Pinta Studio has been generating a lot of buzz since its inception, with projects like the youngest executives from Alibaba and full VR storytelling. Despite the initial attention and curiosity, no groundbreaking works have emerged. Plus, their PR strategies are similar to those of other teams, leading people to quickly lose interest once they've had a taste. But now, finally, their work is out there for everyone to see. My general expectation for domestic content is this: I don't believe it's inherently good. Even if the production quality is decent, the chance of having a "soul" is almost zero. This isn’t entirely due to the team itself; it’s also influenced by China’s cultural and economic environment. A project doesn’t just rely on the team’s effort—it depends on partners, regulations, and audiences, all part of the historical process. Of course, from another angle, even though the possibility of soul is close to zero, it’s not completely gone. After all, there are 1.3 billion people in the country, so the sample size is still large enough. Occasionally, we can find some works that defy the system and feel truly enchanting. What makes me hopeful is that the old man picking up dreams might be one of those rare exceptions. The first scene of “The Old Man Who Picks Up Dreams†is not particularly colorful—it could even be seen as falling within the “domestic level.†There’s no skybox, the car is oddly proportioned (a cartoonish scale that feels unexpected), the floor is rough, and the bridge has sharp edges. They tried to tell the story using a theatrical spotlight effect, but the contrast wasn’t strong enough—shadows were too light, making the overall feel simple and underwhelming. Still, the emotion of a depressed young person dropping his guitar comes through, albeit subtly. The artistic style here has some inherent limitations when it comes to emotional expression. The second scene is more normal. A guitar falls to the ground and flies through the air, reminiscent of the popular online game “Tiao Bao.†The sky is filled with moons, but the connection between this scene and the previous one might confuse viewers. The old man picks up the broken guitar, and the dogs leave, asking, “Dream Collector.†The third scene shows the daily life of the elderly in a room, and it’s impressive. The first impression comes from the sound design—every action, from opening a drawer to footsteps and tool collisions, is perfectly timed. This scene captures the real-world feeling of solitude through subtle background noise. Unlike traditional films, where unnecessary sounds are often removed, this scene embraces the messiness, which adds authenticity. It reflects the team’s dedication, especially for an animated film. This scene portrays the daily routine of the old man repairing discarded items. The fourth scene is quite interesting. I believe Pinta made great efforts here, experimenting with different approaches. It may change in the future. This scene aims to show the passage of time—day after day, seasons changing, rain and snow. However, the transitions are abrupt, and the elderly appear in various directions, making it hard to follow. In VR, how to convey the feeling of time in a short period remains unclear. Personally, I think fading patterns or asynchronous scene changes could work better. But it would require careful control of the overall experience. One thing is clear: the soundtrack here is very well matched to the mood. However, I didn’t fully understand the last part of the scene, especially during the second observation. The final transition fades out gradually, and the old man disappears while walking. The sky is filled with meteors, and he looks very sad. I’m not sure about the intention behind this. Ordinary viewers probably won’t get it either. In my opinion, this section feels like an extra cut, not essential to the story or mood. (After Pinta mentioned it, I realized many people think the old man feels he has given up on dreams, too busy to feel frustrated.) In the fifth scene, the old man is reminded by a snowflake that it's time to repair the last item. He walks into a magical room behind the conveyor belt, where every abandoned treasure floats. It's also Christmas time, and it's time to bring the world’s lost dreams back to memory. This part is quite satisfying, though there's still room for improvement. For example, when the old man pulls up his cape and tosses it, I expected it to wrap around him and turn into a Christmas suit, not just block the view. The gift collection could be more dazzling, and the time and place wormholes could be more ambitious. But the core message was delivered effectively. I suspect the rest of the team had strict limits on the designers, preventing them from adding more effects. The main story ends here, and the final scene is the closing touch. The inheritance of dreams is a deep-rooted desire in everyone’s heart. Though simple, it directly touches the soul. When the dad lifts his daughter and strums the strings, it pulls at everyone’s heartstrings. However, because of the uncharacteristic design, the first reaction was confusing. If there were more obvious features—like a rock-and-roll hairstyle, a certain accessory, or a pen on the chest—it would have been easier to connect with the lonely youth from the first scene. Overall, although the film has areas for improvement—such as the disjointed scenes, unlike the smooth flow of “Dear Angelicaâ€â€”it has already achieved the most important part: emotional impact. This kind of instinctive and irresistible emotion is rare in today’s stereotypical VR content. The detailed care and meticulous rhythm control required to evoke such feelings throughout the film show true sincerity. But what matters more is how long this kind of work can sustain in today’s market. Pinta has plenty of content that doesn’t interfere with the story, which is good, but not necessarily satisfying for everyone. They’re also developing merchandise, but the difference between surrounding and direct sales isn’t huge. Still, from a commercial perspective, the market performance remains to be seen. We hope they get enough space to continue pursuing their vision. Their new project, “Taste of Illusion,†has been submitted to the next Sundance Film Festival. I hope everything goes well for them! Ceramic Insulator,Ceramic Electrical Insulators,Ceramic Standoff Insulators,Ceramic Isolators Yixing Guangming Special Ceramics Co.,Ltd , https://www.yxgmtc.com
