Cinematic Horizons : Expanding a Still Frame
2025
Visual Narrative | Cinematic Worldbuilding
Unreal Engine | Premiere Pro
‘Cinematic Horizons’ is an experimental project that begins with a single still image and expands it into a virtual space, constructing a cinematic narrative.
This project was inspired by Cemetery, Fountain City, WI, 2002 from Alec Soth's Sleeping by the Mississippi. I explored the potential narratives embedded within a single photograph and expanded the scene into a cinematic space through virtual worldbuilding and cinematography using Unreal Engine.
This project is not about simply recreating a photograph in virtual environment. Instead, it aims to extend the mood and sensory experience of the image within a cinematic flow.
This project was inspired by Cemetery, Fountain City, WI, 2002 from Alec Soth's Sleeping by the Mississippi. I explored the potential narratives embedded within a single photograph and expanded the scene into a cinematic space through virtual worldbuilding and cinematography using Unreal Engine.
This project is not about simply recreating a photograph in virtual environment. Instead, it aims to extend the mood and sensory experience of the image within a cinematic flow.
What if this scene were not just a still image, but a frame within a film? What story might unfold?
Photography is not merely a static record. It is a medium that suggests narratives beyond the frame.
This project explores the potential for extending a still image into a broader visual experience by reconstructing the scene as a cinematic sequence. Rather than replicating the photograph exactly, I focused on expanding its mood and atmosphere, transforming a frozen moment into a continuous visual narrative.
The final video extends the emotional resonance of the original image, transforming the still scene into an experimental sequence. The audience no longer simply observes a static moment but instead experiences the sensation of stepping into the scene itself. The camera moves slowly, gradually revealing the stillness of the original image within a dynamic cinematic flow.
Through this process, I sought to explore how a single still image can evolve beyond its static nature and unfold as a cinematic narrative.
