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Yinuo Chen [ yee-know ]
3D Generalist ;
Creative Technologist;
AI Prompt Engineer ;
Portfolio 2023
01 My Body Is Not My Home
Academic Project | 3D Short Film | 2023
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She/Her/Hers 3D Generalist, Creative Technologist, AI Prompt Engineer
Yinuo Chen is a multidisciplinary creative technologist based in Brooklyn and Beijing.
Yinuo had recently graduated from the Interactive Media Arts Program, NYU Tisch, with a Bachelor of fine Arts degree. She is currently a full time AI prompt engineer at Bluefocus Digital’s AIGC center, focusing on VAE model customization and AI assisted video workflow development.
Her works have been showcased at the Enjoy Contemporary Gallery New Zealand, Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum, The Blanc Gallery, iidrr Gallery, System Shanghai, NYU Tisch Gallery, and NYU Interactive Telecommunications program.
02 Man/Eater
Academic Project | Live Audio Visual Performance/Arduino Glove | 2023
03 East-South-West-North, Where did he go?
Individual Project | Origami Print Collection | 2023
04 Selected Client commissions
Artist Commissions | Audio Interactive 3D Visuals | 2023
05 TASKAM : Selected works
Group Project | 3D Audio Visuals | 2022 - 2023
06 AI Prompt Engineering : Selected works
Professional Projects | AI Assisted Commercial Productions | 2023
10 14 18 21 25 0
Directed by Yinuo Chen
Heart 3D model Creation By Kristopher Shi
Motion Capture Dance Sequence by Mark Peshkov
Landscape Production by Keer Zhao
Original Soundtrack by Gabriel Chi, Cameron Tanaka, and Jamante
01 My Body Is Not My Home 3D Animated Short Film Preview Here 2022.12 - 2023.12
02:45 min
Academic Work in New York University
Instructor: Snow Fu Yunxue
Unreal Engine, Autodesk Maya, Premiere Pro
Description: My Body Is Not My Home is a 3D animated short film experimenting with the concept of displacement. It features a digital simulacrum, mirrored after its creator, aimed to reveal, materialize, and reinterpret the often obscured physiological trauma and alienation that accompanies the involuntary process of growing into a politicized body that has no place to call home.
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1. Introduction
Could creatures of the uncanny
illicit Sympathetic Identification? In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Asian female body has found itself thrusted into the forefront of the American consciousness, perceived simultaneously as a source of disease, an object of desire, as well as a perpetual foreigner.
This centuries-long phenomenon of the abjectfication of Asian women echoes themes from Bell Hooks’ influential essay, "Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance" (1992), which delves into the commodification of the 'Other' by the white desiring subject and their desire for transformation through encounters with the 'Other'.
“cultural, ethnic and racial differences will be continually commodified and offered up as new dishes to enhance the white palate […] the Other will be eaten, consumed and forgotten.”(hooks 1992, p. 39).
The commercialization of the ephemeral and digital "Other"—a concept frequently depicted in mainstream movies and video games—presents a substantial risk to our perception of reality. Leveraging artificial intelligence and progressive technological innovations, individuals are now able to craft and proliferate virtual avatars of the 'Other', thereby perpetuating a perilous loop of depersonalization within digital and physical worlds.
My Body Is Not My Home strives to serve as an instrument of defiance against the involuntary mechanism of abjection. Its goal is to re-humanize the entity of the "Other" and to reframe the Asian female form within the realm of the digital and technological landscape, and forge new paradigms of representation.
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2. Research & Methodology I approached this project with an experimental and speculative mentality, curious to see how far the malleable nature of cognitive objectification and abjectification would apply in the digital realm.
Objectification:
VS. Abjectification:
The way we process visuals of human bodies is more configurative, as an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts. Objects, in turns, are perceived less configuratively, more analytically as an assemblage of parts. Interestingly, the study reveals suggestive postures specifically cause objectification, regardless of high vs. low skin to cloth ratio. Bernard, P., Hanoteau, F., Gervais, S.,
Servais, L., Bertolone, I., Deltenre, P., & Colin, C. (2019). Revealing Clothing Does Not Make the Object: ERP Evidences That Cognitive Objectification is Driven by Posture Suggestiveness, Not by Revealing Clothing. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(1), 16-36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218775690
According to Julia Kristeva's Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection, Abjectification, by definition means the Othering of the subject, The act of
othering, though similar to the process of objectification, evokes an added on layer of repulsion and disgust. (Powers 2)
Suggestive Posture
Analytical processing
Neutral body posture
Configural Processing
(often recognized in Open body postures)
(Or closed body postures)
Sexualization
Objectification
Humanization
??
Uncanny Asian Female Open & Closed postures Digital Body
Visual Inspirations:
Final storyboard, 2023
Sacrifice Delusional Mandala, Lu Yang, 2019
Initial Sketches, 2022 Spider, Louise Bourgeois, 2003
Initial Sketches, 2022
Metamorphisis
Assemblage of Self
The narrative unfolds in three distinct sequences: "Sacrifice," where the self is willingly offered up for consumption; the rebirth into "Metamorphosis," rejection of its former self and the further evolution into the 'Other'; and ultimately, the "Assemblage of Self," hysterical dance sequence which visualizes the torment of being perceived as an assemblage of self that could never be seen as whole.
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3. Scene Breakdown Sacrifice
To create a hyper-realistic human body material, I created a subsurface scattering material Blueprint inside of Unreal Engine, ensuring the subtle light transmissions are reflected through the skin layer.
I
The creature’s face is created through converting a 3D scan of my face into Unreal Engine’s Metahuman. The animations were recorded on my phone, and retargeted to the Metahuman’s face through it’s Livelink System.
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3. Scene Breakdown
Metamorphosis
00.Initial Material + Physics Test
The second-skin falling-from-above method failed to accurately mimic the motion of skin peeling from a body.
01.Switching to PathTracer
To correctly render the semi translucent materials and create an overall more hyper realistic footage, I switched over to using Path tracer renderer, which simulates the true physics of light ( it uses ray tracing as one component of a larger light simulation system) and created a custom subsurface material blueprint inside of UE to create a semi-transparent, light leaked through effect on the cocoon.
02.Body Pose Re-design
* The final design of the body’s pose during rebirth is confined to the pattern of the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones, a pattern frequently observed in natural forms. This arrangement symbolizes how our identities are the cumulative result of past memories, shaping us and influencing our perception of control over our decisions.
Initial material test in Unreal Engine’s real time ray-tracer also displayed
limited capability in rendering translucent materials.
03.Adjusting Gravity
I added a wind vortex in Maya and set the gravity to be horizontal, so that the skin would fall sideways, and correctly mimic the skin peeling effect.
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3. Scene Breakdown Assemblage of Self The tension of the story’s slowly builds up up to this point, where metamorphosis occurs and the protagonist enters a frenzied dance sequence. The modified body structure comprises three sets of limbs, representing the traumatic memories that linger on despite the passage of time.
The diamonds draped around her body symbolize the entrapment of empty aesthetic values, which become a tangible burden that increasingly oppresses the individual over time.
Without the weight of her heart, her body is much lighter, easier to carry herself around in the world.
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4. Environment Design Landscape Production By Keer Zhao. Foliage, Light and Environment Design by Yinuo Chen
The inspiration for this landscape structure stems from a small patch of woods not far from my childhood neighborhood in the suburbs of Beijing. Despite being surrounded by construction sites, I often found myself taking walks through the area during winter holidays upon returning from the States. The pond was always frozen, sometimes covered in snow, and I couldn't help but wonder what it would look like in the spring. As such, I digitized this fantasized, ephemeral patch of nature, re imagining what it would have looked like in the spring of 2013.
Foliage color and composition inspired by the Ophelia Painting by John Everett Millais, 1851–52
To enhance the overall dreamlike environment, a murky, shiny water material was created. It composes of two different diffuse colour, and linearly interpolates between the two colours based on the intensity of the Fresnel equation(how the light reflects at different intensities based off of the angle of view).
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5. Conclusion Audience Feedback As part of my project, I shared a reel containing snippet of the character on Instagram, and requested the audience to share their observations toward seeing the character’s animated actions. Out of the total 199 comments received, 12% of the comments expressed sympathetic identification, 4% contained sexualization/objectification of the digital body, and 84% commented on the aesthetic aspects of the content.
While this metric on the comment section of a single video alone is not sufficient to make a conclusive statement on whether the digital human surpassed the realm of the "other," I am optimistic to see that this character is capable of evoking identification despite its uncanny appearance. This reinforces the idea that digital humans could, on certain levels, subvert the process of dehumanization through thoughtful and context-specific designs.
4% sexualization/abjectification
12% sympathetic identification
84% aesthetic value
Overall Project Outcome Significant increase in exposure on social media since the release of the film’s promotional materials Scheduled to release promotional merchandise in collaboration with iidiir Gallery and Fluc , NYC, in December, 2023 Exhibited at the NYU Tisch wide Halloween event 2023 Selected by Chengdu Photo Festival's curator as part of the NYU Student Exhibition, which is scheduled to be open on December 31st for a duration of 3 months in the Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum in China The Animated Short Film will be officially released on 12/1/2023.
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02 Man/ Eater View Here
Live Audio Visual Performance/Data Glove 2022.12
Academic Work in New York University
Instructor: David Rios
04:00 min
Arduino, Runway ML, Touchdesigner
Man/Eater is the name of this experimental live performance system. Performance system intergrating deep sea creature aesthetics into technology.The user takes on an alter-ego during the performance, wearing a custom made mirror mask and a wireless midi Arduino glove , controlling the soundscape and live visuals via motion. The gloves and the mask becomes a physical extension of the performer’s body, enabling the performer to become the ultra-instrument.
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1.
Concept
&
Mask
Design
Key Concepts: While
sound
and
incorporating
music
visual
are
primarily
elements
can
experienced
significantly
Mask Design
through
augment
the
hearing,
cognitive
processing and emotional impact of auditory experiences.
Inspired
by
Björk's
performances,
Bonnaroo
integration
notably
2013,
I
her
of
visual
masked
developed
an
art
in
her
appearance
alter
ego
at
that
simultaneously conceals and accentuates the performer.
While
the
mask
offers
a
sense
of
security
through
its
concealment, it also imposes a limitation, restricting the
performer's vision to only the motion of their hands.
The hands, in turn, controls the soundscape and visual landscape of the entire
performance.
The
performer
is
forced
to
become
one
with
the
designed
performance system. The gloves and the mask becomes a physical extension of
the performer’s body, enabling the performer to become the ultra-instrument.
Visual Inspirations:
The Dreamers, a family of deep-sea anglerfishes known as Oneirodidae
Inspired
by
the
bioluminescent
attracts
the
symbiotic
lures,
I
audience's
relationship
between
designed
a
mask
that
attention,
mimicking
deep-sea
both
the
anglerfish
conceals
mutually
the
and
wearer
beneficial
their
and
interaction
between the fish and its light-emitting bacteria. This design hopes to reflect the
intriguing duality of protection and allure found in these enigmatic sea creatures.
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2. Glove & Performance System Design Approach and Tools System Flowchart .
Schematics Diagram & Hardware Component Arduino Nano 33 Io Flex sensors * Lithium batter Mini Breadboard Wire & Sensor housin Plastic Halloween Finger Casing
** Ultrasonic Distance Sensor was not used in the final application due to time constraint.
A. Hardware Development After several mobility tests, I discovered that using rubber bands not only
resulted in a general discomfort, the sensors' exposed surface was also prone to damage from constant friction with the finger enclosure casing.
Since the flex sensors are quite easy to break, I made several attempts to house it without losing its sensitivity. My initial approach was to use rubber bands to tighten
As a solution, heat-shrinking tubes were applied to cover the sensors' body, enhancing finger mobility and
the flex sensors on the inside of the hard-shelled
minimizing the risk of sensor damage.
mechanical finger casings.
B. Software Development Arduino to Touchdesigner:
Touchdesigner to Ableton: each
6 Total inputs: the x, y, and z
finger’s movement to a different reverb
position of the accelerometer,
effect. inside Ableton
which measures the movement
To ensure the distinct effect of each finger, I
of the hand through space
Through
used
Touchdesigner,
the
Logic
I
mapped
Chop
Function
in
The 3 flex sensors’ bent angle, is
Touchdesigner to choose only the activated
mapped to a value between 0
finger to be the singular trigger
and 1 where 1 is the finger fully
The
other
two
finger
triggers
are
bent downwards
automatically turned off when one finger’s flex
Touchdesigner sends over the
data reaches the value of 1 (finger bending
converted signals to Ableton via
downwards).
OSC.
Data Categorization inside TD
Accelorometer data from Arduino influencing the “expansive
space” reverb, increasing the intensity as the device moves
Example. The main video switch sends the final output on the TV screen
from Left to right
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3.
Performance
&
Project
Outcome
.
ITP/IMA Winter Showcase 2022
ITP Alter Egos Final Showcase 2022
The live performance was selected to be shown at the ITP winter
Project
show 2022, as well as ITP ‘s Alter Ego Final showcase 2022. In the future, I hope to improve the automation aspect of the current
Outcome:
system, and implement realtime generative soundscapes into the design.
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03 East-South-North-West, Where did he go? Graphic Design, Origami Prints 2023.11
Individual Project
Tools: Photoshop
In my elementary years, my paternal grandfather introduced me to the game of paper fortune telling, known in his terms as "East-South-West-North" (东 南 西 北 ). Despite the differing nomenclature, it shared core similarities with its Western counterpart. Players are enabled to choose the shape of their fortune through the simple folds of this origami pattern. In 2023, I undertook the task of digitizing our family's deteriorating photo albums, uncovering numerous unseen photographs of my paternal grandfather. I was inspired to create a multi-dimensional portrait of him using origami, blending his past and present into a unified representation. This project aimed to extend his lifestory beyond my fragmented childhood memories.
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1. Design Methodology
Categorization Process
Design Principles
Digitize the corroding photograph
The design should build anticipation as the user goes
Translate inscriptions into Englis
through the steps to reveal a hidden message
Research syntax style and locations
The design should reveal a chronological narrative
mentioned in the written inscriptio
through the paper folding process
Chronologically
reorder
the
The design can be easily learned and replicated.
photographs into a reusable catalog.
Methodological protocol: 15
2. First Iteration
The first iteration consists of a chronologically organized collection of my grandfather’s photographs featuring his handwritten inscriptions. As the player adjusts the pattern, the years gradually regress from 1987 to 1955.
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3. Second Iteration The second iteration of the project spans photographs from 2007 to 2022. As participants engage in the folding process, the timeline advances toward the future.
Notably, I digitally merged my image onto an older photo with my grandfather using Photoshop. This was done to symbolically include him in my college graduation, an event that occurred a year after his passing. This intentional alteration serves to disrupt the chronological sequence and seeks to create an intersection of past and present beyond the regid rules of time.
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04 Selected Client Works A. Eartheater Live Visuals
Audio Visual Live System Design / Performance Artist Commission, Art/ Animation Director 01 hr 2023.4 Unreal Engine, Touchdesigner, Premiere Pro, Midi controller
Comissioned by renowned singer/song writer Eartheater to develop a live audio visual system for her show at NYU. View Here
B. When the sun goes down 3D Audio Visual music video Artist Commission, Art/ Animation Director 04:24 min 2023.6 - 2023. 7 Unreal Engine, Premiere Pro
Commissioned by emerging singer/songwriter 11 JIA YI to direct and produce an original live visual animation for his award-winning single "When the Sun Goes Down" Video showcased at 11 JIAYI and 99GOD ‘s China Tour “Into the Dark” in various renowned Chinese live music venues including Yue Livehouse Beijing & Systems Shanghai.
View Here
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A. Eartheater Live Visuals System Flowchart
Color Scheme Design
Unreal Engine Ocean Render Loop Realtime Audio Input Dynamic Geometrical Movement Touchdesigner
Scene Switch Midi Controller Input
Motion Speed Elegant
Midi Controller Test in Touchdesigner
Mitosis
Gravity
Phoenix
Client Brief Keywords Flying Over the Ocean
LIquid
Loop
Transformation Show Documentation
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B. When The sun Goes down: selected stills
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05 TASKAM Selected Works
2023.6
View Here
Our Hands Unbroken (an ode to Internal Countermeasure Electronics) 3D Audio Visual Installation Gallery commision, Art/ Animation Director, Group Project 02:37 min 2021.9 -2022.2 Unreal Engine, Maya, Premiere Pro
TASKAM was invited by Enjoy Contemporary Gallery, New Zealand, to create an original 3D music video installation for their Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) exhibition. Original 3D visuals directed and produced by Yinuo Chen. Original Soundscape by Gabirel Chi and Cameron Tanaka.
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05 TASKAM Selected Works
XPARK
View Here
3D Music Video 02:05 min
Unreal Engine, Maya, Premiere Pro
'XPARK' is a original 3D animated music video about the suffocation of desire. Directed and produced by
Art/ Animation Director, Group Project
Yinuo Chen. Original Score by Gabriel
2021.9 -2022.2
Chi and Cameron Tanaka.
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05 TASKAM Selected Works
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06 AI Prompt Engineering Selected works
View Here
Sixgod Prevails AI Motion Graphics Design
Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, Runway ML gen2 2023. 10
Professional Ad Campaign
Video Documentation
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06 AI Prompt Engineering Selected works
LiblibAI X Blue Converse AI Contest Control net 3D design/ Stable Diffusion Workflow Development 2023. 11
Professional Ad Campaign
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