The film will tell the story of the cultural exchange between China and the Islamic civilization from the 8th to 18th centuries as represented in the Louvre Abu Dhabi's upcoming "Dragon & Phoenix" exhibition. Over three sentences, the film will highlight key moments like the Battle of Talas where artists were spared and spread paper production, the development of blue and white porcelain from imported dye, and Islamic influences upgrading Chinese tapestries. Attention to accurate historical details in costumes, settings, and artifacts will help bring the 1100 year relationship between the two civilizations to life.

1. Film

2. 1 Main Film
Quantity: 1
2 MUSIC & SFX
16:9
1920 x
1080
MUSIC & SFX
16:9
1920 x
1080
VO:
Arabic - English
Social Cut-downs
Quantity: 4
Duration
:
8 -15 sec
Duration
:
45 sec
Deliverables
1:1
1080 x
1080
SUPERs:
Arabic & English
9:16
1080 x
1920
NO
SUPERS
NO VO

3. VIP
Exhibition
Invitation
Film
Background
Louvre Abu Dhabi is organizing a temporary exhibition for Q4 2021 – Q1 2022, Dragon
& Phoenix which showcases through 250 carefully selected objects the cultural and
commercial connection between China (the Dragon) and the Islamic Civilisation (the Phoenix)
from the 8th Century AD – 18th Century AD. Yes, 1100 years of cultural and commercial
ties captured in 250 artifacts!
Mass
Audience
History Background
The history of the ancient silk-trade route manifests in the cultural objects left behind. When the two civilisations
connected through trade, they influenced the cultural products of each other (ex. the exhibited artifacts). This
happened many centuries ago but continues to happen to today as we are witnessing the rebirth of the New Silk
Road. Traces of Islamic influence can be seen in many of the Chinese porcelain decoration which adopts intricate
floral motifs. Equally, we see some Chinese influences in the use of green jade for Syrian & Egyptian pottery and
Chinese motif carvings like the fish (associated with Good Luck in Chinese mythology). A relations that spans
thousands of years, we will continue writing stories our cultural connection.

4. VIP
Exhibition
Invitation
Film
Film
The cultural exchange between both civilizations is rich and worthy to
be told, in order to highlight its memorable story. The film will tell the
story of both cultures and how they influenced each other over
centuries, linking the story to the name of the event in a unique twist.
All of the exhibitions art history talking points will be told as a story
and will be easily understood, both in terms of script and visually.
Art Direction
As we are telling a story of art and history, the film’s art direction
will be made of the Chinese ceramic style, as it’s not only beautiful
but also represents the cultural exchange between both civilizations.
Mass
Audience

5. Art direction and Animation Reference

6. 45s Film

7. Voice Over:
Humanity has always
been fascinated by stories and legends.
Visual Description
Camera moving across and above endless clouds
Voice Over
Like the dragon. The most imperial creature in
Chinese mythology.
Visual Description
Dragon appears from below the clouds flying between them,
penetrating the clouds and moving down towards the earth while the
camera pans quickly to follow it.
The dragon flies over a Chinese palace, camera goes through the
palace revealing the emperor on his throne with the dragon flying
around him. Or the dragon can go on his clothes as a drawing.
6 - 8 SEC

8. Voice Over:
And the Arabian Phoenix, rising majestically from the
ashes.
Visual Description
With some yellow flames entering the scene, it makes a
transition to reveal the Phoenix with its fire colors while it dies and then
starts forming again from the ashes before it flies.
Voice Over:
Did these magical creatures ever meet?
We can’t be sure. But we do know that the story of
The Dragon and The Phoenix was written by their
people.
Visual Description
Zoom out to reveal the dragon on the other side
of the scene as it starts flying towards the phoenix.
The camera moves down penetrating the clouds
and revealing the battle scene.
6 - 8 SEC

9. Voice Over:
Their story begins with
the battle of Talas.
The lives of artisans and artists were spared to
create works of culture. Spreading paper
production towards the Islamic civilization and
to Europe.
Visual Description
Two armies running towards each other, camera zooms out
between tress, using the shape of the tree or the grass as a
transition to cut to paper production strip and framing the
papers. we see some of the artisans working on producing
paper, Piles of paper will start flying across while the camera is
following it going towards the sea where we see some Islamic
camels at a distance.
10 SEC

10. Voice Over:
The story continues to the iconic blue and
white ceramics from China. At first, they
were monochrome.
The famed blue came from carpet-weaving
in Kashan, giving birth to today's blue and
white ceramics.
Visual Description
The scene will be in black& white. We see Islamic traders with their
camels and luggage coming towards China while a phoenix flies
around. Camera zooms in towards the camels to reveal carpets.
One carpet will fall in a nearby river.. blue ink will spread into the
water. The camera follows the blue ink till it goes to a skilled man
making ceramics and the color spreads and colors the vase and
many other vases and plates that were in the same scene in a row.
12 - 15 SEC

11. Voice Over:
And cloth and tapestries from
China?
Learning from Islamic weavers,
they upgraded to new
techniques, creating softer fabric.
Visual Description:
Camera follows the phoenix from the previous
scene going towards the Chinese creating
tapestries. A phoenix feather falls towards
the fabric, creating embroidered gold lines
that shape a dragon in quick cuts.
6-8 SEC

12. Voice Over:
This is the story of
The Dragon and the Phoenix.
Visual Description
Camera zooms out to follow the Phoenix flying
towards the dragons. Film ends with a dragon and
phoenix flying around each other, zooming out to
reveal they are a design on a ceramic plate. End line
and location are revealed inside the plate as well.
5 SEC
Supers:
Two Civilisations. One Story.
Discover the Dragon & Phoenix exhibition.
Louvre Abu Dhabi.
October 2021.

13. Social Cut-downs

14. The film will be adapted into different Social
cut-downs.
Each story or post highlights achievements
like the porcelain story, tapestries, the
battle of Talas…etc.

15. TEASER
CUTDOWN
SUPER / VO:
Through legends & myths
Did the dragon and phoenix ever meet?
We can’t be sure. But we know that the story of the dragon &
phoenix Was written by their people.
Sign off:
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi

16. Camera moves across and above endless clouds. The dragon
appears from below the clouds as he flies between them. He
glides through the clouds and moves down towards the earth
while the camera pans quickly and smoothly to follow it.
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Voice Over/ SUPER
Through legends & myths. Did the dragon and phoenix ever meet? We can’t be sure. But we know that the story of the dragon & phoenix was written by their people.
TEASER CUTDOWN STORY BOARD
The dragon flies over a Chinese palace, the camera
transitions to the palace where we reveal an emperor on his
throne with the dragon flying around him.
We then cut to see an artist behind prison bars.
With some yellow flames entering the scene, it makes a
transition to reveal the Phoenix with its fire colors while it dies
and then starts forming again from the ashes before it flies
with a roar towards the sun.
We zoom out to reveal the dragon on the other side
of the scene as it starts flying towards the phoenix.
Cut to the frame where we see the super with the Louvre Abu
Dhabi logo

17. BATTLE OF TALAS
CUTDOWN
SUPER / VO:
During the Battle of Talas,
artists were spared to create works of culture
Which is how paper production spread towards the Islamic civilisation
Sign off:
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi

18. We start the scene where we see two armies
running towards each other
camera zooms out between tress, using the shape of the tree or the grass as a transition Camera zooms out from the bars to show us that
these bars were part of strips from the paper
during the paper production process
We reveal more of the paper
production process We show two pieces of paper from both
civilisations with the same key visual
execution.
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Voice Over/ SUPER
During the Battle of Talas, artists were spared to create works of culture.
Voice Over/ SUPER
Which is how paper production spread towards the Islamic civilisation
BATTLE OF TALAS CUTDOWN STORY BOARD

19. CERAMIC
CUTDOWN
SUPER / VO:
Did you know the iconic Chinese
blue & white ceramics used to be monochromatic?
The blue color comes from Islamic carpet weavers and was imported to
Quanzhou
giving birth to the ceramics we know today.
Sign off:
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi

20. The scene starts in black & white. We see Islamic
traders holding their luggage on camels. We follow
them as they approach China. The phoenix enters
and exits the frame in a flying motion.
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Voice Over/ SUPER
Did you know the iconic Chinese blue & white ceramics used to be monochromatic?
Voice Over/ SUPER
The blue color comes from Islamic carpet weavers and was imported to Quanzhou giving birth to the ceramics we know today.
CERAMIC CUTDOWN STORY BOARD
Camera zooms in towards the camels
to reveal carpets.
One carpet will fall in a nearby river. The blue ink will spread into the water.
The camera follows the journey of the blue ink in the water untill it reaches a skilled man making ceramics where the
color spreads and slowly colors in the vase and the many other vases and plates that were in the same scene one by
one.
Cut to show two pieces of two plates from both
civilisations with same key visual execution.

21. TAPESTRY
CUTDOWN
SUPER / VO:
Did you know tapestries from China were
made of coarse gold fibers?
They connected with Islamic weavers
Using paper strands and covering them with
gold leaf to create softer textiles
Sign off:
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi

22. The scene starts with the Phoenix flying over the Chinese land and goes towards the Chinese people creating
tapestries.
TWO CIVILISATIONS. ONE STORY.
Discover more at Dragon & Phoenix,
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Voice Over/ SUPER
Did you know tapestries from China were made of coarse gold fibers?
Voice Over/ SUPER
They connected with Islamic weavers using paper strands and covering them with gold leaf to
create softer textiles
TAPESTRY CUTDOWN STORY BOARD
We zoom out to see the dragon tapestry ready
between all the Chinese people.
The phoenix’s feathers on to the fabric, creating embroidered gold lines that shape
a dragon in quick cuts.
We cut to see a visual with two tapestries from
both civilisations.

23. Creative Brief

24. Since the film is a historical film and for the Louvre
exhibition, the outfit details, buildings, places, and
characters need to be accurate and approved from
cultural sides. So in the next slide, some references
for those details.

25. Chinese Army uniform at
Battle of Talas
(Tang Dynasty 618 to 907)

26. Islamic Army
uniform at
Battle of Talas

27. Islamic Army
uniform at
Battle of Talas

28. Normal
Chineses
people
Outfit for
porcelain &
paper
stories
Also reference
for the places
and
environment

29. Normal
Chineses
people
Outfit for
porcelain &
paper
stories
Also reference
for the places
and
environment

30. Normal
Chineses
people
Outfit for
porcelain &
paper
stories

31. Normal
Chineses
people
Outfit for
porcelain &
paper
stories

32. Paper
production
process and
people
uniform

33. Tapestry
scene,
Women
Outfit

34. Tapestry
scene,
Women
Outfit

35. Tang
Dynasty
Emperor

36. Tang
Dynasty
Emperor

37. Islamic
traders

38. Islamic
people

39. Tang
Dynasty
palace

40. Dragon and Phoenix.
We defiantly need to create and
stylized those 2 creature but also let’s
try to be close to this reference as it
been used across all the exhibition
material.

41. Thank you