Van Gogh and Mona Lisa step out of their paintings into Longgang, meet again at the robot exhibition area and become travel companions, leaving their day of sightseeing in a new oil painting.
Project Type
City & Tourism
Client
Publicity Department of CPC Longgang District Committee, Shenzhen
Year
2025
Our role
City short concept, AI visuals & final film
Original format
1280 × 720 · 00:52
Film00:52 · Video
01 / Background
Turning landmark promotion into a warm encounter
Promoting Longgang's landmarks means getting viewers interested in the city. The film uses just two leads, Van Gogh and Mona Lisa, and a friendship arc of exploring alone, an unexpected reunion and touring together to tie the city's content together.
The tech exhibition, the Children's Park and the ancient town each play a part in the story: the two meet at the robot exhibition area, take in the open city view together from a Ferris wheel, and end the day on an old street hung with lanterns. The film opens with two separate portraits and ends with their shared experience merged into a new painting, so art, the city and their friendship form one complete little story.
02 / Creative Highlights
From exploring alone to ending up in the same painting
01
Not a checklist of photo stops, but a journey with real changes of mood
At the start, the two arrive separately at the Zero-Carbon Park, miss each other back to back, and each wander toward streets with the Twin Towers behind them. At the robot exhibition area, Van Gogh first looks around curiously, then breaks into a delighted smile; he and Mona Lisa smile at each other and leave together. Solo shots become two-shots, and from then on each change of location happens because the two are exploring together, so the second half of the tour becomes an experience they share.
02
Recognizably Longgang from the very first shot
The story's starting point had to read instantly as Longgang, so the characters make their entrance in front of the Zero-Carbon Park's buildings. The film shows the ring-shaped walkway, glass facades and the Living Pavilion before moving on to the Twin Towers, the Children's Park and the academy at night; from the leads' very first stop, viewers can tell this is Longgang.
03
One pair of characters experiencing both technology and culture
Van Gogh's red beard and grey suit and Mona Lisa's long hair and black clothes stay the same in every scene. In the blue-and-white tech exhibition, the two meet over a robot performance; on a Ferris wheel in orange sunset light and on an old street lit by warm lamps, they take in the view side by side and chat. Because the characters always look the same, the different locations add up to a single day's itinerary, and the city's tech innovation and leisure life both fit into this friendship.
04
From separate portraits back to one shared canvas
The opening turns two famous paintings into realistic people; at the end, the pair wave in front of the academy, the camera pulls back to reveal a gold frame, the figures and night scene slowly turn into oil brushstrokes, and the lights go down. The journey doesn't just say goodbye to the audience; it becomes a new painting, leaving a memorable image of “the classics meeting the future.”
03 / Scene Breakdown
From missing each other to returning to the painting together.
Film · 00:00–00:10
Out of the frame, only to cross paths unseen at the Zero-Carbon Park
Van Gogh and Mona Lisa step out of their own paintings one after the other and land on the lawn of the Zero-Carbon Park. Standing back to back, neither sees the other, and they walk off in different directions.
Clip · 00:00–00:03
The self-portrait opens and Van Gogh steps into the park
The vertical self-portrait holds for a moment on a black background, then the blue brushstrokes spread out to both sides and the figure becomes a real man in a grey suit, with the Zero-Carbon Park's ring-shaped walkway behind him.
Clip · 00:03–00:07
Mona Lisa appears, with Van Gogh right behind her
“Mona Lisa” steps out of her painting too. She smiles in the foreground while, in the distance, Van Gogh scratches his head with his back to her; viewers can already see how close they are.
Clip · 00:07–00:10
Going separate ways at the Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion
In a wide shot, the roof and facade of the Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion are clearly visible as the two walk out of frame in opposite directions, leaving the story's suspense right here.
Film · 00:10–00:26
Wandering past the Twin Towers, reunited at the robot exhibition
The two cross the plaza in front of the Twin Towers moments apart, then both happen to walk into the robot exhibition area. A robot performance lets Van Gogh spot his old friend in the crowd.
Clip · 00:10–00:15
Same plaza, moments apart
Mona Lisa walks left to right across the plaza in front of the Twin Towers, and a few seconds later Van Gogh passes the same spot. The background stays the same, and they still miss each other.
Clip · 00:15–00:21
Van Gogh watches robots dance
Humanoid robots perform on stage while Van Gogh stands in the watching crowd, first looking on curiously, then turning his head with a delighted smile.
Clip · 00:21–00:26
A shared smile, then off together
In the blue-and-white hall, the two stand face to face, exchange a few words, then walk out of frame side by side. From this shot on, exploring Longgang is something they do together.
Film · 00:26–00:33
The Children's Park, and a sunset from the Ferris wheel
The two chat and laugh at the entrance of Longgang Children's Park, then ride the Ferris wheel. Orange sunset light pours into the cabin, and the film's pace relaxes.
Clip · 00:26–00:28
At the Children's Park entrance
Under the pink “Longgang Children's Park” entrance sign, Van Gogh turns back to wave Mona Lisa over, and they head in together.
Clip · 00:28–00:33
The whole park outside the cabin
The camera first shows the Ferris wheel cabin and the park at sunset from outside, then cuts inside: Van Gogh points out the window, and Mona Lisa follows his gaze.
Film · 00:33–00:50
A night in Gankeng, and the trip becomes a new painting
After dark, the two walk into Gankeng Ancient Town, through the gate tower and along stone streets hung with lanterns, and finally wave to the audience in front of the academy as the image is drawn into a gold frame.
Clip · 00:33–00:36
Through the Gankeng gate tower onto the lantern street
The camera follows the two through the lit-up Gankeng gate tower, then along stone paving under strings of red lanterns, Van Gogh gesturing as he talks.
Clip · 00:36–00:39
A photo in front of the Alley Market
The two stand side by side under the “Alley Market” sign, facing the camera like tourists, while warm yellow light makes the night scene feel lively.
Clip · 00:39–00:45
Waving in front of the academy
Van Gogh and Mona Lisa stand at the academy gate, smiling and waving at the camera; this is the happiest they look all day.
Clip · 00:45–00:50
Pulling back into a gold frame
The camera pulls back as a gold frame appears around the image, the figures and the academy slowly turn into Van Gogh-style oil brushstrokes, and finally the gallery lights dim. The film begins with them stepping out of paintings and ends with them back in one.
04 / Storyboards & Final Frames
From famous paintings to the streets of Longgang: the final frame for every shot.
Listed in the order of the film: first what each shot shows, then the final frame used in the film. The Children's Park entrance before the Ferris wheel and the Alley Market shot have no separate final frames, so they are not listed here.
01
Out of the Frame
In the film · 00:00–00:10
Shot 1.1
Van Gogh steps out of his self-portrait
Van Gogh steps out of the vertical self-portrait as the image spreads to both sides and lands on the lawn of the Zero-Carbon Park, turning into a realistic Van Gogh.
Van Gogh steps out of his self-portrait · Final 1Van Gogh steps out of his self-portrait · Final 2
Shot 1.2
Mona Lisa steps out of her frame
Mona Lisa steps out of her frame too. In the distance, Van Gogh has his back to her, setting up the near-miss that follows.
Mona Lisa steps out of her frame · Final 1Mona Lisa steps out of her frame · Final 2
Shot 1.3
Parting ways at the Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion
A wide shot puts the ring-shaped Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion at the center, with the two standing on either side before walking out of frame in opposite directions.
Parting ways at the Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion · Final 1
02
The Twin Towers and the Robot Exhibition
In the film · 00:10–00:26
Shot 2.1
Passing the Twin Towers moments apart
Mona Lisa and Van Gogh cross the same Twin Towers plaza one after the other; the background doesn't change, and they just miss each other.
Passing the Twin Towers moments apart · Final 1Passing the Twin Towers moments apart · Final 2
Shot 2.2
Van Gogh watches the robot show
Van Gogh stands in the foreground, with humanoid robots on stage and a watching crowd behind him; his expression shifts from curiosity to delight.
Van Gogh watches the robot show · Final 1
Shot 2.3
Mona Lisa in the crowd
Mona Lisa is seen from behind among the audience, showing that she has come to the same hall.
Mona Lisa in the crowd · Final 1Mona Lisa in the crowd · Final 2
Shot 2.4
Recognition
The two stand face to face in the middle of the hall; from this shot on, they share the frame.
Recognition · Final 1
03
Sunset on the Ferris Wheel
In the film · 00:28–00:33
Shot 3.1
The cabin from outside
The Ferris wheel cabin fills the left of the frame, with the Children's Park and the city at sunset on the right; two figures are visible inside the cabin.
The cabin from outside · Final 1
Shot 3.2
Taking in the view from the cabin
The two sit side by side looking out the window, their outlines rimmed by the backlit sunset.
Taking in the view from the cabin · Final 1
04
A Night in Gankeng and a New Painting
In the film · 00:33–00:50
Shot 4.1
Entering the Gankeng gate tower
Seen from behind, the two walk toward the lit gate tower, with red lanterns hanging on both sides.
Entering the Gankeng gate tower · Final 1
Shot 4.2
The lantern-lined stone street
The two chat as they walk, the stone paving and strings of lanterns stretching into the distance.
The lantern-lined stone street · Final 1
Shot 4.3
Waving in front of the academy
The two stand at the academy gate waving at the camera: the last realistic image before they are drawn into the frame.
Waving in front of the academy · Final 1
Shot 4.4
Back into the painting
The same composition in front of the academy becomes a Van Gogh-style oil painting in a gold frame on a gallery wall, and the camera pulls back to close.
Back into the painting · Final 1Back into the painting · Final 2
05 / Results
A complete short film of art figures touring Longgang
The final film is a roughly 52-second, 16:9 creative city short about Longgang; the end card reads “Presented by the Publicity Department of the CPC Longgang District Committee, Shenzhen” and “AI technical support by Liandan AI Studio.”
Case Study
Liandan AI Studio × Longgang District Publicity Department | Bringing Van Gogh and Mona Lisa Together in Longgang
Van Gogh and Mona Lisa, one in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the other in the Louvre, have never met.
What would happen if they stepped out of their frames and landed in Longgang, Shenzhen?
In 2025, the Publicity Department of the CPC Longgang District Committee, Shenzhen asked us to make a set of AI city shorts, each telling Longgang's story from a different angle. This is the first: 52 seconds in which two famous painted figures travel from the Zero-Carbon Park to Gankeng Ancient Town and end up back in a new painting.
Client
The Publicity Department of the CPC Longgang District Committee, Shenzhen (credited at the end as “Presented by the Publicity Department of the CPC Longgang District Committee, Shenzhen”)
Project Type
AI city tourism short, No. 1 in the Longgang AI Video Series
Timeline
September 2025 (sample early in the month, final version at month's end)
Runtime & Specs
52 sec · 16:9 · 1280×720
Distribution
Published on WeChat Channels
Produced by
Shenzhen Alchemy Technology Co., Ltd. (Liandan AI Studio), credited at the end as “AI technical support by Liandan AI Studio”
01
Why wasn't a parade of famous painted figures at photo spots enough?
The film's job was to promote Longgang's landmarks. In the earliest sample, several figures from famous paintings stepped out of their frames one by one and stood at an art museum, a sports center and an ancient town gate. The visuals were fresh, but it played like a string of check-in photos, with no relationship between the characters.
The client wanted a more complete, more moving story. We narrowed the cast to the two most recognizable leads and gave them an emotional arc: waking up separately → just missing each other → an unexpected reunion → touring together → returning to the painting. The landmarks are no longer a backdrop but the places where their relationship moves forward.
Clip · 00:21–00:26
Reunion at the robot exhibition
The film's turning point: the two recognize each other in the hall and share a smile, and every place after that is one they visit together.
02
First, turning painted figures into people who can walk
Famous paintings are flat and covered in cracks, and generating video straight from them tends to distort the figures. We first sourced high-resolution versions of the originals, removed the cracks and brightened the colors, then turned them into realistic photos: Van Gogh's red beard and grey suit and Mona Lisa's long hair and black dress all follow the originals, and height, skin tone and lighting were adjusted image by image so they sit naturally next to real Longgang locations.
Van Gogh's original self-portraitThe final realistic Van Gogh
The original “Mona Lisa”The final realistic Mona Lisa
The opening “step out of the frame” was carefully set up too: the first frame is the vertical original painting with black bars on both sides, and the last frame is the real person standing in the park. Generating the video between those two images makes the picture spread outward on its own, like a canvas being opened.
03
It had to read as Longgang at first glance
In one version of the opening, the two landed on an ordinary lawn that could have been in any city. The client wanted the story to be recognizably Longgang from the start, so we put the Zero-Carbon Park's ring-shaped walkway and Living Pavilion into the first two shots, with the pavilion's sign legible even in the wide shot.
The two part ways in front of the Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion
Every location after that is built on real photos of Longgang: the Twin Towers, the robot exhibition area, the Children's Park Ferris wheel, and the Gankeng gate tower and lantern street. Character images and landmark photos were prepared separately and then composited for each shot, so the people always stay the same two and the places always stay recognizable.
04
Instead of saying goodbye, the ending returns to the painting
At the end, the two wave to the audience in front of the academy, the camera pulls back, a gold frame appears around them, the figures and the academy slowly turn into Van Gogh-style oil brushstrokes, and finally the gallery lights dim. They began by stepping out of separate paintings and end by walking into the same one, preserving their day in Longgang on canvas.
Waving in front of the academy (realistic)The oil-painting version of the same composition
05
What this project achieved
The biggest risk in city promotion is ending up with a list of landmarks. This film borrows two painted figures the whole world recognizes and uses a 50-second friendship story to link the Zero-Carbon Park, the Twin Towers, the robot exhibition area, the Children's Park and Gankeng Ancient Town into a single day's itinerary.
For the client, famous painted figures come with built-in attention, so viewers keep watching; for the city, every landmark appears at a moment when the characters are actually doing something, like watching a robot show, riding the Ferris wheel or strolling a lantern street, which sticks in memory far better than place names in captions.
FAQ
FAQ
Once figures from famous paintings become real people, how do you keep them the same person in every shot?
We first created a fixed realistic look for each lead, then added reference images from multiple angles, front and side, and composited every shot from that reference set. That's why Van Gogh's red beard and grey suit and Mona Lisa's long black dress never change, from the Zero-Carbon Park to the academy gate.
How does an AI city promo let viewers recognize specific places?
By building on real local photos. The Zero-Carbon Living Pavilion, the Twin Towers, the Children's Park Ferris wheel and the Gankeng gate tower in this film all come from real photos of Longgang; once the characters are composited in, the building outlines and signs remain, so viewers can match them at a glance.
How long did an AI short under a minute like this take?
We delivered the first sample in early September 2025, then, based on the client's feedback, changed the multi-character photo tour into a two-person friendship story and added the Zero-Carbon Park's buildings. The final version with the end card was delivered at the end of September, about a month in total.
Approach
Building characters and city scenes around two leads
We started with high-resolution versions of the paintings, gave them a photographic look, filled in facial detail and brightened the colors, and also did restoration, upscaling and multi-angle character references. When placing the characters in the city, we matched their height, proportions, skin tone and lighting to the real locations, so the leads are instantly recognizable and look like they belong in the same frame as the local buildings.
The script covers only the two leads' friendship arc, laying out the actions of missing each other, recognizing each other and touring together. The overall structure is “from alone to together, out of the painting and back into it,” and the film tells this arc through expressions, two-shots and the closing frame.
Landmark material and character images were prepared separately, then composited into first frames and first/last-frame setups; the characters make their entrance in front of the Zero-Carbon Park's buildings so viewers recognize Longgang from the start. The Ferris wheel cuts from the exterior to inside the cabin, and the old street uses walking tracking shots and close conversation to carry the pair's relationship forward; every camera move is built around their experience.
