Disjunction

A SHORT FILM BY

YEAR

Zechen Huang

2024

TOOLS

Unreal Engine 5 | Blender | Motion Capture | Houdini

In the fleeting days of youth, a boy stumbled upon a gun and, with reckless innocence, pulled the trigger… but nothing happened. Decades later, he wandered into a forest. A faint whisper of wind brushes his ear. He turns, and the long-forgotten bullet finds its mark, echoing the past into the present.

Zechen Huang

Zechen Huang

Zechen Huang

Zechen Huang, Shuming Zhou

Zechen Huang, Shuming Zhou

Zechen Huang, Kevin Pollard

Zechen Huang, Shuming Zhou

Zechen Huang, Shuming Zhou

Zechen Huang

Zechen Huang

 

CEPHAS BHASKAR & PENELOPE HARALAMBIDOU & JOHN CRUWYS & CAMILLE DUNLOP

Written & Directed:

3D Modelling:

3D Animation:

Motion Caption:

Stop Motion:

Music:

Sound Design:

Shot on Location:

Editor:

Compositing:

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Disjunction - Official Trailer

This short film centers on the courtroom trial of a corpse, and explores themes of identity, alienation, and the human condition through a surreal narrative. Set against a backdrop of fragmented memories and musical performances, "Last Monster in 21st Century" reflects on a man consumed by internal and external monsters, symbolising societal neglect and isolation. As the protagonist grapples with his existence — caught between being human, machine, or something else. With the Judge and three witnesses, the trial begins. Witnesses, depicted as creatures made of musical instruments, embody the tension between self-expression and inner turmoil, offering fragmented views of the corpse’s life. The project employs non-linear storytelling, blending music, animation, and abstract visuals to explore the complex relationship between alienation and identity.

The Magic Lantern is a vintage projector used to document the trial in “Last Monster in 21ST Century”. Powered by fire, its flickering, ethereal light captures fragmented evidence in the proceeding, blurring the line between reality and fantasy.

The Magic Lantern

Three Witnesses

The Witnesses are monsters made of musical instruments without mouths, narrating the past life of the corpse, while also being alternate forms for the protagonist himself.

Electric Guitar

An intricate fusion of musical instruments and mechanical components, designed to embody both artistic expression and functional precision. Harmonix’s central body is constructed from a stringed instrument, resembling an electric guitar or violin, with strings stretched across its form, serving as both a structural and musical element. Its limbs, crafted from metallic and wooden parts, integrate seamlessly with knobs, tuning pegs, and wires, symbolizing its ability to produce and manipulate sound.

  • Concept Drawing 01

Synthesizer

An elegant blend of analog and digital music-making tools. With a keyboard integrated into its body and various instrumental components, Sonora bridges the worlds of classical and electronic music. Each movement triggers melodies, and every gesture creates soundscapes, making Sonora an embodiment of auditory creativity, constantly crafting a symphony through its very existence. Designed to express the seamless merging of technology and music, Sonora’s purpose is to explore the endless possibilities of musical creation.

  • Concept Drawing 02

Saxophone

a musical automaton crafted from the soul of brass instruments. Built to resonate with the powerful, resonant sounds of trumpets, horns, and saxophones, Brassius produces deep, melodic tones with each movement. Its form combines precision engineering with musical artistry, embodying the timeless beauty and power of brass music. Every part of its body is designed to create and amplify sound, making it a living orchestra in a world where music and machinery coexist.

  • Concept Drawing 03

  • The Judge.

  • Magic Lantern.

  • Witness NO.1

  • Witness NO.1

  • Witness NO.2

  • Witness NO.2

  • Witness NO.3

  • Witness NO.3

  • The Underground.

The Corpse

Once a man torn in the in-between, his lifeless form represents the culmination of inner torment.

At the final stop in the flash journey, he was offered a ticket to the cinema of his life. Reflecting on the past became yet another possibility.

The Cinema

Lyrics

The lyrics create a narrative where the protagonist is seen as a monstrous being, and is (for once) given a voice, supported and opposed by witness statements, in order to be judged for his actions.