

The film’s release on the official channels of the 19th Asian Games ignited fervor and anticipation among the public, not only for the upcoming sporting event but also for the sense of pride it instilled in Alibaba Cloud. This black and white ink short film stood out during the Hangzhou Asian Games, and the film gaining nearly ten million views on china media. After the film was broadcast, the popularity of the 19th Asian Games, which were held in Hangzhou and Alibaba Cloud, increased by 60% in China.