Train Ride

Inspiration

Train Ride began on one of my solo trips to Tokyo. Every day I saw salarymen sitting quietly, exhausted, expressionless, just moving through routine.

Watching them made me wonder: What are they thinking? What lives do they imagine in their heads while they look out the window? Do they also have the same “what ifs” we all carry?

That curiosity became the seed of the film. I wanted to explore the invisible inner world of people who seem quiet on the outside but might be wrestling with regrets, missed chances, or unspoken desires. It’s a universal feeling, but in Tokyo’s trains, it felt especially heavy and poetic.

What it does

The film invites viewers to reflect on the “what ifs” in their own lives. Instead of presenting them as failures or regrets, Train Ride frames them as natural parts of being human, things we all carry quietly, just like the passengers on a train.

It’s a reminder that:

• Everyone has questions about the paths they didn’t take.
• Our choices, mistakes, and uncertainties shape who we are.
• What matters most at the end of the day are relationships, family, and being true to ourselves.

My goal was to create a small moment of self-reflection for the audience. Something that makes them stop, breathe, and consider what really matters to them.

How I built it

I worked on this film entirely on my own. I generated visuals using Kling, specifically the first and last frames. I used Runway to shape, refine, and animate key parts of the film. I used ChatGPT as a writing partner to develop the narrative, emotional beats, and structure.

Everything from storyboarding, sequencing, editing, to sound decisions was done solo.

Challenges I ran into

The biggest challenge was pacing. Because the heart of the story relies on silence, restraint, and internal emotion, I had to balance stillness without letting the film feel empty.

Working alone also meant figuring out how to make AI tools follow the subtle emotional tone I wanted especially for facial expressions, mood, and transitions.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I’m proud of the writing how the sequencing of scenes slowly guides the viewer from external observation into the character’s inner world. It’s one of my most emotionally honest pieces so far.

What we learned

I learned how powerful silence can be in storytelling. Letting scenes breathe, without narration or constant movement . Created space for the audience to feel, not just follow.

I also learned how to better pace introspective stories, and how to trust subtlety instead of forcing emotion.

What's next for Train Ride

I hope Train Ride continues to reach people who need a moment of reflection. If the film can make someone rethink their own “train ride” , their direction in life, the choices they’ve made, or the ones they still want to pursue, then it’s done its job.

Built With

• freepik
• kling
• midjourney
• nanobanana
• runway