Pause 2017 (2017)

A computer boots up. The fuzzy blink of a green cursor catches the eye of a small black cat. The system initializes. Gloom sets in over a block of apartments as the feline sets out into the city, padding through darkened office towers and subway tunnels, down alleyways bathed in neon and cathode rays, and streets glistening with fresh rain.

This is not footage captured from some dystopian future, but the work of Xiaolin “Zaoeyo” Zeng, a Beijing-based visual designer making waves with his stunning VFX-driven creations. In 2016, Zeng released Organic Machines, a spec title sequence he produced in order to stretch and test his creative muscles. The piece went viral in motion design circles leading to the designer being hired to create the opener for Pause 2017, an annual Australian tech and innovation festival now in its seventh year.

The futuristic title sequence wears its cyberpunk and sci-fi influences on its sleeve, subtly nodding to masters of the genre such as Mamoru Oshii and the Wachowskis, while paying more overt homage to foundational figures like Philip K. Dick and Ridley Scott. But in place of a cyborg, hacker, or chosen one, viewers get a cat for their hero – a curious grimalkin offering a different perspective on this well-trod ground. The creature is right at home in this digital wilderness, lighting the path for others to follow and find.

A discussion with title designer XIAOLIN "ZAOEYO" ZENG.



Could you give us a little background on yourself?

I was raised in a small city called Xiangtan in China. After my college entrance exams, I came across After Effects on Video Copilot. I got an average score and failed to be selected as an advertising major. After that, I was told by my parents that I should choose a major that would help me find a job. They thought accounting was the best choice based on how I’d scored on my exams, so I attended an economics and finance school. In…

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