Concept
THEME：“Who Is the Fish in the Tank?”
The main subject of this project is a carousel, which was originally developed as the central asset for another assignment. In that project, the carousel was placed in an abandoned amusement park. For this project, I wanted to explore how the same object could change in meaning and visual impact when placed in a different environment.
Instead of using another realistic amusement-park setting, I decided to place the carousel in a surreal indoor water park. This change of environment allows me to explore the relationship between the carousel and water, reflections, floating fish and dreamlike space. It also allows me to compare how the same object can create different emotions and narratives through changes in context, lighting, colour and composition.
It explores how our understanding of normality depends on perspective and established conventions. The entire scene takes place inside a giant aquarium. The carousel and the fish remain upright, while the surrounding architecture is inverted, creating a world that appears impossible but follows its own visual rules.
Reference
ELEMENTS
| Element | |
| fish tank | |
| fish | |
| Carousel | |
| The first perspective（hand） | |
| balloon | |
| Reversing |
Ambiance image（older version）
Version 1
Overall:
The image is made by AI. The image presents a surreal and empty indoor water park. The warm lights of the carousel contrast with the cool blue pool environment, creating a nostalgic, dreamlike and slightly unfamiliar atmosphere. The reflective water connects the different elements and reinforces the sense of a childhood dream
Foreground:
Large tropical fish appear close to the camera on both sides of the frame, creating depth and framing the image. A pink inflatable ring is visible in the lower-left corner, while the wet pool tiles reflect the orange and blue lighting.
Midground – Main Subject:
The rabbit carousel is positioned near the centre of the composition and acts as the main visual focus. Its warm bulbs and decorated canopy contrast with the surrounding blue environment. The carved rabbits replace the traditional carousel horses and give the object a softer, more dreamlike identity.
Background:
The background contains an indoor water slide, columns, palm trees, balloons, swan boats and more floating fish. A long blue corridor creates depth on the right side, while the rainbow visible through the distant arch adds an impossible dreamlike element.
Storyline
| Time | Shot and Perspective | Visual Action | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6s | Black screen → first-person view | A phone rings. The viewer opens their eyes and sees a public telephone beside a fish tank. | Telephone ringing and a quiet ambient atmosphere. |
| 6–14s | First-person close-up | The viewer’s hand picks up the phone. Inside the tank, a single goldfish swims quietly. | The ringing fades and is replaced by a faint underwater sound. |
| 14–21s | Looking down at the phone | The viewer answers the phone, but there is no voice. Only a distant, muffled water sound can be heard. | Echo, low-frequency sound and silence to create uncertainty. |
| 21–31s | Camera turns towards the fish tank | The tank gradually becomes dark. A carousel, balloons and decorations slowly appear inside it, but everything is still upright and unlit. | The ambient sound becomes quieter; subtle flickering and low-frequency sound. |
| 31–39s | First-person movement | The viewer puts down the phone and walks towards the tank. One hand touches the glass. Its reflection appears slightly delayed or misaligned. | A glass-touching sound and expanding water ripples. |
| 39–48s | Close-up of the glass → inside the tank | As the hand touches the glass, the tank suddenly lights up. The rabbit carousel begins to rotate, while the surrounding buildings, water slides and balloons turn upside down. The goldfish reappears and swims upright. | Lights switch on, bubbles rise, water moves and the environment rotates. |
| 48–55s | Camera follows the goldfish | The goldfish swims through the inverted buildings and past the carousel. The camera follows it, as if the fish is guiding the viewer. | Underwater ambience and increasing movement in the sound design. |
| 55–58s | Close-up | The goldfish swims directly towards the camera and looks at the viewer. | The sound suddenly becomes quieter, leaving only the sound of water. |
| 58–60s | Viewer steps back → black screen | The viewer moves back and removes their hand from the glass. The tank gradually returns to darkness, and the phone rings again. | The telephone ringing returns, creating a circular ending. |
The viewer initially thinks they are observing the fish, but the final eye contact reverses this relationship: the fish may actually be observing the viewer.
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