Photography, Storytelling, Title Sequence

The title sequence for Arrival draws from the crystallization of salt, using it as a metaphor for how love forms and transforms over time. Through this visual language, the sequence reflects the enduring cycle of a mother’s love, shifting, reshaping, and remaining, just as salt slowly becomes crystal.

After watching Arrival, I wanted to recreate the crystal forming process myself. The challenge was obvious, I’m not a chemist, and I had to achieve it under a tight deadline. But I trusted I could figure it out.

I researched everything I could find, then started experimenting. I bought different salts and tested them in various temperatures and timings until I finally created the crystalline textures the sequence needed.